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Chapter 18 of 18

मोक्ष संन्यास योग

The Yoga of Liberation and Renunciation

Abandon all duties and come to me alone for refuge — the Gita's final word, and its most debated.

78 verses

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 — Summary

The longest chapter of the Gita is also its summation. Arjuna asks Krishna to distinguish sannyasa (renunciation) from tyaga (relinquishment), and the answer gathers up nearly every thread of the preceding seventeen chapters. Renunciation, properly understood, is the giving up of actions motivated by desire; relinquishment is the giving up of the fruits of all action. Acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should never be abandoned — they purify the wise — but they should be performed without attachment and without craving for results. This, Krishna says, is his final and best conviction on the matter.

The chapter then runs the threefold analysis of the gunas across everything that remains: knowledge, action, the doer, the intellect, resolve, and even happiness are each sorted into sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic varieties. Krishna also lays out the five factors involved in every action — the body, the doer, the senses, the various efforts, and providence — and says that anyone who regards the self alone as the doer, with an untrained mind, does not see.

Near the end Krishna returns to Arjuna's own situation. Better one's own duty imperfectly performed than another's duty done well. And then, in the verse the tradition calls the charama shloka — the final verse — the whole edifice of duty, discipline, and analysis is set aside for something simpler: abandon all varieties of dharma and surrender to me alone; I shall free you from all sins, do not grieve. Krishna then does something remarkable. Having said everything, he tells Arjuna to reflect on it fully and then do as he wishes — the teaching is offered, not imposed. Arjuna replies that his delusion is destroyed and he will act on Krishna's word. Sanjaya closes the Gita with his own benediction: wherever there is Krishna and wherever there is Arjuna, there will be prosperity, victory, and righteousness.

Key Themes

Renunciation versus relinquishment

The chapter's opening distinction resolves the tension that has run through the whole text. One does not abandon action; one abandons the craving for its fruit. Sacrifice, charity, and austerity in particular must never be given up — they are what purifies.

The five factors of action

Every act involves the body, the doer, the senses, the various efforts, and providence. Krishna's point is deflationary: the person who thinks 'I alone did this' has simply miscounted. The ego's claim to sole authorship is a factual error before it is a moral one.

Your own dharma, imperfectly

Repeating a teaching from Chapter 3, Krishna insists it is better to do one's own duty badly than another's well — a defence of authenticity over imitation, and Krishna's final answer to Arjuna's wish to walk away from a warrior's work.

Surrender: the charama shloka

Verse 18.66 — abandon all dharmas and take refuge in me alone — is the single most commented-upon line in the Gita, and entire schools of Vedanta are built on how it is read. It offers, at the very end, a way past every method the text has taught.

Then do as you wish

Having delivered the highest teaching, Krishna explicitly leaves the decision to Arjuna: reflect on this fully, and act as you choose. The Gita ends by refusing coercion, which is why Arjuna's final assent carries weight.

Key Verses of Chapter 18

BG 18.14

अधिष्ठानं तथा कर्ता करणं च पृथग्विधम् | विविधाश्च पृथक्चेष्टा दैवं चैवात्र पञ्चमम् ||१८-१४||

The five factors of every action: the body, the doer, the senses, the various efforts, and providence.

BG 18.47

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् | स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ||१८-४७||

Better one's own duty imperfectly done than another's duty done well.

BG 18.61

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति | भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया ||१८-६१||

The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, spinning them as if mounted on a machine.

BG 18.63

इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातं गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं मया | विमृश्यैतदशेषेण यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ||१८-६३||

Reflect on this fully, and then do as you wish — the Gita's refusal to compel.

BG 18.66

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज | अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ||१८-६६||

The charama shloka: abandon all dharmas and take refuge in me alone; I shall free you from all sins.

BG 18.73

अर्जुन उवाच | नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादान्मयाच्युत | स्थितोऽस्मि गतसन्देहः करिष्ये वचनं तव ||१८-७३||

Arjuna's answer: my delusion is destroyed, my memory regained; I shall do as you say.

