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अष्टादशोऽध्यायः CHAPTER XVIII.
[The eighteenth chapter is the summary of the entire Gītā-science. I shall, therefore, make a review (literally, * cast a lion-glance') of all that has been stated so far "{for greater details, see Chapter XIV of the Gitā-Rahasya).
It is clear from Chapter ONE that the Gitā has been told in order to induce Arjuna to do his own duty, when he was on the point of giving up the warfare, which was his lot according to his own-status (svadharma), and of starting to beg. Arjuna was filled with the doubt that if he performed such evil actions as killing his own preceptors etc., his Self would not be benefitted. Therefore, in the beginning of Chapter TWO are mentioned the two ways of living one's life, which are accepted by Jñanins (i. e., Sages); namely, Sāmkhya (sarnyāsa or Renunciation), and Karma-Yoga (Yoga); and the ultimate conclusion has been arrived at, that though both these paths are equally productive of Release, yet the path of Karma-Yoga is the superior of the two (Gi. 5. 2). According to the Path of Karma-Yoga, out of these two, the Reason is supposed to be superior ; if the Reason is steady and equable, Karma (Action) does not prejudicially affect anybody; no one has escaped Karma, and no one should give up Karma; it is quite enough if one gives up the Hope of Fruit; it is necessary to perform Karma at any rate for universal welfare, if not, for one's self; if one's Reason is pure, Jñana does not conflict with Karma; and if one considers tradition, then Janaka and others behaved in the same way. These and other logical arguments have been advanced from Chapter THREE to Chapter FIVE. The next subject-matter is how to acquire this Equability of Reason, which is necessary for making Karma-Yoga successful, and how one ultimately attains Release, while following the Path of Karma-Yoga. In order to acquire this Equability of Reason, one must acquire sense-control (indriya-nigraha), and thereby fully realise that there is only one Parameśvara pervading the
