Arjuna said: O mighty-armed one, I wish to know the truth about renunciation (sannyasa) and relinquishment (tyaga), O Hrishikesha, O slayer of Keshi.

The Blessed Lord said: The sages understand sannyasa as the renunciation of actions motivated by desire. The wise declare tyaga to be the relinquishment of the fruits of all actions.

Some wise say that all action should be abandoned as faulty; others say that acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be given up.

Hear My conclusion on tyaga, O best of the Bharatas. Tyaga, O tiger among men, is declared to be of three kinds.

Acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be abandoned but should be performed. Sacrifice, charity, and austerity are purifiers of the wise.

But even these actions should be performed without attachment and without expectation of results—this is My definite and highest conclusion, O Partha.

Renunciation of obligatory action is not proper. Abandoning it out of delusion is declared to be tamasic.

One who abandons action because it is troublesome or from fear of physical hardship—such renunciation is rajasic, and one does not gain the fruit of renunciation.

When prescribed action is performed simply because it ought to be done, O Arjuna, with attachment and fruit abandoned—that renunciation is considered sattvic.

The wise renouncer, imbued with sattva, whose doubts are cut away, neither hates disagreeable action nor is attached to agreeable action.

It is impossible for an embodied being to abandon actions entirely. But one who renounces the fruits of action is called a true renouncer.

The threefold fruit of action—undesirable, desirable, and mixed—accrues after death to those who do not renounce, but never to renouncers.

Learn from Me, O mighty-armed one, these five factors declared in Sankhya for the accomplishment of all actions.

The seat of action, the doer, the various instruments, the many kinds of efforts, and finally destiny—these are the five factors.

Whatever action a person undertakes with body, speech, or mind—whether right or wrong—these five are its causes.

Therefore, one who sees only the self as the doer, with impure understanding, does not see—that foolish one.

One whose mind is not egoistic, whose intelligence is not tainted—even if killing these people, does not kill and is not bound.

Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower—these three impel action. The instrument, the action, and the agent—these three constitute the basis of action.

Knowledge, action, and the doer are declared in the philosophy of the gunas to be of three kinds according to the difference in qualities. Hear about them properly.

That knowledge by which one sees the one imperishable reality in all beings, undivided in the divided—know that knowledge to be sattvic.

But that knowledge which sees in all beings various entities of different kinds as separate—know that knowledge to be rajasic.

But that knowledge which clings to one single effect as if it were all, without reason, without basis in truth, and trivial—that is declared tamasic.

Action that is prescribed, free from attachment, done without attraction or aversion, by one not seeking results—that is called sattvic.

But action performed with desire for results, or with ego, or with great effort—that is declared rajasic.

Action undertaken from delusion, without considering consequences, loss, injury, and one's own capacity—that is declared tamasic.

The doer who is free from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with resolve and enthusiasm, unchanged by success or failure—that doer is called sattvic.

The doer who is attached, desirous of action's fruits, greedy, violent, impure, and affected by joy and sorrow—that doer is declared rajasic.

The doer who is undisciplined, vulgar, stubborn, deceitful, malicious, lazy, despondent, and procrastinating—that doer is called tamasic.

Hear now the threefold division of intelligence and of resolve according to the gunas, O Dhananjaya, as I explain them fully and separately.

That intelligence which knows action and inaction, what ought to be done and not done, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation—that is sattvic, O Partha.

That intelligence which incorrectly understands dharma and adharma, and what ought to be done and not done—that is rajasic, O Partha.

That intelligence which, covered by darkness, regards adharma as dharma and sees all things perverted—that is tamasic, O Partha.

That unwavering resolve by which one controls the activities of mind, life force, and senses through yoga—that is sattvic, O Partha.

But that resolve by which one holds to dharma, pleasure, and wealth, with attachment and desire for rewards—that is rajasic, O Partha.

That resolve by which a dull person does not give up sleep, fear, grief, depression, and arrogance—that is tamasic, O Partha.

Now hear from Me about the threefold happiness, O best of the Bharatas—that in which one delights through practice and reaches the end of suffering.

That which is like poison in the beginning but like nectar in the end, born of the serenity of self-understanding—that happiness is declared sattvic.

That which arises from contact of senses with objects, which is like nectar at first but like poison in the end—that happiness is considered rajasic.

That happiness which deludes the self both in the beginning and in the sequel, arising from sleep, laziness, and negligence—that is declared tamasic.

There is no being on earth or in heaven among the gods that is free from these three gunas born of nature.

