Chapter 4: Jñāna Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action
ज्ञानकर्मसंन्यासयोग · 42 verses
Chapter Summary
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.
Verses
- 4.1 — The Blessed Lord said: I taught this imperishable science of Yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, who instructed…
- 4.2 — This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings…
- 4.3 — That same ancient yoga has been today imparted to you by Me, because you are My devotee and My friend; it is…
- 4.4 — Arjuna said, 'Your birth is later, and the birth of Vivasvan was prior; how then am I to understand that You…
- 4.5 — The Blessed Lord said: Many births of Mine have passed, and so have yours, O Arjuna; I know them all, but…
- 4.6 — Though I am birthless and deathless, and the Lord of all living beings, I manifest through my own divine…
- 4.7 — Whenever there is a decline of righteousness and an increase of unrighteousness, O Arjuna, then I manifest…
- 4.8 — To protect the righteous, to destroy the wicked, and to establish the principles of righteousness, I…
- 4.9 — He who truly understands the divine nature of My birth and activities, O Arjuna, is not reborn upon leaving…
- 4.10 — Freed from attachment, fear, and anger, absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, purified by the fire of…
- 4.11 — As men approach Me, so do I reward them; all men, in all ways, follow My path, O Arjuna.
- 4.12 — Those who desire success in their undertakings here on earth sacrifice to the gods, for in this human world,…
- 4.13 — The fourfold social order was created by Me according to the classification of attributes (Guna) and…
- 4.14 — Actions do not taint Me, nor do I have any desire for the results of actions. One who recognizes Me in this…
- 4.15 — Having known this, the seekers of liberation in ancient times also performed their prescribed duties;…
- 4.16 — What is action and what is inaction? Even the wise are perplexed in this matter. I shall explain to you that…
- 4.17 — One must understand the nature of prescribed action, the nature of prohibited action, and the nature of…
- 4.18 — He who perceives inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among men; he is a yogi and performer of…
- 4.19 — One whose undertakings are all free from desire and selfish motives, and whose actions have been consumed by…
- 4.20 — Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of the action, ever content, and depending on nothing, he does not…
- 4.21 — Remaining free from desire, with mind and senses controlled, and having surrendered all attachment to…
- 4.22 — Content with whatever comes of its own accord, free from duality and envy, steady in both success and…
- 4.23 — The work of a man who is free from attachment, liberated, whose mind is established in self-knowledge, and…
- 4.24 — Brahman is the offering, Brahman is the oblation poured by Brahman into the fire of Brahman; Brahman is…
- 4.25 — Some yogis perform sacrifice to the gods alone; others offer the sacrifice of the self into the fire of the…
- 4.26 — Some offer the senses, such as hearing, as a sacrifice into the fire of self-restraint, while others offer…
- 4.27 — Others again offer all the functions of the senses and the activities of the life-breath into the fire of…
- 4.28 — Some offer their wealth, others their austerities, and still others their practice of Yoga as sacrifice;…
- 4.29 — Others offer the outgoing breath into the incoming, and the incoming into the outgoing, by restraining the…
- 4.30 — Others who regulate their diet offer their life-breaths into the life-breaths as a sacrifice. All these…
- 4.31 — Those who live on the nectar of the remains of sacrifice attain the eternal Brahman. This world is not for…
- 4.32 — Thus, manifold sacrifices are described in the Vedas. Know them all to be born of action, and by knowing…
- 4.33 — O Parantapa, knowledge-sacrifice is superior to sacrifice involving material objects. O Arjuna, all actions…
- 4.34 — Learn this knowledge by approaching a realized soul, offering humble prostrations, inquiring with sincerity,…
- 4.35 — Having known this, O Arjuna, you will no longer fall into delusion; by this knowledge, you will see all…
- 4.36 — Even if you are the most sinful of all sinners, you shall cross over all sin by the raft of knowledge alone.
- 4.37 — Just as a blazing fire turns firewood into ashes, O Arjuna, the fire of knowledge likewise reduces all…
- 4.38 — Verily, there is nothing in this world as purifying as knowledge; one who has attained perfection in Yoga…
- 4.39 — The person of faith, who is dedicated to knowledge and has mastered their senses, attains wisdom; having…
- 4.40 — But the ignorant, the faithless, and the doubting self perish; for the soul filled with doubt, there is…
- 4.41 — He who has renounced actions through Yoga, whose doubts have been dispelled by knowledge, and who is…
- 4.42 — Therefore, having cut asunder the doubt in your heart born of ignorance with the sword of knowledge,…