ॐ

अर्जुन उवाच संन्यासस्य महाबाहो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम्। त्यागस्य च हृषीकेश पृथक्केशिनिषूदन।।18.1।।

arjuna uvācha sannyāsasya mahā-bāho tattvam ichchhāmi veditum tyāgasya cha hṛiṣhīkeśha pṛithak keśhi-niṣhūdana

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 18, Verse 1
0:000:00

Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
Arjuna said, "O mighty-armed Hrishikesa, I desire to know the essence or truth of renunciation and abandonment severally, O slayer of Kesi."

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: Arjuna asks, one final time, for the precise difference between renunciation and relinquishment, wanting real terminological clarity even this late in the conversation, rather than assuming he's already absorbed every distinction by now.

In life: it's fine to ask for a precise clarification on two similar-sounding concepts even after a long period of learning, real understanding sometimes needs one more precise pass at the end, not just earlier on.

Teaching: don't assume that because you've been learning about something for a while, you no longer need basic clarifying questions, ask for the precise distinction the way Arjuna does here, even this late in the process.

arjunaḥ uvāchaArjun said
sanyāsasyaof renunciation of actions
mahā-bāhomighty-armed one
tattvamthe truth
ichchhāmiI wish
veditumto understand
tyāgasyaof renunciation of desires for enjoying the fruits of actions
chaand
hṛiṣhīkeśhaKrishna, the Lord of the senses
pṛithakdistinctively
keśhī-niṣhūdanaKrishna, the killer of the Keshi demon

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
18.1 संन्यासस्य of renunciation? महाबाहो O mightyarmed? तत्त्वम् the essence of truth? इच्छामि (I) wish? वेदितुम् to know? त्यागस्य of Tyaga or abandonment? च and? हृषीकेशः O Krishna? पृथक् severally? केशिनिषूदन् slayer of Kesi.Commentary The teaching of the whole of the GitaSastra is summed up beautifully in this discourse. This last discourse is a brief masterly summary of all that is told in the previous chapters. Arjuna wishes to know the distinction between Sannyasa and Tyaga.Kesi was an Asura whom Lord Krishna slew. So Lord Krishna is addressed as Kesinishudana by Arjuna.The words Sannyasa and Tyaga have been used here and there in the preceding discourses but their connotations are not lucidly distinguished. Therefore Lord Krishna clearly explains to Arjuna the right significance of the two terms in the following verse.