Verse 18.2
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
श्रीभगवानुवाच | काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं सन्न्यासं कवयो विदुः | सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणाः ||२||
Transliteration (IAST)
śrī bhagavān uvāca | kāmyānāṁ karmaṇāṁ nyāsaṁ sannyāsaṁ kavayo viduḥ | sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ prāhus tyāgaṁ vicakṣaṇāḥ ||2||
Word-by-Word Meanings
Translation
The Supreme Lord said: The sages understand sannyasa as the giving up of desire-motivated actions; the wise declare tyaga as the relinquishment of the fruits of all actions.
Commentary
Krishna provides the definitive distinction between sannyasa and tyaga. Shankaracharya explains that sannyasa refers to the complete abandonment of kamya karmas (actions performed for specific desires), while tyaga means performing all actions but surrendering attachment to their results. Madhva emphasizes that tyaga is the higher path as it allows continued righteous action without bondage.