Sārathi

Chapter 4 of 18

ज्ञानकर्मसंन्यासयोग Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga

Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action. 42 verses.

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About this chapter

The fourth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna glorifies the Karma Yoga and imparts the Transcendental Knowledge (the knowledge of the soul and the Ultimate Truth) to Arjuna. He reveals the reason behind his appearance in this material world. He reveals that even though he is eternal, he reincarnates time after time to re-establish dharma and peace on this Earth. His births and activities are eternal and are never contaminated by material flaws. Those persons who know and understand this Truth engage in his devotion with full faith and eventually attain Him. They do not have to take birth in this world again.

  1. 4.1इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्।imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayamThe Blessed Lord said, "I taught this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan; he then told it to Manu; Manu proclaimed it to Ikshvaku.
  2. 4.2एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः।evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣhayo viduḥThis, handed down in regular succession by the royal sages, was known. This Yoga, however, has been lost here over time, O Parantapa (burner of the foes).
  3. 4.3स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः।sa evāyaṁ mayā te ’dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥThat same ancient yoga has been today taught to you by me, for you are my devotee and my friend; it is the supreme secret.
  4. 4.4अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः।aparaṁ bhavato janma paraṁ janma vivasvataḥArjuna said, "Later was Thy birth, and prior to it was the birth of Vivasvan (the Sun); how am I to understand that Thou hast taught this Yoga from the beginning?"
  5. 4.5बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन।bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava chārjunaThe Blessed Lord said, "Many births of Mine have passed, as well as of thine, O Arjuna; I know them all, but thou knowest not, O Parantapa (scorcher of foes)."
  6. 4.6अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्।ajo ’pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānām īśhvaro ’pi sanThough I am unborn and of imperishable nature, and though I am the Lord of all beings, yet, governing my own nature, I am born by my own Maya.
  7. 4.7यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत।yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārataWhenever there is a decline of righteousness and an increase of unrighteousness, O Arjuna, then I manifest Myself.
  8. 4.8परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्।paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitāmFor the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age.
  9. 4.9जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः।janma karma cha me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥHe who thus knows, in their true light, My divine birth and actions, having abandoned the body, is not born again; he comes to Me, O Arjuna.
  10. 4.10वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः।vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśhritāḥFreed from attachment, fear, and anger, absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, purified by the fire of knowledge, many have attained My Being.
  11. 4.11ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्।ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāns tathaiva bhajāmyahamIn whatever way men approach Me, even so do I reward them; My path do men tread in all ways, O Arjuna.
  12. 4.12काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः।kāṅkṣhantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥThose who long for success in action in this world sacrifice to the gods; for success is quickly attained by men through action.
  13. 4.13चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः।chātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛiṣhṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśhaḥThe fourfold caste has been created by Me according to the differentiation of Guna and Karma; though I am the author of it, know Me as non-doer and immutable.
  14. 4.14न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा।na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛihāActions do not taint Me, nor do I have a desire for the fruit of actions. He who knows Me thus is not bound by actions.
  15. 4.15एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः।evaṁ jñātvā kṛitaṁ karma pūrvair api mumukṣhubhiḥHaving known this, the ancient seekers of freedom also performed action; therefore, do thou also perform action, as the ancients did in days of yore.
  16. 4.16किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः।kiṁ karma kim akarmeti kavayo ’pyatra mohitāḥWhat is action? What is inaction? Even the wise are confused about this. Therefore, I shall teach you the nature of action and inaction, by knowing which you will be…
  17. 4.17कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः।karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ cha vikarmaṇaḥFor verily, the true nature of action enjoined by the scriptures should be known, as well as that of forbidden or unlawful action, and of inaction; the nature of action…
  18. 4.18कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः।karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśhyed akarmaṇi cha karma yaḥHe who sees inaction in action and action in inaction, he is wise among men; he is a yogi and performer of all actions.
  19. 4.19यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः।yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥHe whose undertakings are all devoid of desires and selfish purposes, and whose actions have been burned by the fire of knowledge, the wise call him a sage.
  20. 4.20त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः।tyaktvā karma-phalāsaṅgaṁ nitya-tṛipto nirāśhrayaḥHaving abandoned attachment to the fruits of the action, ever content, depending on nothing, he does not do anything even while being engaged in activity.
