18.2 The distinction, drawn Krishna speaks
काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं संन्यासं कवयो विदुः
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणाः
kāmyānāṁ karmaṇāṁ nyāsaṁ sannyāsaṁ kavayo viduḥ
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ prāhus tyāgaṁ vichakṣhaṇāḥ
The wise know renunciation to be the giving up of actions driven by desire; and letting go, the giving up of the fruit of all action.
Explanation
The distinction, drawn cleanly.
- renunciation — giving up actions driven by desire
- letting go — giving up the fruit of all action
Neither is giving up action. Both are about what is attached to it, which is the answer chapter 5 gave and chapter 6 restated, arriving here as a definition.
Word by word
- śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
- the Supreme Divine Personality said
- kāmyānām
- desireful
- karmaṇām
- of actions
- nyāsam
- giving up
- sanyāsam
- renunciation of actions
- kavayaḥ
- the learned
- viduḥ
- to understand
- sarva
- all
- karma-phala
- fruits of actions
- tyāgam
- renunciation of desires for enjoying the fruits of actions
- prāhuḥ
- declare
- tyāgam
- renunciation of desires for enjoying the fruits of actions
- vichakṣhaṇāḥ
- the wise
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