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Bhagavad-gītā 18.4

నిశ్చయం శ‍ృణు మే తత్ర త్యాగే భరతసత్తమ । త్యాగో హి పురుషవ్యాఘ్ర త్రివిధ: సమ్ప్రకీర్తిత: ॥ ౪ ॥
niścayaṁ śṛṇu me tatra
[nishchayam shrinu me tatra]
tyāge bharata-sattama
[tyaage bharata-sattama]
tyāgo hi puruṣa-vyāghra
[tyaago hi purusha-vyaaghra]
tri-vidhaḥ samprakīrtitaḥ
[tri-vidhah samprakeertitah]
Word-for-word
niścayam — certainty śṛṇu — hear me — from Me tatra — therein tyāge — in the matter of renunciation bharata - sat - tama — O best of the Bhāratas tyāgaḥ — renunciation hi — certainly puruṣa - vyāghra — O tiger among human beings tri - vidhaḥ — of three kinds samprakīrtitaḥ — is declared .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
niścayaṁ śṛṇu me tatra
niścayam
certainty
śṛṇu
hear
me
from Me
tatra
therein
tyāge bharata-sattama
tyāge
in the matter of renunciation
bharata - sat - tama
O best of the Bhāratas
tyāgo hi puruṣa-vyāghra
tyāgaḥ
renunciation
hi
certainly
puruṣa - vyāghra
O tiger among human beings
tri-vidhaḥ samprakīrtitaḥ
tri - vidhaḥ
of three kinds
samprakīrtitaḥ
is declared .
Important Words
  • niścayam — settled conclusion, certainty
    Not opinion, not argument — niścaya. The chapter is structured around final rulings, and this is the first. Kṛṣṇa is closing a debate, not opening one.
  • tyāge — in the matter of renunciation
    Locative. He is ruling specifically *on the field of tyāga*. The earlier verse staged the question; here he locates his answer precisely.
  • tri-vidhaḥ — of three kinds
    The chapter's master pattern: every category — tyāga, knowledge, action, doer, intelligence, determination, happiness — will be split into the three guṇas. This is the first announcement of the schema.
  • puruṣa-vyāghra — O tiger among men
    Direct flattery before a hard teaching. Kṛṣṇa names Arjuna's kṣatriya fierceness because what is coming will require him to keep fighting, not to retreat into renunciation.
  • samprakīrtitaḥ — is fully declared
    The prefix sam- adds completeness. This is no whisper of opinion — it is the śāstric declaration, sealed.
O best of the Bhāratas, now hear My judgment about renunciation. O tiger among men, renunciation is declared in the scriptures to be of three kinds.
Purport

Although there are differences of opinion about renunciation, here the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, gives His judgment, which should be taken as final. After all, the Vedas are different laws given by the Lord. Here the Lord is personally present, and His word should be taken as final. The Lord says that the process of renunciation should be considered in terms of the modes of material nature in which it is performed.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
4. Hear from Me the conclusion regarding tyāga, O best descendent of Bharata. O tiger among men, tyāga is said to have three types.
Commentary

In this verse the Lord states His opinion. Tyāga has three types: in sattva, rajas and tamas. The Lord delays describing these three types till verse seven, and then starts with a description of tyāga in the mode of tamas. From the use of the word sannyāsa in describing tamasic tyāga in that verse, it is understood that tyāga and sannyāsa have the same meaning in the opinion of the Lord.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
4. Hear from Me the conclusion regarding tyāga, O best descendent of Bharata. O tiger among men, tyāga is said to have three types.
Commentary

After describing the different opinions, the Lord states his own opinion. “Please listen to the conclution coming from Me, the omniscient Supreme Lord, concerning the subject of tyāga, about which there are many opinions.” “Since you have just explained about tyāga, what more must be heard?” “You must hear because (hi) three types of tyāga are discerened by the learned, by distinction of sattva, rajas and tamas (tri vidhaḥ). That which is difficult to understand should be heard. Therefore listen about three types.” The description actually starts in verse 7.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Arjuna replies here: "I asked what is the difference between tyaga and sannyasa, and Your answer is that there is three types of tyaga." And Krsna says: "Don't worry, now I'll tell you definitively!"

