Bhagavad Gita 18.1
Spoken by Arjuna · Verse 1 of 78 · Arjuna's Journey
सन्न्यासस्य महाबाहो तत्त्वम् इच्छामि वेदितुम् । त्यागस्य च हृषीकेश पृथक् केशिनिषूदन ॥
sannyāsasya mahābāho tattvam icchāmi veditum | tyāgasya ca hṛṣīkeśa pṛthak keśi-niṣūdana ||
Arjuna asks: what is sannyāsa vs. tyāga? Tell me distinctly, O Mighty-armed, Hṛṣīkeśa, Keśi-slayer.
Word by word (3)
- sannyāsasya mahābāho tattvam icchāmi veditum
- — of sannyāsa (renunciation/complete abandonment) — O Mighty-armed (mahābāho) — I desire (icchāmi) to know (veditum) the truth/essence (tattvam)
- tyāgasya ca hṛṣīkeśa pṛthak
- — and (ca) of tyāga (abandonment/relinquishment) — O Hṛṣīkeśa (Lord of the senses) — distinctly/separately (pṛthak = apart, specifically) — Arjuna asks for a clear distinction between the two terms
- keśi-niṣūdana
- — O slayer of Keśi (keśi-niṣūdana) — three addresses in one verse: mahābāho (mighty-armed = power), hṛṣīkeśa (sense-controller = wisdom), keśi-niṣūdana (demon-slayer = protection) — invoking Krishna's full nature
O Mighty-armed! O Lord of the senses! O Slayer of Keśi! I desire to know the truth about sannyāsa and tyāga — distinctly.
A modern analogy
Arjuna's question here is like asking the difference between 'retiring from work' vs. 'working without attachment to a salary.' Both involve a kind of letting go — but sannyāsa traditionally means leaving the work entirely, while tyāga means staying in action but releasing the fruit. Ch.18 will show that the Gita's answer is more nuanced than either extreme.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
Of sannyāsa, O Mighty-armed, I desire to know the truth, O Hrishikesha, as also of tyāga — distinctly, O Keshi-slayer. [1]
MISSING from index — SW index has wrong verse at key 18.1. Ganguli and Telang used as primary. [4]
O you of mighty arms! O Hrishikesha! O destroyer of Kesin! I wish to know the truth about renunciation and abandonment distinctly. [9]
Of renunciation, O thou of mighty arms, I desire to know the true nature, and also of abandonment, O lord of the senses — distinctly, O slayer of Kesi. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Sannyāsa = abandoning desire-motivated action; tyāga = abandoning fruits of ALL action — say the learned.
Sāttvic tyāga: niyata karma done ONLY because 'this must be done,' having abandoned attachment and fruit.
Acting for reward is the lowest form of action. Seek the wisdom that transcends reward-seeking.
Sāttvic yajña: performed as ordained, without fruit-desire, with the conviction 'this must be done.'
Hear My definitive word on tyāga, O best of Bharatas — tyāga has been declared three-fold, O tiger among men.
Sāttvic kartā: attachment-free, non-egotistic, firm, enthusiastic, unmoved by success or failure.
Verse 1 of 78 · back to Chapter 18