Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4: Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga

The fourth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga". In this, Shri Krishna has explained the discharge of duties through self-knowledge, selfless action and divine knowledge.

Sri Bhagavan said: imam vivasvate yogam proktavanahamavyayam. vivasvanmanave praha manurikshvakave'bravit ..

Sri Bhagavan said: I told this imperishable Yoga to the Sun; The Sun told it to his son Vaivasvata Manu and Manu told it to his son King Ikshvaku ॥ 1 ॥

evam paramparapraptamimam rajarshayo viduh. sa kaleneh mahata yogo nashtah parantapa.

O Parantapa Arjuna! The Rajarshis knew this Yoga obtained through tradition in this way; But after that, that Yoga has become almost extinct in this earth for a long time ॥ 2 ॥

sa evayam maya te'dya yogah proktah puratanah. bhakto'si me sakha cheti rahasyam hyetaduttamam ..

You are my devotee and dear friend, therefore I have told you this ancient Yoga today; Because this is a very good secret i.e. a subject worth keeping secret ॥ 3 ॥

Arjuna said: aparam bhavato janma param janma vivasvatah. kathametadvijaniyam tvamadau proktavaniti ..

Arjuna said - Your birth is recent - just recent and the birth of the Sun is very old i.e. it happened at the beginning of the Kalpa. Then how can I understand this that you had told this Yoga to the Sun at the beginning of the Kalpa? ॥ 4 ॥

Sri Bhagavan said: bahuni me vyatitani janmani tava charjuna. tanyaham veda sarvani na tvam vettha parantapa ..

Sri Bhagavan said - O Parantapa Arjuna! I and you have had many births. You do not know all of them, but I know ॥ 5 ॥

ajo'pi sannavyayatma bhutanamishvaro'pi san. prakritim svamadhisthaya sambhavamyatmamyaya ..

Even though I am unborn and of imperishable form and even though I am the lord of all beings, I appear through my Yogamaya by subjugating my nature ॥ 6 ॥

yada yada hi dharmasya glanirbhavati bharata. abhyutthanamadharmasya tadatmanam srijamyaham ॥

O Bharat! Whenever there is decline of righteousness and increase of unrighteousness, then I create my form i.e. appear before people in a tangible form ॥ 7 ॥

paritranaya sadhunam vinashaya cha dushkritam. dharmasansthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge ..

To deliver the righteous, to destroy the wicked and to establish righteousness, I appear in every age ॥ 8 ॥

janma karma cha me divyamevam yo vetti tattvatah. tyaktva deham punarjanma naiti mameti so'rjuna ..

O Arjuna! My birth and actions are divine i.e. pure and supernatural - the man who knows this in essence, does not get birth again after leaving the body, but attains me only ॥ 9 ॥

vitaragabhayakrodha manmaya mamupashritah. bahavo jnanatapasa puta madbhavamagatah ॥

Even before, those whose attachment, fear and anger were completely destroyed and who remained situated in me with exclusive love, many such devotees who were dependent on me have attained my form after being purified by the above-mentioned knowledge-form penance ॥ 10 ॥

ye yatha mam prapadyante tanstathaiva bhajamyaham. mama vartmanuvartante manushyah partha sarvashah ॥

O Arjuna! In whatever way the devotees worship me, I also worship them in the same way; Because all human beings follow my path in every way ॥ 11 ॥

kankshantah karmanam siddhi yajanta iha devatah. kshipram hi manushe loke siddhirbhavati karmaja ..

In this human world, people who desire the fruits of actions worship the gods; Because they get the accomplishment arising from actions quickly ॥ 12 ॥

chaturvarnyam maya srishtam gunakarmavibhagashah. tasya kartaramapi mam viddhyakartaramavyayam ॥

The group of four varnas - Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra - has been created by me according to the division of qualities and actions. In this way, even being the doer of that creation etc. action, know me, the imperishable Supreme God, to be actually the non-doer ॥ 13 ॥

na mam karmani limpanti na me karmaphale spriha. iti mam yo'bhijanati karmabhirna sa badhyate ..

I have no desire for the fruits of actions, therefore actions do not taint me - the one who knows me in essence in this way, is also not bound by actions ॥ 14 ॥

evam jnatva kritam karma purvairapi mumukshubhih. kuru karmaiva tasmattvam purvaih purvataram kritam ..

In ancient times, even the seekers of salvation performed actions knowing this way. Therefore, you also do the same actions that have always been done by the ancestors ॥ 15 ॥

kim karma kimakarmeti kavayo'pyatra mohitah. tatte karma pravakshyami yajjnatva mokshyase'shubhat ..