The duties of brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas, and shudras are distributed according to the qualities born of their own natures, O scorcher of foes.

Tranquility, self-control, austerity, purity, patience, uprightness, knowledge, wisdom, and faith—these are the brahmana's duties, born of their nature.

Heroism, vigor, resolve, skill, not fleeing in battle, generosity, and leadership—these are the kshatriya's duties, born of their nature.

Farming, cattle-rearing, and commerce are the vaishya's duties, born of their nature. Service is the shudra's duty, born of their nature.

Each person, devoted to their own duty, attains perfection. Hear how one devoted to their own duty finds perfection.

By worshiping through one's own duty Him from whom all beings originate and by whom all this is pervaded, a person attains perfection.

Better is one's own dharma, though imperfect, than the dharma of another well performed. Doing the duty ordained by one's nature, one incurs no sin.

One should not abandon one's innate work, O son of Kunti, even if it has faults. All undertakings are covered by defects, as fire by smoke.

One whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who has conquered the self and is free from desire, attains through renunciation the supreme perfection of actionlessness.

Learn from Me briefly, O son of Kunti, how one who has attained perfection also attains Brahman, the supreme consummation of knowledge.

Endowed with pure intellect, controlling the self with firmness, relinquishing sound and other sense objects, casting aside attraction and aversion—

Dwelling in solitude, eating lightly, controlling speech, body, and mind, ever devoted to meditation yoga, taking refuge in dispassion—

Having abandoned ego, force, arrogance, desire, anger, and possessiveness, free from 'mine-ness,' peaceful—one becomes fit for becoming Brahman.

Established in Brahman, serene in self, one neither grieves nor desires. Equal toward all beings, one attains supreme devotion to Me.

Through devotion one comes to know Me—what My extent is and who I am in truth. Then, knowing Me in truth, one immediately enters into Me.

Even performing all actions always, one who takes refuge in Me attains by My grace the eternal, imperishable abode.

Mentally renouncing all actions to Me, devoted to Me, taking refuge in buddhi-yoga, keep your mind always fixed on Me.

With your mind fixed on Me, you shall overcome all difficulties by My grace. But if from ego you do not listen, you shall perish.

If, taking refuge in ego, you think 'I will not fight,' that resolve is vain—your nature will compel you.

Bound by your own karma born of your nature, O son of Kunti, what through delusion you wish not to do, even that you will do helplessly.

The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna, causing all beings to revolve by His maya, as if mounted on a machine.

Take refuge in Him alone with your whole being, O Bharata. By His grace you shall attain supreme peace and the eternal abode.

Thus I have declared to you knowledge more secret than all secrets. Reflect on this fully, then do as you wish.

Hear again My supreme word, the most secret of all. You are very dear to Me, therefore I shall speak for your benefit.

Fix your mind on Me, be My devotee, worship Me, bow to Me. Thus you shall come to Me. I promise you truly, for you are dear to Me.

Abandoning all dharmas, take refuge in Me alone. I shall liberate you from all sins. Do not grieve.

This is never to be spoken by you to one who is without austerity, nor to one without devotion, nor to one who does not render service, nor to one who speaks ill of Me.

One who teaches this supreme secret to My devotees, showing the highest devotion to Me, shall certainly come to Me.

No one among humans does Me a dearer service than this, nor will there be anyone on earth dearer to Me.

And one who studies this sacred dialogue of ours—by that sacrifice of knowledge, I shall have been worshiped by that one. This is My view.

Even one who merely listens with faith and without malice—that person too, liberated, shall attain the auspicious worlds of the righteous.

Has this been heard by you, O Partha, with single-pointed mind? Has your delusion born of ignorance been destroyed, O Dhananjaya?

Arjuna said: My delusion is destroyed. I have regained memory through Your grace, O Achyuta. I stand firm, free from doubt. I shall do Your word.

Sanjaya said: Thus I have heard this wonderful, hair-raising dialogue between Vasudeva (Krishna) and the great-souled Partha.

By the grace of Vyasa, I have heard this supreme secret yoga directly from Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, speaking Himself.

O King, remembering again and again this wonderful, sacred dialogue between Keshava and Arjuna, I rejoice repeatedly.

And remembering again and again that most wondrous form of Hari, great is my amazement, O King, and I rejoice again and again.

Wherever there is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, and wherever there is Arjuna, the archer—there will certainly be fortune, victory, prosperity, and righteousness. This is my conviction.