Text Source : Sadhak Sanjeevani, Gita Press
The eighteenth chapter of the Gita, is the gist of the whole Gita, and all the topics discussed in the previous seventeen chapters have been summed up here. In this chapter, there are three important points which need attention - (I) A topic, which has been touched upon in brief in other chapters; has been discussed in detail, in this chapter, (2) a topic, which has been examined in detail in other chapters, has been concluded here, briefly and (3) topics dealt with in other chapters, have been elucidated in a different manner in this chapter.
In the gospel of the Gita, there is a particular reference to two disciplines about which the Lord has mentioned thus, "This has been presented to you from the view-point of Jnana Yoga; now hear the same from the stand point of Karma Yoga" (2/39) also. "Two courses of spiritual discipline were enunciated clearly by Me to the world, in the past-the discipline of knowledge to the discerning and the discipline of action to, the people of action" (3/3). Arjuna, at the beginning of the eighteenth chapter, puts a question to the Lord, to understand the reality about the two disciplines. So reference to disciplines has been concluded, in the eighteenth chapter, either in brief, or in detail or in a different manner, as necessary.
The subject of devotion, which has been dealt with specially from the seventh to the twelfth chapters is a secret of the Lord's heart, is totally different from the other two disciplines and is unique. In the discipline of devotion, a devotee depends only on God and is dedicated only to Him. The Lord concludes the gospel, commending persons to depend on Him or surrender to Him, or taking refuge in Him.
From the thirty-ninth verse of the second chapter upto the end of the second chapter, and also in the third chapter, there is predominant description of the discipline of action. In the sixty-first verse of the second chapter, the term 'Matparah' has been used for "dependence on God", which has been described in a little more detail in the thirtieth verse of the third chapter. Thus, there is also some description of devotion, with the discipline of action. In the fourth chapter, the Lord while mentioning how the discipline of action was handed down from generations, describes the divine character of His birth and activities and then the discipline of action, while explaining that His actions are models for others. In the fifth chapter, there is a comparative discussion on the two disciplines and finally the Lord briefly defines devotion and concludes the chapter. Thus, the discipline of action discussed from the second chapter to the end of the fifth chapter, has been explained in a different way from the fourth to the twelfth verses, of the eighteenth chapter.
The discipline of knowledge, dominated by discrimination, is examined from the thirteenth to the twenty-sixth verses of the fifth chapter, and from the nineteenth to the thirty-fourth verse of the thirteenth chapter, has been interpreted in a differently manner from the thirteenth to the eighteenth verses of the eighteenth chapter.
The allotted (obligatory) duty mentioned in the eighth verse of the third chapter, has been expounded in detail, from the forty-second to the forty-eighth verses, of the eighteenth chapter.
The discipline of devotion detailed from the seventh to the twelfth chapter has been-touched upon briefly and in a different manner, from the fifty-sixth to the sixty-sixth verse, of the eighteenth chapter.
The description of the four social orders, which is given in brief, in the thirteenth verse of the fourth chapter has been amplified from the forty-first to the forty-fourth verse of the eighteenth chapter. Here (in 18/41-44) it can also be assumed as the conclusion of the innate faith, mentioned in the first and the second verse of the seventeenth chapter.
While describing the discipline of knowledge, the Lord declares that all actions are performed by nature and its modes (guna) (3/27, 13/29). He also states that the seer perceives no agent, other than the modes (14/19), He in addition explained that the senses move among the sense-objects (5/9) etc. The same topic has been developed further, from the thirteenth to the eighteenth verses of the eighteenth chapter in brief, and in a different way.
The modes of nature have been described from the fifth to the eighteenth verse, of the fourteenth chapter, and from the twentieth to the fortieth verse, of the eighteenth chapter in detail, differently.
Meditation on God, described in detail in the sixth and the eighth chapters, has been described in brief and differently from the fifty-rust to the fifty-third verses of the eighteenth chapter. Here (in 18/51-53) this topic can be regarded as the conclusion of twenty virtues of the discipline of knowledge, described from the seventh to the eleventh verse of the thirteenth chapter.
Sanjaya, has in brief concluded his recital, in the seventy-eighth verse of the eighteenth chapter, the divine glories of the Lord, from the eighth to the twelfth verse of the seventh chapter, the sixteenth to the nineteenth verse of the ninth chapter, the twentieth to the thirty-eighth verse of the tenth chapter and from the twelfth to the fifteenth verse of the fifteenth chapter.
The Lord's Cosmic-Form, described in the eleventh chapter has been concluded by Sanjaya in the form of a recollection, in the seventy-seventh verse of the eighteenth chapter.
The faith, described in the thirty-first verse of the third chapter, in the thirty-ninth verse of the fourth chapter and the third verse of the seventeenth chapter, has been summarised by the Lord in brief, in the seventy-first verse of the eighteenth chapter.
The duties of a member of the warrior class, included from the thirty-first to the thirty-eighth verse of the second chapter has been described in brief, in the forty-third verse of the eighteenth chapter.
The fact, that all living creatures act according to their own nature, as mentioned in the thirty-third verse of the third chapter, has been enlarged in the fifty-ninth and the sixtieth verse, of the eighteenth chapter, conclusively.
Infatuation or dejection are described from the thirty-first verse to the forty-sixth verse of the first chapter, and ended in brief in the seventh, the sixtieth, the seventy-second, and the seventy-third verses, of the eighteenth chapter.
The marks of a man of steadfast wisdom (stable in mind), are described from the fifty-fifth to the seventy-second verse of the second chapter, and topic concluded in the tenth and the eleventh verses, of the eighteenth chapter.
The topic of remembrance of God, at the time of one's death, is dealt with in the fifth verse of the eighth chapter, in the fifty-seventh, the fifty-eighth and the sixty-fifth verses, of the eighteenth chapter, and the Lord assures man of his help.
Divine traits, described in the first three verses of the sixteenth chapter, have been defined differently from the forty-second to the forty-fourth verse, of the eighteenth chapter.
Demoniac traits, described earlier, from the seventh to the twentieth verse of the sixteenth chapter, have been explained in brief in the sixty-seventh verse of the eighteenth chapter, when the Lord points out the marks of a person unqualified for listening to the gospel of the Gita.
The knowledge-sacrifice (Yoga) achieved through the study of sacred books, as against sacrifice of wealth etc., described in the twenty-eighth verse of the fourth chapter, has been concluded, in the seventieth verse of the eighteenth chapter.
The Lord from the eleventh to the thirtieth verse of the second chapter, exhorts Arjuna not to grieve about death, when the soul does not die. The same topic has been concluded in the sixty-sixth verse of the eighteenth chapter when the Lord exhorts Arjuna not to grieve by the words, 'rna sucah' after surrender to God.
Thus, the eighteenth chapter is the gist or quintessence of the Gita. If we contemplate over this chapter seriously, we come to know the core and essence of Gita.
The Vedas are the gist of all the scriptures, the Upanisads the gist of the Vedas, the Gita the gist of the Upanisads and the most profound secret, of surrender to God (refuge in God) for man's salvation described in the sixty-sixth verse of the eighteenth chapter, is the core of the Gita.
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