What is action? And what is inaction? - Even wise men are deluded in deciding this. Therefore, I will explain that element of action to you very well, knowing which you will be freed from inauspiciousness i.e. bondage of action ॥ 16 ॥

karmano hyapi boddhavyam boddhavyam cha vikarmanah. akarmanashcha boddhavyam gahana karmano gatih ..

The nature of action should also be known and the nature of forbidden action should also be known and the nature of inaction should also be known; Because the course of action is profound ॥ 17 ॥

karmanyakarma yah pashyedakarmani cha karma yah. sa buddhimanmanushyeshu sa yuktah kritsnakarmakrit ॥

The man who sees inaction in action and who sees action in inaction, is wise among men and that yogi is the doer of all actions ॥ 18 ॥

yasya sarve samarambhah kamasankalpavarjitah. jnanagnidagdhakarmanam tamahuh panditam budhah ॥

The great man whose all actions prescribed by the scriptures are without desire and resolve and whose all actions have been burnt by the fire of knowledge, is also called a scholar by the wise ॥ 19 ॥

tyaktva karmaphalasangam nityatripto nirashrayah. karmanyabhipravritto'pi naiva kinchitkaroti sah ॥

The man who has completely renounced attachment to all actions and their fruits, is devoid of dependence on the world and is eternally satisfied in the Supreme Being, even while performing actions well, he actually does nothing ॥ 20 ॥

nirashiryatachittatma tyaktasarvaparigrahah. shariram kevalam karma kurvannapnoti kilbisham ..

The man whose body, including the inner self and senses, is conquered and who has renounced all the materials of enjoyment, such a desireless man, even while performing actions related only to the body, does not incur sins ॥ 21 ॥

yadricchalabhasantushto dvandvatito vimatsarah. samah siddhavasiddhau cha kritvapi na nibadhyate ..

The one who is always satisfied with the object obtained automatically without desire, in whom jealousy is completely absent, who has completely transcended dualities like joy and sorrow - such a Karma Yogi, remaining equanimous in success and failure, is not bound by actions even while performing them ॥ 22 ॥

gatasangasya muktasya jnanavasthitachetasah yajnayacharatah karma samagram pravilayate ..

The one whose attachment has been completely destroyed, who has become free from body-consciousness and possessiveness, whose mind remains constantly situated in the knowledge of the Supreme Being - all the actions of such a man who performs actions only for the sake of performing Yagya, are completely dissolved ॥ 23 ॥

brahmarpanam brahma havirbrahmagnau brahmana hutam. brahauva tena gantavyam brahmakarmasamadhina ..

The Yagya in which the offering i.e. Khuva etc. is also Brahman and the substance to be offered in the oblation is also Brahman and the action of offering oblation in the form of Brahman in the fire in the form of Brahman by the doer in the form of Brahman is also Brahman - the fruit to be attained by the Yogi who remains situated in that Brahman-action is also Brahman only ॥ 24 ॥

daivamevapare yajnam yoginah paryupasate brahmagnavapare yajnam yajnenaihopajuhvati ..

Other Yogis perform the Yagya in the form of worshiping the gods very well and other Yogis offer the Yagya in the form of the self in the fire in the form of the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Soul, through the Yagya in the form of non-difference vision* ॥ 25 ॥

shrotradindriyananyanye sanyamagnishu juhvati. shabdadinvishayananaya indriyagnishu juhvati ..

Other Yogis offer all the senses like the ears in the fires in the form of restraint and other Yogis offer all the subjects like sound etc. in the fires in the form of senses ॥ 26 ॥

sarvanindriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi chāpare. ātmasanyamayogāgnau juhvati jñānadīpite ..

Other Yogis offer all the actions of the senses and all the actions of the Pranas in the fire in the form of self-restraint Yoga illuminated by knowledge* ॥ 27 ॥

dravyayajnastapoyajna yogayajnastathapare. svadhyayajnanayajnashcha yatah sanshitavratah ..

Some men perform Yagyas related to wealth, some perform Yagyas in the form of penance and others perform Yagyas in the form of Yoga, some diligent men endowed with sharp vows of non-violence etc. perform Yagyas of knowledge in the form of self-study ॥ 28 ॥

apane juhvati pranam prane'panam tathapare. pranapanagati ruddhva pranayamaparayanah ॥
apare niyatāharah prananpraneshu juhvati. sarve'pyete yajnavido yajnakshapitakalmashah ..

