Chapter 18: Moksha Sanyasa Yoga; The Yoga of Liberation Through Self-Surrender

Maa Radha Maadhava sharanam!

Shri Giridhar Gopal sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Verse 18.1: Arjuna says, Dear Krishna, I wish to understand the truth of sanyasa (renounced order of life) and tyaga (giving up/renunciation /forsaking). 

Verse 18.2: Shri Krishna says, wise men understand sanyasa as the giving up of actions that are based on material/selfish desires, and tyaga as the giving up of the results/rewards/fruits of action (karma phala tyaga).

Verse 18.3: Some thinkers declare that all actions have defects to some extent, therefore should be given up; while wise persons say that karma (actions) of yajna (sacrifice), dana (charity), and tapah (austerity) should never be given up.

Verse 18.5: Acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be given up, they must be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity, and austerities purify even the wise persons.

Verse 18.6: Dear Arjuna, acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity, as well as ones prescribed duties must be performed without attachment and without expectation of reward. This is my final opinion. 

Verse 18.7: Righteous duties should never be given up. If one gives up his righteous duties because of misconception, such renunciation is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

Verse 18.9: A righteous duty that is performed only because it has to be performed, giving up attachment and desire for rewards/fruits; that alone is recognized as a sattvika tyaga (renunciation in the mode of goodness).

Verse 18.11: It is impossible for a person possessing a body to give up actions. However, one who renounces the rewards/fruits of action (karma phala tyaga), is truly renounced.

Verse 18.23: The karma (action) which is performed without the sense of a doer, without attachment or hatred, and without desire for rewards/fruits, is said to be sattvika (in goodness).

Verse 18.26: One who performs his righteous duty without attachment, without false ego, with great determination and enthusiasm, and without wavering in success or failure, is said to be sattvika (in goodness).

Verse 18.33: Dear Arjuna, that unwavering determination (dhriti) which is sustained by the practice of yoga, and which controls the activities of mind, vital energy, and senses is sattvika dhriti (good determination).

Verse 18.40: There is no living being on earth, or even among the gods in heaven or anywhere else, who is free from the three gunas of prakriti (three modes of material nature, i.e. sattva, rajas, and tamas - goodness, passion, and ignorance).

Verse 18.41: Dear Arjuna, brahmins (learned teachers), kshatriyas (leaders/soldiers), vaishyas (merchants), shudras (servitors) are based on their qualities which are born from their inherent nature in accordance with the three gunas of prakriti, and not by birth.

Verse 18.42: The natural qualities of brahmins are - peacefulness, self-control, austerity, tolerance, forgiveness, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and spiritualism.

Verse 18.45: By following ones own natural qualities one can attain perfection. Now hear from Me how this can be done.

Verse 18.46: By worshipping the Supreme Lord who is the source of all beings and who is all pervading; at the same time performing one's natural duties, a person can attain perfection.

Verse 18.47: Better is carrying out one's own duty, though lacking in merit, than a well-performed duty of another. By performing the duty prescribed according to one's own nature, a person does not incur sin.

Verse 18.51,52&53: One who is endowed with purified intellect and controls the mind with determination, gives up attachment and hatred to objects of sense gratification, lives in solitude, eats enough for survival, controls his body, mind, intellect, and speech; is free from false ego, pride, material/selfish desires, anger, free from feeling of 'I' and 'mine', and has a peaceful heart and mind - such a person becomes qualified to attain the nature of Brahman - divine sat-chit-ananda (divine truth-consciousness-happiness).

Verse 18.54: One who is situated in his divine nature, cheerful in mind, does not lament or desire for material things, and is same to all living beings, such a yogi attains supreme devotion (param bhakti) unto Me.

Verse 18.56: A yogi engaged in all kinds of actions under My protection and by My grace, attains the eternal and imperishable position of his divine nature and the Divine world.

Verse 18.58: With your mind and intellect dedicated to Me, by My grace, you will overcome all your difficulties. However, if you work with a false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.

Verse 18.60: Dear Arjuna, you are not willing to undertake your duties because of your misconceptions. However, compelled by your inherent nature, you will act all the same.

Verse 18.61&62: Dear Arjuna, God is situated in the heart of everyone. All living beings who are seated in a machine (material body), wander in the world according to their karma, under God's illusory energy (Maya).
Surrender unto your Beloved Lord completely, who is seated in your heart. By His grace, you will attain divine peace and happiness, and the Divine world.

Verse 18.63: Thus, I have explained to you this divine wisdom. Deliberate on it fully, and then do as you like.

Verse 18.64&65: As you are My very dear friend, I am giving you the most profound wisdom. Hear this from Me, as it is for your benefit.
Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your obeisance to Me. Thus, you will come to Me without fail, I promise you this as you are My very dear friend.

Verse 18.66: Abandon all varieties of religion and take My shelter. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions; do not fear.

Verse 18.71: One who listens with faith this divine wisdom, without envy and malice, becomes free from the sinful reaction and attains the Divine world of the pious and virtuous.

Verse 18.72: Dear Arjuna, have you heard this divine wisdom carefully with an attentive mind? and are your ignorance and misconceptions dispelled?

Verse 18.73: Arjuna says, my Dear Krishna, by Your grace my misconceptions have been removed, I have gained this divine wisdom, I am free of all doubts, and I shall do as You say.

Verse 18.78: Sanjaya says, wherever there is Shri Krishna, the Lord of Yoga (Yogeshvar), and wherever there is the great archer Arjuna, there will surely be goodness, victory, glory, and righteousness. This is my conviction.

For a Happy and Peaceful Life: Expect nothing, Accept all, Forgive all, Practice Unconditional Love, and take Shelter of your Beloved Lord. #BhagavadGita #Krishna #Vedanta

Thoughts reside in our mind. Strong thoughts become desires and reside in our intellect. Strong desires form karma-bija or the reason for new actions and desires. We should be very careful of the karma-bija that are created every day by our subtle body - mind & intellect. Please select your thoughts very carefully. Practice devotional thoughts and desires to give rise to devotional karma-bija, which will give us pure happiness and peace, and bring us closer to our Divine sat-chit-ananda nature.
Shri Krishna sharanam!
Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!
🌸🌷🕉🕉🕉🌷

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!
Shri Krishna Arjuna sharanam!

Shri Hari ॐ sharanam!