^354:9 Excessively--this word should be construed with each of the seven; thus, excessively bitter, excessively sour, and so on.

^354:10 Stale--Yatayamam--lit. cooked three hours ago.

Refuse: left on the plate after a meal.

^357:15 Speech, to be an austerity, must form an invariable combination of all the four attributes mentioned in the Sloka; if it lacks in one or other of them, it will no longer be an austerity of speech.

^357:16 Silence--Maunam--is the result of the control of thought so far as it concerns speech. Or it may mean, the condition of the Muni, i.e., practice of meditation.

^358:17 Steadfast--unaffected in success and failure.

^358:18 With ostentation: for mere show, hypocritically, with no sincere belief.

Here--is explained also in the sense of 'of this world,' i.e., yielding fruit only in this world.

^359:20 Who . . . return: one who cannot, or who though able is not expected to return the good.

^360:23 Om, Tat, Sat: Om is the principal name of the Lord, because it means all that is manifest and the beyond. It also means "Yes." Tat means "That"; the Indefinable, that which can only be described indirectly as "That which." Sat means Reality; which is ever permanent in one mode of being.

^363:28 It is naught here or hereafter: Though costing much trouble it is of no use here as it is not acceptable to the wise ones, nor can it produce any effect conducive to good hereafter.

EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER

Arjuna said:

1. I desire to know severally, O mighty-armed, the truth of Sannyasa, O Hrishikesha, as also of Tyaga, O slayer of Keshi.

The Blessed Lord said:

2. The renunciation of Kamya actions, the sages understand as. Sannyasa: the wise declare the abandonment of the fruits of all works as Tyaga.

3. Some philosophers declare that all action should be relinquished as an evil, whilst others (say) that the work of Yajna, gift and austerity should not be relinquished.

4. Hear from Me the final truth about relinquishment, O best of the Bharatas. For relinquishment has been declared to be of three kinds, O tiger among men.

5. The work of Yajna, gift and austerity should not be relinquished, but it should indeed be performed; (for) Yajna, gift and austerity are purifying to the wise.

6. But even these works, O Partha, should be performed, leaving attachment and the fruits;--such is My best and certain conviction.

7. But the renunciation of obligatory action is not proper. Abandonment of the same from delusion is declared to be Tamasika.

8. He who from fear of bodily trouble relinquishes action, because it is painful, thus performing a Rajasika relinquishment, he obtains not the fruit thereof.

9. When obligatory work is performed, O Arjuna, only because it ought to be done, leaving attachment and fruit, such relinquishment is regarded as Sattvika.