Other Yogis offer Prana Vayu in Apana Vayu, similarly other Yogis offer Apana Vayu in Prana Vayu and other Pranayama-devoted men who eat regular food* restrain the movement of Prana and Apana and offer Pranas in Pranas only. All these aspirants are the knowers of Yagyas who destroy sins through Yagyas ॥ 29-30 ॥

yajnashishtamritabhujo yanti brahma sanatanam. nayam loko'styayajnasya kuto'nyah kurusattama ..

O best of the Kurus, Arjuna! Yogis who experience the nectar left over from Yagya attain the eternal Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Soul. And for a man who does not perform Yagya, even this human world is not pleasant, then how can the other world be pleasant? ॥ 31 ॥

evam bahuvidha yajna vitata brahmano mukhe. karmajanviddhi tansarvanevam jnatva vimokshyase ..

In this way, many other types of Yagyas have been described in detail in the words of the Vedas. Know all of them to be accomplished through the actions of mind, senses and body, knowing this in essence, you will be completely freed from the bondage of actions through their performance ॥ 32 ॥

shreyandravyamayadyajnajjnanayajnah parantapa. sarvam karmakhilam partha jnane parisamapyate ..

O Parantapa Arjuna! The Yagya of knowledge is far superior to the Yagya of material things, and all the actions whatsoever are completed in knowledge ॥ 33 ॥

tadviddhi pranipatena pariprashnena sevaya. upadekshyanti te jnanam jnaninastattvadarshinah ..

Understand that knowledge by going to the knowers of the essence, by bowing down to them properly, by serving them and by asking questions with simplicity, leaving aside deceit, those wise great men who know the Supreme Self very well will impart to you the teaching of that essential knowledge ॥ 34 ॥

yajjnatva na punarmohamevam yasyasi pandava. yena bhutanyasheshan drakshyasyatmanyatho mayi ॥

Knowing which you will not attain delusion in this way again and O Arjuna! By which knowledge you will see all the beings without exception first in yourself and then in me, the Supreme Blissful Supreme Soul ॥ 35 ॥

api chedasi papebhyah sarvebhyah papakrittamah. sarvam jnanaplaveniva vrijinam santarishyasi ..

Even if you are the greatest sinner than all other sinners; Even then, you will undoubtedly cross the entire ocean of sin well through the boat of knowledge ॥ 36 ॥

yathaidhansi samiddho'gnirbhasmasatkurutearjuna. jnanagnih sarvakarmani bhasmasatkurutte tatha ..

Because O Arjuna! Just as a blazing fire turns fuel into ashes, similarly the fire of knowledge turns all actions into ashes ॥ 37 ॥

na hi jnanena sadrisham pavitramiha vidyate. tatsvayam yogasansiddhah kalenatmani vindati ॥

There is undoubtedly nothing in this world as pure as knowledge. A man whose inner self has been purified by Karma Yoga for a long time attains that knowledge himself in the soul ॥ 38 ॥

shraddhavallabhate jnanam tatparah sanyatendriyah. jnanam labdhva param shantimachirenadhigacchati ..

A man who has conquered the senses, is devoted to practice and is full of faith, attains knowledge and having attained knowledge, he attains the supreme peace in the form of God-realization without delay - immediately ॥ 39 ॥

ajnashchashraddadhanashcha sanshayatma vinashyati. nayam loko'sti na paro na sukham sanshayatmanah ..

A man devoid of discretion and faith, full of doubt, is sure to be ruined from the ultimate goal. There is neither this world nor the other world nor happiness for such a doubtful man ॥ 40 ॥

yogasannyastakarmanam jnanasanchhinnasansayam. atmavantam na karmani nibadhnanti dhananjaya ..

O Dhananjaya! Actions do not bind the man who has offered all actions to the Supreme Being through the method of Karma Yoga and who has destroyed all doubts through discretion, such a man with a controlled inner self ॥ 41 ॥

tasmadajnanasambhutam hritstham jnanasinatmanah. chittvainam sanshayam yogamatishthottishtha bharata ..

Therefore, O Arjuna of the Bharata dynasty! Cut this doubt of yours born of ignorance situated in your heart with the sword of discretion and knowledge, be situated in Karma Yoga in the form of equanimity and stand up for battle ॥ 42 ॥

Om Tatsaditi Srimad Bhagavad Gitaasupanishatsu Brahmavidyayam Yogashastre Sri Krishna Arjuna Samvade Jnana Karmasanyasayogo