Verse 18.1

संन्यासस्य महाबाहो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम् ।

त्यागस्य च हृषीकेश पृथक्केशिनिषूदन ॥

18.1

Transliteration

saṃnyāsasya mahābāho tattvamicchāmi veditum |

tyāgasya ca hṛṣīkeśa pṛthakkeśiniṣūdana ||

By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · @indic-transliteration/sanscript 1.3.3

Translation

Arjuna said I desire to know severally, O mighty-armed, the essence or truth of renunciation, O Hrishikesa, as also of abandonment, O slayer of Kesi.

From the owner's sheet · +1 more

Word by word

of renunciation
O mighty-armed one
the true nature
I wish
to know

of relinquishment
and
O Hrishikesha
separately
O slayer of Keshi

By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08

Explanation

The final chapter opens with Arjuna asking for clarity on two words that have run through the whole dialogue: renunciation (sannyāsa) and relinquishment (tyāga). He wants to know the true nature of each, separately. Krishna has praised both at different points, and the terms could easily blur. Arjuna addresses him with three names, including slayer of the demon Keshi, a sign of respect at the start of the last teaching. The question allows Krishna to gather the threads of the whole Gita together.

By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08