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

But Krishna’s opinion is that there are three kinds of renunciation based on the three modes

Lord’s opinion stands above all Vedas. After all, the Vedas are different laws given by God (purport)
His words should be taken as final (purport)
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
18.4 Bharata-sattama, O the most excellent among the descendants of Bharata; srnu, hear, understand; me, from Me, from My statement; niscayam, the firm conclusion; tatra tyage, regarding that tyaga, regarding these alternative veiws on tyaga and sannyasa as they have been shown. Hi, for; purusavyaghra, O greatest among men; tyagah, tyaga; samprakirtitah, has been clearly declared, has been distinctly spoken of in the scriptures; to be trividhah, of three kinds, threefold, under the classes of tamasa (those based on tamas [Tamas: darkness, mental darkness, ignorance; one of the three alities of everything in Nature. Also see 14.8, and note under 2.45.-Tr.], etc. The Lord has used the word tyaga with the idea that the (primary) meanings of tyaga and sannyasa are verily the same. Since it is difficult to comprehend this idea, that the primary meanings of the words tyaga and sannyasa can be threefold under the classification based on tamas etc. in the case of one who is unenlightened and who is alified for rites and duties-but not in the case of one who has realized the supreme Goal-,therefore no one else is capable of speaking the truth in this connection. Hence, listen to the firm conclusion of the Lord with regard to the supreme Truth as revealved by the scriptures. Which, again, is this firm conclusion? In reply the Lord says:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
18.4 Regarding contradictory versions on Tyaga among disputants, listen from Me My decision. Tyaga has been described by Me in respect of actions prescribed by the scriptures from three points of view: (1) as referring to fruits, (2) as referring to acts themselves and, (3) as referring to agency. It is contained in the statement, 'Surrendering all your actions to Me with a mind focussed on the self,' and 'Free from desire and selfishness and cured of fever - fight' (3.30). The renunciation of fruits consists in the following manner. 'Heaven and such other results arising from acts do not belong to Me.' Renunciation of acts is complete abandonment of the sense of possession in regard to one's acts. This sense of possession is of the following nature: 'Those acts are mine on account of their being the means for fruits which are to be mine.' Renunciation referring to agency is the renunciation of agency of oneself by ascribing the agency to the Lord of all.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
18.4 See Comment under 18.11
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
18.4 Hear from Me the conclusion or the final truth about this abandonment, O best of the Bharatas; abandonment, verily, O best of men, has been declared to be of three kinds.
Commentary

18.4 निश्चयम् conclusion or the final truth? श्रृणु hear? मे My? तत्र there? त्यागे about abandonment? भरतसत्तम O best of the Bharatas? त्यागः abandonment? हि verily? पुरुषव्याघ्र O best of men? त्रिविधः of three kinds? संप्रकीर्तितः has been declared (to be).Commentary Now the Lord gives His own decisive opinion. It is declared in the scriptures that renunciation is of three kinds? viz.? Sattvic? Rajasic and Tamasic. The Lord alone can teach the truth about the subject. Whoever wants to be liberated from the miseries of this world must understand the real nature of renunciation.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
18.4 O the most excellent among the descendants of Bharata, hear from Me the firm conclusion regarding that tyaga. For, O greatest among men, tyaga has been clearly declared to be of three kinds.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
18.4 O best of Indians! Listen to my judgment as regards this problem. It has a threefold aspect.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Prema (Divine Love)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Discriminative WisdomShaucha (Cleanliness / Purity)
Related verses
BG 6.46 BG 15.15 BG 7.2 SB 1.2.6 SB 11.19.27 SB 11.14.1 CC Madhya 25.121 CC Madhya 6.135 CC Madhya 9.362 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.7Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.18
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Hear My definitive opinion on tyāga, which is of three kinds.
Practical Applications
  • Treat Kṛṣṇa's definitive opinion as the final reference.
  • Don't average across philosophical positions.
  • Take His verdict seriously.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I average instead of taking the definitive verdict?
  • What does taking it seriously change?
Analogy

When two surgeons disagree, the patient does not pick by majority — he turns to the chief surgeon for the binding judgment. Kṛṣṇa, having let the two schools state their cases, now steps forward as the final authority and announces His own ruling.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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