The Bhagavad Gita contains eighteen chapters and 700 verses. The eighteenth chapter is called 𝙈𝙤𝙠𝙨𝙝𝙖 𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙖𝙨 𝙔𝙤𝙜𝙖 -union with Liberation through renunciation. It is reaching the destination, which is 𝙢𝙤𝙠𝙨𝙝𝙖 or liberation, through the path of 𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙖𝙨 or renunciation. This liberation is getting freedom from our divisive mindset; freedom from belief systems; and finally, even freedom from renunciation.

This chapter begins with Arjun's question, "O 𝙃𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙖, I wish to know distinctly the truth of 𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙖𝙨 (renunciation) and 𝙩𝙮𝙖𝙜𝙖 (relinquishment or Abandonment)" (18.1). Krishna replies, "Sages call ' 𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙖𝙨 ' the renunciation of all desire ridden actions. The wise declare that '𝙩𝙮𝙖𝙜𝙖' is the relinquishment of the fruits of activities (18.2). Some philosophers declare that all work is tainted and should be forsaken; others declare that acts of 𝙮𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙖 (fire rituals or selfless actions), 𝙙𝙖𝙖𝙣 (charity), and 𝙩𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙝 (penance or self-discipline) should not be relinquished" (18.3). Krishna uses sanyas and 𝙩𝙮𝙖𝙜𝙖 interchangeably, thus, indicating that these are two different names used for renunciation.

Krishna makes us aware of the four schools of thought on the aspect of renunciation. Incidentally, at their core, all the belief systems are based on one school of thought or another. The first school is about the renunciation of all desire-ridden actions. It is the absence of motivation while performing actions. The second school states that renunciation is relinquishing the fruits of action while performing any 𝙠𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙖 (action)

The third school is about renouncing all the actions as they are all tainted. This school of thought suggests dropping the sense of doer-ship by treating the 'existence' as the doer of actions. Finally, the fourth school is about being selective about actions. Actions like 𝙮𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙖, 𝙙𝙖𝙖𝙣 and 𝙩𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙝 shouldn't be relinquished.

Whatever may be the school of thought, in one way or another all these paths lead to the same destination - 𝙢𝙤𝙠𝙝𝙖 .

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