The chapter begins with Arjuna’s question, demanding of Lord Krishna a precise definition, and an exhaustive explanation, of the two terms used by the Lord in the Geeta, off and on, here and there. ‘Renunciation’ (Sanyasa) and ‘Abandonment’ (Tyaga) are the two technical terms used more than once in the Geeta. Though the question is asked in a spirit of academic interest, Krishna takes up the question in all seriousness. When a disciple expresses his doubt, he invariably fails to express his exact difficulty. However, it is the duty of the teacher to discover the difficulty of the student and clear his doubt, as even the Lord of the Geeta does here.

The logic of the entire chapter revolves around the meanings of ‘Renunciation’ and ‘Abandonment.’ Samnyasa without the spirit of Tyaga is incomprehensible, and if at all it is ever so practised, it can only be a sham pose. The bulk of the chapter maps out the tendencies, urges, impulses and motives, that are to be abandoned, so that true ‘Abandonment’ of the undivine personality can effectively take place. We must read the chapter in this spirit, or else it will surely fail to influence us.

SLAYER OF KESHI (Keshi-nishudana) — Keshi was a Daitya who attacked Krishna in the form of a horse. Krishna killed him by tearing him into two halves.

DEFINING THESE TERMS AND INDICATING THE ENTIRE SIGNIFICANCE OF THEIR CONNOTATIONS, KRISHNA SAYS:

O mighty-armed Hrsikesa, kesi-nisudana, O slayer of (the demon) Kesi; icchami, I want; veditum, to know; prthak, severally, through their mutual distinctions; tattvam, the truth, the intrinsic nature, i.e. the real meaning; sannyasasya, of sannyasa, i.e. the meaning of the word sannyasa, ca, as also; tyagasya, of tyaga, i.e. the meaning of the word tyaga. Kesi was a demon who had assumed the form of a horse, and Lord Vasudeva had killed him. Hence He is addressed by that name (Kesi-nisudana) by Arjuna. The word sannyasa and tyaga, used in various places in the preceding chapters, are not explicit in their implications. Therefore, in order to determine them for Arjuna who had put the question,-