BG 18.78

यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः | तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ||१८-७८||

Sanjaya's closing benediction — where Krishna and Arjuna are, there is prosperity and victory.

Where Chapter 18 Sits in the Gita

Chapters 13–17 dissected the self, nature, conduct, and faith. Chapter 18 gathers all of it, applies the threefold analysis one last time, and closes the dialogue that began with Arjuna's collapse in Chapter 1 — with Arjuna standing, his doubt gone, ready to act.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the final message of the Bhagavad Gita?

Verse 18.66, known as the charama shloka: 'Abandon all varieties of dharma and take refuge in me alone. I shall liberate you from all sins; do not grieve.' After seventeen chapters of duty, discipline, knowledge, and devotion, Krishna's last word is surrender. Notably, he then tells Arjuna to reflect and act as he chooses — the teaching is offered, not enforced.

What is the difference between sannyasa and tyaga?

Krishna defines sannyasa as the renunciation of actions driven by desire, and tyaga as the relinquishment of the fruits of all actions. He insists that acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should never be abandoned, because they purify even the wise — but they should be performed with attachment and craving for results given up.

How does the Bhagavad Gita end?

Arjuna declares that his delusion is destroyed, his memory restored, and that he will act according to Krishna's word — reversing the collapse of Chapter 1. Sanjaya then closes with his own verse: wherever there is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, and wherever there is Arjuna the archer, there will be prosperity, victory, welfare, and righteousness.

How many verses are in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18?

Chapter 18 has 78 verses, making it the longest chapter in the Bhagavad Gita.

18.1

अर्जुन उवाच |

Arjuna said I desire to know severally, O mighty-armed, the essence or truth of renunciat…

18.2

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

The Blessed Lord said The sages understand Sannyasa to be the renunciation of action with…

18.3

त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः |

Some philosophers declare that actions should be abandoned as an evil; while others (decla…

18.4

निश्चयं शृणु मे तत्र त्यागे भरतसत्तम |

Hear from Me the conclusion or the final truth about this abandonment, O best of the Bhara…

18.5

यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत् |

Acts of sacrifice, gift and austerity should not be abandoned, but should be performed; sa…

18.6

एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च |

But even these actions should be performed leaving aside attachment and the desire for rew…

18.7

नियतस्य तु संन्यासः कर्मणो नोपपद्यते |

Verily the renunciation of obligatory action is not proper; the abandonment of the same fr…

18.8

दुःखमित्येव यत्कर्म कायक्लेशभयात्त्यजेत् |

He who abandons action on account of the fear of bodily trouble (because it is painful), d…

18.9

कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन |

Whatever obligatory action is done, O Arjuna, merely because it ought to be done, abandoni…

18.10

न द्वेष्ट्यकुशलं कर्म कुशले नानुषज्जते |

The man of renunciation, pervaded by purity, intelligent, and with his doubts cut asunder,…

18.11

न हि देहभृता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः |

Verily, it is not possible for an embodied being to abandon actions entirely; but he who r…

18.12

अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम् |

The threefold fruit of action (evil, good and mixed) accrues after death to the non-abando…

18.13

पञ्चैतानि महाबाहो कारणानि निबोध मे |

Learn from Me, O mighty-armed Arjuna, these five causes as declared in the Sankhya system …

18.14

अधिष्ठानं तथा कर्ता करणं च पृथग्विधम् |

The seat (body), the doer, the various senses, the different functions of various sorts, a…

18.15

शरीरवाङ्मनोभिर्यत्कर्म प्रारभते नरः |

Whatever action a man performs with his body, speech and mind whether right or the revers…

18.16

तत्रैवं सति कर्तारमात्मानं केवलं तु यः |

Now, such being the case, verily he who owing to untrained understanding looks upon his …

18.17

यस्य नाहंकृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते |

He who is free from the egoistic notion, whose intelligence is not tainted (by good or evi…

