The eighteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is Moksha Sanyas Yoga.
Arjuna requests the Lord to explain the difference between the two types of renunciations - sanyaas(renunciation of actions) and tyaag(renunciation of desires).
Krishna explains that a sanyaasi is one who abandons family and society in order to practise spiritual discipline whereas a tyaagi is one who performs their duties without attachment to the rewards of their actions and dedicating them to the God.
Krishna recommends the second kind of renunciation - tyaag.
Krishna then gives a detailed analysis of the effects of the three modes of material nature.
He declares that the highest path of spirituality is pure, unconditional loving service unto the Supreme Divine Personality, Krishna.
If we always remember Him, keep chanting His name and dedicate all our actions unto Him, take refuge in Him and make Him our Supreme goal, then by His grace, we will surely overcome all obstacles and difficulties and be freed from this cycle of birth and death.
Shloka यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च | अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसी ||१८-३१|| Transliteration yayā dharmamadharmaṃ ca kāryaṃ cākāryameva ca . ayathāvatprajānāti buddhiḥ sā pārtha rājasī ||18-31|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.31. The intellect, by means of which one decides incorrectly the righteous and the unrighteous ones and what is a proper action and also an improper onethat intellect is of the Rajas (Strand), O son of Prtha ! Shri Purohit Swami 18....
Shloka अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसावृता | सर्वार्थान्विपरीतांश्च बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसी ||१८-३२|| Transliteration adharmaṃ dharmamiti yā manyate tamasāvṛtā . sarvārthānviparītāṃśca buddhiḥ sā pārtha tāmasī ||18-32|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.32. The intellect which, containing darkness (ignorance), conceives the unrighteous one as righteous and all things topsy-turvy-that intellect is deemed to be of the Tamas (Strand). Shri Purohit Swami 18.32 And that which, shrouded in Ignorance, thinks wrong right, and sees everything perversely, O Arjuna, that intellect is ruled by Darkness....
Shloka धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः | योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ||१८-३३|| Transliteration dhṛtyā yayā dhārayate manaḥprāṇendriyakriyāḥ . yogenāvyabhicāriṇyā dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī ||18-33|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.33. The unfailing content because of which one restrains, with Yoga, the activities of mind, the living breath and the senses-that content is considered to be of the Sattva (Strand). Shri Purohit Swami 18.33 The conviction and steady concentration by which the mind, the vitality and the senses are controlled - O Arjuna!...
Shloka यया तु धर्मकामार्थान्धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन | प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी ||१८-३४|| Transliteration yayā tu dharmakāmārthāndhṛtyā dhārayate.arjuna . prasaṅgena phalākāṅkṣī dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha rājasī ||18-34|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.34. O Arjuna ! The content by which one restrains one’s bounden duty, pleasure and wealth, and conseently desiring the fruits [of action]-that content is of the Rajas (Strand), O son of Prtha ! Shri Purohit Swami 18.34 The conviction which always holds fast to rituals, to self-interest and wealth, for the sake of what they may bring forth - that comes from Passion....
Shloka यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं मदमेव च | न विमुञ्चति दुर्मेधा धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसी ||१८-३५|| Transliteration yayā svapnaṃ bhayaṃ śokaṃ viṣādaṃ madameva ca . na vimuñcati durmedhā dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha tāmasī ||18-35|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.35. The content, whery a foolish man does not give up his sleep, fear, grief, despondency and also arrogancethat content is deemed to be of the Tamas (Strand). Shri Purohit Swami 18.35 And that which clings perversely to false idealism, fear, grief, despair and vanity is the product of Ignorance....
Shloka सुखं त्विदानीं त्रिविधं शृणु मे भरतर्षभ | अभ्यासाद्रमते यत्र दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति ||१८-३६|| Transliteration sukhaṃ tvidānīṃ trividhaṃ śṛṇu me bharatarṣabha . abhyāsādramate yatra duḥkhāntaṃ ca nigacchati ||18-36|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.36. O best among the Bharatas ! Now from Me you must also listen to the three-fold happiness where one gets delighted by practice, and attains the end of suffering. Shri Purohit Swami 18.36 Hear further the three kinds of pleasure....
Shloka यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम् | तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम् ||१८-३७|| Transliteration yattadagre viṣamiva pariṇāme.amṛtopamam . tatsukhaṃ sāttvikaṃ proktamātmabuddhiprasādajam ||18-37|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.37. [The happiness] which is like poison at its time but is like nectar at the time of its result-that happiness, born of serenity of the Soul and intellect, you must know to be of the Sattva (Strand). Shri Purohit Swami 18.37 Which at first seems like poison but afterwards acts like nectar - that pleasure is Pure, for it is born of Wisdom....
