Verse 18.4

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 18.4:

निश्चयं शृणु मे तत्र त्यागे भरत-सत्तम ।
त्यागो हि पुरुष-व्याघ्र त्रि-विधः संप्रकीर्तितः ॥ ४ ॥

niścayaṃ śṛṇu me tatra tyāge bharata-sattama |
tyāgo hi puruṣa-vyāghra tri-vidhaḥ saṃprakīrtitaḥ || 4 ||

niścayam–definite conclusion; śṛṇu–hear; me–My; tatra–on this point; tyāge–concerning renunciation; bharata-sattama–O best of Bharata’s line; tyāgaḥ–renunciation; hi–indeed; puruṣa-vyāghra–O foremost among men; tri-vidhaḥ–of three kinds; saṃprakīrtitaḥ–declared.

O best of the Bharatas, hear My conclusive opinion concerning renunciation. O foremost among men, renunciation is said to be of three kinds.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Now Śrī Bhagavān is stating His opinion in this verse beginning with niścayam. Renunciation (tyāga) is of three kinds: sāttvika, rājasika and tāmasika. Śrī Bhagavān says in the Gītā (18.7) that it is not appropriate to renounce scripturally prescribed regular duties (nitya-karma). The renunciation of those who give up those duties due to bewilderment is described as having the quality of ignorance. In the Gītā (18.7), renunciation is referred to as sannyāsa. Therefore, according to the opinion of Śrī Bhagavān, tyāga and sannyāsa are synonymous.