Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation, Gita

1. Introduction and summary of Chapter 18- The Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation (Moksha Sannyasa)
2. Chapter 18 reading - The Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation (Gandhi's Gita, Swami Sivananda):
3. Key topics of Chapter 18:
   1. Verses 1 -12: The secret of Sannyasa and Tyaga (abandonment of the fruit of all action)
   2. Verses 13-18: The five causes of the Samkhya doctrine for the performance of all actions (Karma). Atman as non-doer
   3. Verses 19-40: Types of knowledge, action, reason, firmness and pleasure based on the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas)
   4. Verses 41-48: Obligations of the four castes (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras)
   5. Verses 49-55: How to attain Brahman (Brahmasakshatkara) and supreme consummation of knowledge (Jnananishta)
   6. Verses 56-60: Nishkama Karma (action performed without any expectation of its fruits) associated with Bhakti
   7. Verses 61-66: Surrender to the Lord who dwells in the heart of every being, the essence of the Bhagavad Gita. Free will
   8. Verses 74-78: The Bhagavad Gita as Yoga Shastra. Knowledge and action (Jnana and Karma) represented by Krishna (the actionless Brahman) and “action” represented by Arjuna
4. Reading the versified adaptation of this chapter
5. Analysis of each verse and its comments from chapter Moksha Sannyasa Yoga (Gita Makaranadam of Swami Vidya Prakashananda)
6. Swami Vivekananda Readings related to Chapter 18- The Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation
7. Exercises of Chapter 18- Moksha Sannyasa Yoga

Chapter 18- Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation

The eighteenth and final chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, entitled Sannyasa Yoga in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, on the science of yoga, as part of the Knowledge of Brahman (Supreme Being) in the Upanishad called Bhagavad Gita, is in some ways a summary of all his profound teachings as well as the Yoga Philosophy. It briefly contains the important concepts analyzed in the previous chapters.

For Gandhi this final chapter summarizes the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita, abandonment for the fruit of action, true renunciation (Sannyasa):

«Having abandoned all your duties (Dharma), take refuge in Me alone. I will free you from all sins. Do not grieve» Bhagavad Gita 18-66.

However, abandoning all duties does not imply abandoning actions, but rather abandoning the desire for the fruit of all action (Tyaga).

For Swami Sivananda the central message of the Bhagavad Gita:

«It emerges as a guarantee that in and through the performance of one's duties in life, one can opt for the highest liberation, if one performs one's actions renouncing selfishness and attachment and renouncing any desire for gain.” selfish and personal. By considering the performance of duties as a worship offered to God, one obtains the Grace of the Lord and reaches the Eternal.» Swami Sivananda.

All the wisdom transmitted by Sri Krishna to Arjuna in the previous 17 chapters will allow Arjuna to overcome the drama of his collapse by meditating on the knowledge transmitted by the Lord in the Bhagavad Gita, and achieve self-control to be able to decide whether he would fight or No.

And this is one of the great contributions of the Bhagavad Gita: Bhagavad Gita: Knowledge (Jnana Yoga) will allow us to meditate (Dhyana Yoga / Raja Yoga) to be able to execute our duties without waiting for the fruits of action (Karma Yoga). By worshiping the Lord (Bhakti Yoga), we will obtain Grace from him, and realize the Eternal.

That is, any person, of any caste, be it a hermit monk lost in a remote jungle, a sweeper or a businessman, can, through the sublime teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, achieve the most transcendental mission of his life: union. with the Lord.

Let's see below the key teachings of this final speech:

1- Tyaga (abandonment of the fruit of all action) (verses 1-12)

This speech began with a clear question from Arjuna to Krishna:

“I would like to learn both the secret of Sannyasa and that of Tyaga” (Gita 18-1). His response was blunt:

That is, true Sannyasa consists of renouncing selfish actions, and above all, renouncing desire or greed for the fruits of any action. But it does not mean that one should not abandon either selfless and honest actions or those that result in the well-being of others (“One should not renounce the action of sacrifice, charity and austerity (Tapas)” (Gita 18 -3):

That is, act (it is your obligation) but renounce greed and attachment. True renunciation consists of renouncing attachment and selfishness while acting: “this is called Sattvic Tyaga, not hating the unpleasant action nor being attached to the pleasant one.. Karma neither accumulates nor binds the one established in this inner renunciation.” (Swami Sivananda)

«Truly these acts must be carried out abandoning attachment (authorship) and fruits; This is my best and accurate opinion» Bhagavad Gita 18-6.

Thus Sri Krishna had exposed to Arjuna the “most mysterious of all knowledge,” asked him to meditate on it and then “act as he pleased ” (Gita 18-63).

«Thus I heard this wonderful and moving dialogue between Vasudeva and Partha (Arjuna), the great soul.
It was by the grace of Vyasa that I heard this supreme and mysterious Yoga expounded by the lips of the Master of Yoga, Krishna himself.
Oh my king! Every time I remember that wonderful and purifying dialogue between Keshava and Arjuna, I feel ecstatic again.
And every time I remember that wonderful form of Hari (Absolute Reality), my amazement is limitless and I rejoice again and again.
Wherever Krishna, the Master of Yoga, is, and wherever Partha, the archer, is, there you may be sure that there is Fortune, Victory, Prosperity and Eternal Righteousness”. Bhagavad Gita 74-78.

(End of the Bhagavad Gita)

The rest of this summary on the subject “Bhagavad Gita 18- Moksha Sannyasa Yoga” is only available to students of the Gita Institute

Bhagavad Gita Training.

Chapter 18 Moksha Sannyasa Yoga verse 66 (Swami Vidya Prakashananda)

Yoga of the Field, Divine Inheritance, Threefold Faith, Unity in diversity

(c) Gita Institute

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