18.18

ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना |

Knowledge, the knowable and the knower form the threefold impulse to action; the organ, th…

18.19

ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्ताच त्रिधैव गुणभेदतः |

Knowledge, action and actor are declared in the science of the Gunas (Sankhya philosophy) …

18.20

सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते |

That by which one sees the one indestructible Reality in all beings, not separate in all t…

18.21

पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान् |

But that knowledge which sees in all beings various entities of distinct kinds as differen…

18.22

यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम् |

But that which clings to one single effect as if it were the whole, without reason, withou…

18.23

नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् |

An action which is ordained, which is free from attachment, and which is done without love…

18.24

यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहंकारेण वा पुनः |

But that action which is done by one longing for the fulfilment of desires or gain with eg…

18.25

अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसामनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम् |

That action which is undertaken from delusion, without a regard for the conseences, loss, …

18.26

मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः |

An agent who is free from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with firmness and enthusiasm, …

18.27

रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः |

Passionate, desiring to obtain the reward of actions, greedy, cruel, impure, moved by joy …

18.28

अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः |

Unsteady, vulgar, unbending, cheating, malicious, lazy, desponding and procrastinating su…

18.29

बुद्धेर्भेदं धृतेश्चैव गुणतस्त्रिविधं शृणु |

Hear thou the threefold division of intellect and firmness according to the Gunas, as I de…

18.30

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये |

The intellect which knows the path of work and renunciation, what ought to be done and wha…

18.31

यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च |

That, by which one wrongly understands Dharma and Adharma and also what ought to be done a…

18.32

अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसावृता |

That, which, enveloped in darkness, sees Adharma as Dharma and all things perverted that …

18.33

धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः |

The unwavering firmness by which, through Yoga, the functions of the mind, the life-force …

18.34

यया तु धर्मकामार्थान्धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन |

But that, O Arjuna, by which, on account of attachment and desire for reward, one holds fa…

18.35

यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं मदमेव च |

That, by which a stupid man does not abandon sleep, fear, grief, despair and also conceit …

18.36

सुखं त्विदानीं त्रिविधं शृणु मे भरतर्षभ |

And now hear from Me, O Arjuna, of the threefold pleasure, in which one rejoices by practi…

18.37

यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम् |

That which is like poison at first but in the end like nectar that happiness is declared …

18.38

विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम् |

That happiness which arises from the contact of the sense-organs with the objects, which i…

18.39

यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः |

That happiness which at first as well as in the seel deludes the self, and which arises fr…

18.40

न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः |

There is no being on earth or again in heaven among the gods, that is liberated from the t…

18.41

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप |

Of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas, as also of Sudras, O Arjuna, the duties are distribu…

18.42

शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च |

Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness and also uprightness, knowledge, …

18.43

शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् |

Prowess, splendour, firmness, dexterity and also not fleeing from battle, generosity and l…

18.44

कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् |

Agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade are the duties of the Vaisya (merchant), born of (th…

18.45

स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः |

He who does actions, offering them to Brahman, and abandoning attachment, is not tainted b…

18.46

यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् |

He from Whom all the beings have evolved and by Whom all this is pervaded worshipping Him…

18.47

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् |

Better is one's own duty (though) destitute of merits, than the duty of another well perfo…

18.48

सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् |

One should not abandon, O Arjuna, the duty to which one is born, though faulty; for, all u…

18.49

असक्तबुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगतस्पृहः |

He whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who has subdued his self, from whom desire ha…

18.50

सिद्धिं प्राप्तो यथा ब्रह्म तथाप्नोति निबोध मे |

Learn from Me in brief, O Arjuna, how he who has attained perfection reaches Brahman (the …

18.51

बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो धृत्यात्मानं नियम्य च |

Endowed with a pure intellect, controlling the self by firmness, relinishing sound and oth…