Shloka विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम् | परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम् ||१८-३८|| Transliteration viṣayendriyasaṃyogādyattadagre.amṛtopamam . pariṇāme viṣamiva tatsukhaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam ||18-38|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.38. [The happiness] which is like nectar at its time due to the contact between the senses and sense-objects; but which is like poison at the time of its result-that is considered to be of the Rajas (Strand). Shri Purohit Swami 18.38 That which as first is like nectar, because the senses revel in their objects, but in the end acts like poison - that pleasure arises from Passion....
Shloka यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः | निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ||१८-३९|| Transliteration yadagre cānubandhe ca sukhaṃ mohanamātmanaḥ . nidrālasyapramādotthaṃ tattāmasamudāhṛtam ||18-39|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.39. The happiness which, [both] at the beginning and subseently, is of the nature of deluding the Self; and which results from sleep, indolence and heedleness-that is stated to be of the Tamas (Strand). Shri Purohit Swami 18.39 While the pleasure which from first to last merely drugs the senses, which springs from indolence, lethargy and folly - that pleasure flows from Ignorance....
Shloka न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः | सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्त्रिभिर्गुणैः ||१८-४०|| Transliteration na tadasti pṛthivyāṃ vā divi deveṣu vā punaḥ . sattvaṃ prakṛtijairmuktaṃ yadebhiḥ syāttribhirguṇaiḥ ||18-40|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.40. Whether on the earth, or again among the gods in the heaven, there exists not a single being, which is free from these three Strands, born of the Material-Nature. Shri Purohit Swami 18.40 There is nothing anywhere on earth or in the higher worlds which is free from the three Qualities - for they are born of Nature....
Shloka ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप | कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः ||१८-४१|| Transliteration brāhmaṇakṣatriyaviśāṃ śūdrāṇāṃ ca parantapa . karmāṇi pravibhaktāni svabhāvaprabhavairguṇaiḥ ||18-41|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.41. The duties of the Brahmanas, the Ksatriyas, the Vaisyas, and of the Sudras are properly classified according to the Strands which are the sources of their nature, O scorcher of foes ! Shri Purohit Swami 18.41 O Arjuna! The duties of spiritual teachers, the soldiers, the traders and the servants have all been fixed according to the dominant Quality in their nature....
Shloka शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च | ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम् ||१८-४२|| Transliteration śamo damastapaḥ śaucaṃ kṣāntirārjavameva ca . jñānaṃ vijñānamāstikyaṃ brahmakarma svabhāvajam ||18-42|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.42. Quietude, self-control, as well as purity, for-bearance, and also straightforwardness, knowledge, wisdom, and faith in another world are the duties of the Brahmanas, born of their nature. Shri Purohit Swami 18.42 Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, as well as uprightness, knowledge, wisdom and faith in God - these constitute the duty of a spiritual Teacher....
Shloka शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् | दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ||१८-४३|| Transliteration śauryaṃ tejo dhṛtirdākṣyaṃ yuddhe cāpyapalāyanam . dānamīśvarabhāvaśca kṣātraṃ karma svabhāvajam ||18-43|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.43. Heroic deed, fiery energy, firmness, dexterity, and also non-feeling form battle, giving gifts, overlordship, are the duties of the Ksatriyas, born of their nature. Shri Purohit Swami 18.43 Valour, glory, firmness, skill, generosity, steadiness in battle and ability to rule - these constitute the duty of a soldier....
Shloka कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् | परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ||१८-४४|| Transliteration kṛṣigaurakṣyavāṇijyaṃ vaiśyakarma svabhāvajam . paricaryātmakaṃ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāvajam ||18-44|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.44. Ploughing, cattle-tending and trading are the actions of the Vaisyas, born of their nature. The action, in the form of service, is of the Sudras, born of their nature. Shri Purohit Swami 18.44 Agriculture, protection of the cow and trade are the duty of a trader, again in accordance with his nature....
Shloka स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः | स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु ||१८-४५|| Transliteration sve sve karmaṇyabhirataḥ saṃsiddhiṃ labhate naraḥ . svakarmanirataḥ siddhiṃ yathā vindati tacchṛṇu ||18-45|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 5.10. Who performs actions by offering them to the Brahman and giving up attachment-he is not stained by sin just as the lotus-leaf is [not stained] by water. Shri Purohit Swami 5.10 He who dedicates his actions to the Spirit, without any personal attachment to them, he is no more tainted by sin than the water lily is wetted by water....