Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 4

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

निश्चयं शृणु मे तत्र त्यागे भरतसत्तम ।
त्यागो हि पुरुषव्याघ्र त्रिविधः सम्प्रकीर्तितः ॥

Transliteration

niścayaṃ śṛṇu me tatra tyāge bharatasattama .
tyāgo hi puruṣavyāghra trividhaḥ samprakīrtitaḥ ॥

Meaning

Now hear from me the final truth about relinquishment, O best of the Bharatas. Relinquishment, O tiger among men, has been declared to be of three kinds.

Word meanings

निश्चयम् – conclusion, settled decision
शृणु – hear
मे – from me, my
तत्र – there, on that matter
त्यागे – regarding relinquishment
भरतसत्तम – O best of the Bharatas
त्यागः – relinquishment
हि – indeed
पुरुषव्याघ्र – O tiger among men
त्रिविधः – threefold
सम्प्रकीर्तितः – has been declared

Anvaya (word order)

भरतसत्तम, तत्र त्यागे मे निश्चयं शृणु; पुरुषव्याघ्र, त्यागः हि त्रिविधः सम्प्रकीर्तितः ।

Explanation

Having presented four learned opinions, Krishna now says, 'Hear my conclusion on this.' The word nishchaya is significant: this is not one more opinion among many but the settled verdict of the all-knowing Lord. From here the Gita's own doctrine on renunciation begins.

Krishna announces that relinquishment is of three kinds. This threefold division rests on the three gunas — sattva, rajas and tamas — and will be unfolded in verses 7 to 9. Herein lies the Gita's distinctive insight: an act, a thought or a choice cannot be judged by its outward form alone, but by the quality that drives it. Two people may give up the same activity, yet one does so out of delusion, another out of fear of discomfort, and a third out of clear understanding.

The two forms of address, 'best of the Bharatas' and 'tiger among men', recall Arjuna's noble lineage and his courage. As a tiger is unwavering in its aim, Arjuna too must grasp this subtle subject with steadiness. There is encouragement here as well: he is capable of holding so profound a truth.

Shankara observes that here tyaga and sannyasa are used in the same sense, and that their threefold classification applies to the unenlightened performer of action; the knower's renunciation of all action transcends the gunas. Ramanuja adds that the three aspects of true relinquishment — of fruit, of attachment and of the sense of doership — are also implied.

Context

In the previous two verses Krishna cited four current opinions. In this verse he begins his own decisive teaching and introduces the three kinds of relinquishment. In the next verse (18.5) he declares plainly that sacrifice, charity and austerity are never to be abandoned.

Life lesson

After hearing many views, it is important to arrive at a settled conclusion from a reliable source; otherwise confusion persists. The worth of any act or renunciation is determined by the motive behind it, not its external form. Examine honestly the spirit behind your own choices.

Key terms

Nishchaya: Firm, final conclusion
Threefold tyaga: Relinquishment in the mode of sattva, rajas or tamas
Purusha-vyaghra: Tiger among men — Arjuna
Bharata-sattama: Best of the Bharata clan — Arjuna