  21. 4.21निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः।nirāśhīr yata-chittātmā tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥWithout hope, controlling the mind and the self, having abandoned all covetousness, and performing only bodily actions, one incurs no sin.
  22. 4.22यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः।yadṛichchhā-lābha-santuṣhṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥContent with what comes to him without effort, free from the pairs of opposites and envy, even-minded in success and failure, he acts yet is not bound.
  23. 4.23गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः।gata-saṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthita-chetasaḥTo one who is devoid of attachment, who is liberated, whose mind is established in knowledge, and who works for the sake of sacrifice (for the sake of God), the whole…
  24. 4.24ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्महविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्।brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutamBrahman is the oblation; Brahman is the melted butter (ghee); by Brahman is the oblation poured into the fire of Brahman; Brahman indeed shall be attained by one who…
  25. 4.25दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते।daivam evāpare yajñaṁ yoginaḥ paryupāsateSome yogis perform sacrifice to the gods alone; while others, who have realized the Self, offer the Self as sacrifice in the fire of Brahman alone.
  26. 4.26श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति।śhrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye sanyamāgniṣhu juhvatiSome again offer the organ of hearing and other senses as a sacrifice in the fire of restraint; others offer sound and other objects of the senses as a sacrifice in the…
  27. 4.27सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे।sarvāṇīndriya-karmāṇi prāṇa-karmāṇi chāpareOthers again sacrifice all the functions of the senses and those of the breath (vital energy, or Prana) in the fire of the Yoga of self-restraint, kindled by knowledge.
  28. 4.28द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे।dravya-yajñās tapo-yajñā yoga-yajñās tathāpareOthers again offer wealth, austerity, and Yoga as sacrifice, while ascetics of self-restraint and rigid vows offer the study of scriptures and knowledge as sacrifice.
  29. 4.29अपाने जुह्वति प्राण प्राणेऽपानं तथाऽपरे।apāne juhvati prāṇaṁ prāṇe ’pānaṁ tathāpareOthers offer as sacrifice the outgoing breath into the incoming, and the incoming into the outgoing, restraining the flow of the outgoing and the incoming breaths…
  30. 4.30अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति।apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇān prāṇeṣu juhvatiOthers who regulate their diet offer life-breaths in each life-breath. All these are knowers of sacrifice, whose sins are destroyed through sacrifice.
  31. 4.31यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम्।yajña-śhiṣhṭāmṛita-bhujo yānti brahma sanātanamThose who eat the remnants of the sacrifice, which are like nectar, go to the eternal Brahman. This world is not for the one who does not perform sacrifice; how then can…
  32. 4.32एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे।evaṁ bahu-vidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukheThus, manifold sacrifices are spread out before Brahman at the face of Brahman. Know them all to be born of action, and thus knowing, you shall be liberated.
  33. 4.33श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप।śhreyān dravya-mayād yajñāj jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapaSuperior is wisdom-sacrifice to the sacrifice with objects, O Parantapa (scorcher of the foes). All actions in their entirety, O Arjuna, culminate in knowledge.
  34. 4.34तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया।tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśhnena sevayāKnow that the wise who have realized the truth will instruct thee in that knowledge through long prostration, supplication, and service.
  35. 4.35यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव।yaj jñātvā na punar moham evaṁ yāsyasi pāṇḍavaKnowing that thou shalt not, O Arjuna, again be deluded like this; and by that thou shalt see all beings in thyself and also in me.
  36. 4.36अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः।api ched asi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛit-tamaḥEven if thou art the most sinful of all sinners, yet thou shalt surely cross over all sins by the raft of knowledge.
  37. 4.37यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन।yathaidhānsi samiddho ’gnir bhasma-sāt kurute ’rjunaAs the blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge reduce all actions to ash.
  38. 4.38न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते।na hi jñānena sadṛiśhaṁ pavitramiha vidyateVerily, there is no purifier in this world like knowledge. He who is perfected in Yoga finds it within the Self in due time.
  39. 4.39श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः।śhraddhāvān labhate jñānaṁ tat-paraḥ sanyatendriyaḥThe one who is full of faith, devoted to it, and has subdued their senses obtains this knowledge; and upon obtaining the knowledge, they attain the supreme peace…
  40. 4.40अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति।ajñaśh chāśhraddadhānaśh cha sanśhayātmā vinaśhyatiThe ignorant, the faithless, and the doubting self go to destruction; there is neither this world nor the other, nor happiness for the doubting one.
  41. 4.41योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसंछिन्नसंशयम्।yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaṁ jñāna-sañchhinna-sanśhayamHe who has renounced actions through Yoga, whose doubts have been dispelled by knowledge, and who is self-possessed—such a one is not bound by actions, O Arjuna.
  42. 4.42तस्मादज्ञानसंभूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनाऽऽत्मनः।tasmād ajñāna-sambhūtaṁ hṛit-sthaṁ jñānāsinātmanaḥTherefore, with the sword of knowledge (of the Self), cut asunder the doubt of the self, born of ignorance, residing in your heart, and take refuge in Yoga. Arise, O…