Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Transcendental Knowledge

💥श्री भगवानुवाच:-📝

🔱इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्‌ ।

विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत्‌ ॥✒

💥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/१)📝

VERSE 1: The Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu, in turn, instructed it to Ikṣvāku.

🔱 एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः ।

स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप ॥✒

💥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/२)📝

VERSE 2: This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time, the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it appears to be lost.

🔱स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः ।

भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम्‌॥ ✒

💥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/३)📝

VERSE 3: That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can, therefore, understand the transcendental mystery of this science.

💥अर्जुन उवाच:-📝

🔱अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः ।
कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ॥ ✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/४)📝

VERSE 4: Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvān is senior by birth to You. How am I to understand that in the beginning, You instructed this science to him?

💥श्रीभगवानुवाच📝

🔱बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन ।
तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप।।✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/५)📝

VERSE 5: The Personality of Godhead said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!

🔱अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्‌ ।

प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ॥ ✒
💥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/६)📝

VERSE 6: Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.

🔱यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत।

अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम्‌॥
💥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/७)📝

VERSE 7: Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend Myself.

🔱परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्‌ ।

धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥✒
💥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/८)📝

VERSE 8: To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.

🔱जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्वतः।

त्यक्तवा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥✒
💥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/९)📝

VERSE 9: One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.

🔱वीतरागभय क्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः।

बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः॥✒
💥 (श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/१०)📝

VERSE 10: Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me – and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.

🔱ये यथा माँ प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्‌ ।

मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/११)

VERSE 11: As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.

🔱काङ्‍क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः।

क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥ ✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/१२)

VERSE 12: Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world.

🔱चातुर्वर्ण्य मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः।

तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्धयकर्तारमव्ययम्‌॥ ✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/१३)

VERSE 13: According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the nondoer, being unchangeable.

🔱न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा।

इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते॥ ✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/१४

VERSE 14: There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in the fruitive reactions of work.

🔱एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः ।

कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम्‌ ॥✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/१५)

VERSE 15: All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding of My transcendental nature. Therefore you should perform your duty, following in their footsteps.

🔱किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः ।

तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्‌ ॥✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/१६)

VERSE 16: Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall be liberated from all misfortune.

🔱कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः।

अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः॥✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/१७)

VERSE 17: The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is and what inaction is.

🔱कर्मण्य कर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः।

स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्‌॥ ✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/१८)

VERSE 18: One who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.

🔱यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसंकल्पवर्जिताः ।

ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पंडितं बुधाः ॥✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/१९)

VERSE 19: One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavour is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.

🔱त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः ।

कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किंचित्करोति सः॥ ✒
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/२०)

VERSE 20: Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.

🔱निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः।

शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्।। ✏
🔥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/२१)✏

VERSE 21: Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reactions.

🔱यदृच्छालाभसंतुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः।

समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते।। ✏
🔥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/२२)✏

VERSE 22: He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.

🔱गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः।

यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते।।✏
🔥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/२३)✏

VERSE 23: The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence.

🔱ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्।

ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ।। ✏
🔥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/२४)✏

VERSE 24: A person who is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.

🔱दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते।

ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्णति।।✏
🔥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/२५)✏

VERSE 25: Some yogīs perfectly worship the demigods by offering different sacrifices to them, and some offer sacrifices in the fire of the Supreme Brahman.

🔱श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्णति।

शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्णति।। ✏
🔥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/२६)✏

VERSE 26: Some [the unadulterated brahmacārīs] sacrifice the hearing process and the senses in the fire of mental control, and others [the regulated householders] sacrifice the objects of the senses in the fire of the senses.

🔱सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे ।

आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्णति ज्ञानदीपिते।।✏
🔥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/२७)✏

VERSE 27: Others, who are interested in achieving self-realization through control of the mind and senses, offer the functions of all the senses, and of the life breath, as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind.

🔱द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे ।

स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः।।✏
🔥(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/२८)✏

VERSE 28: Having accepted strict vows, some become enlightened by sacrificing their possessions, and others by performing severe austerities, by practising the yoga of eightfold mysticism, or by studying the Vedas to advance in transcendental knowledge.

🔱अपाने जुह्णति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे।

प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः।।
अपरे नियतहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्णति।
सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः।।✏ 🔥
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/२९-३०)✏

VERSES 29-30: Still others, who are inclined to the process of breath restraint to remain in trance, practice by offering the movement of the outgoing breath into the incoming, and the incoming breath into the outgoing, and thus, at last, remain in trance, stopping all breathing. Others, curtailing the eating process, offer the outgoing breath into itself as a sacrifice. All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become cleansed of sinful reactions, and, having tasted the nectar of the results of sacrifices, they advance toward the supreme eternal atmosphere.

🔱यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातम्।

नायं लोकोऽस्त्यज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम् ।। ✏
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/३१)

VERSE 31: O best of the Kuru dynasty, without sacrifice one, can never live happily on this planet or in this life: what then of the next?

🔱एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे ।

कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे।। ✏
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/३२)

VERSE 32: All these different types of sacrifice are approved by the Vedas, and all of them are born of different types of work. Knowing them as such, you will become liberated.

🔱श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परंतप ।

सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ।।✏
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/३३)

VERSE 33: O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice performed in knowledge is better than the mere sacrifice of material possessions. After all, O son of Pṛthā, all sacrifices of work culminate in transcendental knowledge.

🔱तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया।

उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः।।✏ 
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/३४)

VERSE 34: Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.

🔱यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव।

येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि।।✏
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/३५)

VERSE 35: Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for by this knowledge you will see that all living beings are but part of the Supreme, or, in other words, that they are Mine.

🔱अपि चेदसि पापेभ्य सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः।

सर्व ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं संतरिष्यसि।।✏
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/३६)

VERSE 36: Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries.

🔱यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन ।

ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ।। ✏
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/३७)

VERSE 37: As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.

🔱न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते ।

तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति ।। ✏
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/३८)

VERSE 38: In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become accomplished in the practice of devotional service enjoys this knowledge within himself in due course of time.

🔱श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः ।

ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति।। ✏
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/३९)

VERSE 39: A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having achieved it he quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace.

🔱अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति ।

नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः।। ✏
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता ४/४०)

VERSE 40: But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul, there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.

🔱योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसंछिन्नसंशयम्।

आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनंजय।।✏ 
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता अध्याय ४/४१)

VERSE 41: One who acts in devotional service, renouncing the fruits of his actions, and whose doubts have been destroyed by transcendental knowledge, is situated factually in the self. Thus he is not bound by the reactions of work, O conqueror of riches.

🔱तस्मादज्ञानसंभूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः।

छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत।।✏ 
(श्रीमद्भागवत गीता अध्याय ४/४२)

VERSE 42: Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of ignorance should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed with yoga, O Bhārata, stand and fight.