Chapter XVIII · Śloka 1
Arjuna uvāca
अर्जुन उवाच ।
संन्यासस्य महाबाहो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम् ।
त्यागस्य च हृषीकेश पृथक्केशिनिषूदन ॥
संन्यासस्य महाबाहो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम् ।
त्यागस्य च हृषीकेश पृथक्केशिनिषूदन ॥
arjuna uvāca |
sannyāsasya mahābāho tattvam icchāmi veditum |
tyāgasya ca hṛṣīkeśa pṛthak keśiniṣūdana ||
sannyāsasya mahābāho tattvam icchāmi veditum |
tyāgasya ca hṛṣīkeśa pṛthak keśiniṣūdana ||
Arjuna said: O mighty-armed one, I wish to know the truth about sannyāsa and about tyāga, separately, O Hṛṣīkeśa, O slayer of Keśī.
Arjuna opens the final chapter by asking Krishna to distinguish between renunciation of action (sannyāsa) and renunciation of the fruits of action (tyāga). This question invites the culminating synthesis of the Gītā's teaching.