18.52

विविक्तसेवी लघ्वाशी यतवाक्कायमानसः |

Dwelling in solitude, eating but little, with speech, body and mind subdued, always engage…

18.53

अहंकारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम् |

Having abandoned egoism, strength, arrogance, desire, anger and covetousness, and free fro…

18.54

ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्क्षति |

Becoming Brahman, serene in the Self, he neither grieves nor desires, the same to all bein…

18.55

भक्त्या मामभिजानाति यावान्यश्चास्मि तत्त्वतः |

By devotion he knows Me in truth, what and who I am; then having known Me in truth, he for…

18.56

सर्वकर्माण्यपि सदा कुर्वाणो मद्व्यपाश्रयः |

Doing all actions always having taken refuge in Me, by My grace he obtains the eternal ind…

18.57

चेतसा सर्वकर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः |

Mentally renouncing all actions in Me, having Me as the highest goal, resorting to the Yog…

18.58

मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि |

Fixing thy mind on Me, thou shalt by My grace overcome all obstacles; but if from egoism t…

18.59

यदहंकारमाश्रित्य न योत्स्य इति मन्यसे |

If, filled with egoism, thou thinkest: "I will not fight", vain is this, thy resolve; Natu…

18.60

स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धः स्वेन कर्मणा |

O Arjuna, bound by thy own Karma (action) born of thy own nature, that which from delusion…

18.61

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति |

The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna, causing all beings, by His illusive…

18.62

तमेव शरणं गच्छ सर्वभावेन भारत |

Fly unto Him for refuge with all thy being, O Arjuna; by His grace thou shalt obtain supre…

18.63

इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातं गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं मया |

Thus has wisdom, more secret than secrecy itself, been declared unto thee by Me; having re…

18.64

सर्वगुह्यतमं भूयः शृणु मे परमं वचः |

Hear thou again My supreme word, most secret of all; because thou art dearly beloved of Me…

18.65

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु |

Fix thy mind on Me, by devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, bow down to Me. Thou shalt come eve…

18.66

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज |

Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone: I will liberate thee from all sins; grieve…

18.67

इदं ते नातपस्काय नाभक्ताय कदाचन |

This is never to be spoken by thee to one who is devoid of austerities or devotion, nor to…

18.68

य इदं परमं गुह्यं मद्भक्तेष्वभिधास्यति |

He who with supreme devotion to Me will teach this supreme secret to My devotees, shall do…

18.69

न च तस्मान्मनुष्येषु कश्चिन्मे प्रियकृत्तमः |

Nor is there any among men who does dearer service to Me, nor shall there be another on ea…

18.70

अध्येष्यते च य इमं धर्म्यं संवादमावयोः |

And he who will study this sacred dialogue of ours, by him I shall have been worshipped by…

18.71

श्रद्धावाननसूयश्च शृणुयादपि यो नरः |

Also the man who hears this, full of faith and free from malice, he, too, liberated, shall…

18.72

कच्चिदेतच्छ्रुतं पार्थ त्वयैकाग्रेण चेतसा |

Has this been heard, O Arjuna, with one-pointed mind?

18.73

अर्जुन उवाच |

Arjuna said Destroyed is my delusion as I have gained my knowledge (memory) through Thy g…

18.74

सञ्जय उवाच |

Sanjaya said Thus I have heard this wonderful dialogue between Krishna and the high-soule…

18.75

व्यासप्रसादाच्छ्रुतवानेतद्गुह्यमहं परम् |

Through the grace of Vyasa I have heard this supreme and most secret Yoga direct from Kris…

18.76

राजन्संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य संवादमिममद्भुतम् |

O King, remembering this wonderful and holy dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, I rejoice…

18.77

तच्च संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य रूपमत्यद्भुतं हरेः |

And, remembering again and again, also that most wonderful form of Hari, great is my wonde…

18.78

यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः |

Wherever is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga; wherever is Arjuna, the wielder of the bow; there a…