Contents
Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya
(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)
CHAPTER -18
I desire to know, understand, severally, as differentiated from each other, O mighty-armed, the truth, the essential nature, samnyāsa, of that which is connoted by the term 'samnyasa', as also of tyāga, of that which is connoted by the term 'tyāga', O Hrsīkeśa, O slayer of Keśin! I desire to know, understand, severally, as differentiated from each other, O mighty-armed, the truth, the essential nature, of samnyāsa, of that which is connoted by the term 'samnyasa', as also of tyāga, of that which is connoted by the term 'tyāga', O Hrsikeśa, O slayer of Keśin! Keśin was an asura in the dis guise of a horse. He was slain by the Lord, Vasudeva[1]; and the Lord is accordingly addressed by Arjuna by the appellation, 'slayer of Keśin'. The words 'samnyasa' and 'tyaga' have been mentioned here and there in the preceding chapters; but their connotations have not been ascertained[2]. Therefore, with a view to conclusively defining them, the Lord addresses Arjuna, who enquired (about the matter). |