CHAPTER NO 4

In this chapter Krishna has given discourse on the nature and cause of his incarnation. Main strand is about the yoga of action (work) and the yoga of renunciation. The chapter, therefore, is entitled "The Yoga of Knowledge and Renunciation of Action".

Shribhagavan uvacha

·  imam vivasvate yogam
proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manveh prah
manuh ikshavakve abravit

The blessed Lord said :
This imperishable yoga was taught by me to the sun, sun taught to (his son) Manu and Manu taught to (his son) king Ikshavaku

·  evam paramparapraptam
imam rajarshayah viduh
sah kalena ih mahata
yogah nastah paramtapah

Thus this yoga handed down by the tradition was learnt by the great sages but now, O Arjuna, this yoga is lost in this world.

·  sah eva ayam maya te
adya yogah proktah puratanah
bhaktah asi me sakha cha iti
rahasyam hi etat uttamam

That very ancient yoga I have described to you because you are my devotee and also a friend. This yoga is very exalted and is very profound.

Arjuna uvacha

·  aparambhavato janma param
janma vivasvatah
katham etat vijaniyam
tvam adau proktavan iti

Arjuna said :
You have been born at this period of time while sun (Vivasvat) was born in the very ancient age. How can I believe that, this yoga was told by you in the primeval times.

Shri Bhagawan Uvacha

·  bahuni me vyatitani
janmani tava cha arjuna
tani aham veda sarvani
na tvam vettha paramtapah.

O Arjuna ! many births have been taken by you and me, but O Tormentar of the Foes (Arjuna) you do not know about all those (births); I do know.

·  ajah api san avyayatma
bhutanam ishvarah api san
prakratim svam adhisthaya
sambhavami atmamayaya

Being imperishable, unborn and the God of all the creatures yet being established into my own nature. I come into existence by my own power (maya).

·  yada yada hi dharmasya
glanirbhavati bharata
abhyuthanam adharmasya tada
atmanam srijami aham

Whenever there is decline in the righteousness, O Bharata (Arjuna) I manifest myself.

·  paritranaya sadhunam
vinashyaya cha dushkritam
dharmasansthapana arthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge

For saving the righteous and for destroying the evil-doers and for restoring the righteousness I am born in every age.

·  janma karma cha me divyam
evam yah vetti tattvatah
tyaktava deham punah janma
na etimama eti sah arjuna

O Arjuna, my this birth and actions are divine, one who knows the truth of this, does not take birth again after leaving his body but he attains to my state.

·  vitaraga bhaya krodhah manmayah
mama upashritah
bahavah gyantapasa
putah madbhavan agatah

Being free from attachment, fear and anger, established in my being, having come under my protection, many men, purified by the fire of knowledge, have attained to my form.

·  ye yatha mam prapadyante
tan tatha eva bhajami aham
mam vartm anuvartante
manushayah partha sarvashah

In whatever manner men show their devotion to me, accordingly do I reward them, knowing this wisemen follow my way by all means, O partha (Arjuna).

·  kankshanthah karmanam
siddhim yajant iha devatah
kshipram hi manuse loke
siddhirbhavati karmaja

Those who desire fruits of their actions in this world, they worship the gods, and they attain their objects quickly (in this object-world of senses, however, they do not reach the supreme goal.)

·  chaturvarnyam maya shristam
gunakarma vibhagashah
tasya kartaram api mama
viddhi akartarma avyayam

Division of works and modes into four castes specific groups are made by me but know me as the imperishable and non-doer.

·  na mama karmani limpanti
na me karmaphale spriha
iti mam yoabhijanati
karma bhirna sahbadhyate

I do not have any interest in the fruits of my actions, I am not attached to the actions. Those who know this truth, also not come under the bondage of work.

·  evam gyatva kritam karma
purvaih api mumukshabhih
kuru karma eva tasmat
tvam purvaih purvataram kritam

Those who attain to the freedom earlier did their work after they had known this (truth). Therefore, you too perform the work that has been done by your ancestors all the times.

·  kim karma kim akarma iti
kavayavah api atra monitah
tat te karma pravakshyami
yat gyatva mokshyashe ashubhat

Even wise are perplexed as to the nature of action and non-action, therefore, I shall describe the nature of true action, you shall become free from the undesirable (bonds) after knowing it.

·  karmanah hi api bodhavyam
bodhavyam cha vikarmanah
akarmanah cha bodhavyam
gahanah karmanah gatih

One should understand the true nature of action and also of inaction, nature of action forbidden by the scriptures also, should be understood, because the way of action is profound.

·  karmani akarma yah pashyet
akarmani cha karma yah
sah buddhiman manusyesu
sah yuktah kritsnakarmakrita

One, who can see the inaction within action and vice-versa, is a yogi and a man of wisdom and is the accomplisher of the absolute.

·  yasya sarve samarambhah
kama sankalp varjitah
gyanagnidagdhakarmanam
tamahuh panditam budhah

Whose total work is free from desire and not swayed by like or dislike, whose attachments to the fruits of actions are perished in the fire of knowledge, is called a learned man even by the wiseman.

·  tyaktva karmaphalasangam
nitrayatriptah nirasrayah
karmani abhipravrittah api
na eva kinchit karoti sah

The person who does not take shelter in the worldly things, and is ever contented, abandoning the desires caused by action while engaged in work is not a doer.

·  nirashih yatchitatma
tyakta sarva parigrahah
shariram kevalam karma
kurvan na apnoti kilvisham

Who has control over senses and mind. Has foreshaken the wordly things, such a man free from desires only does his work physically and he does not commit any sin.

·  yadrichhalabh santustah
dvandvateitah vimatsarah
samah siddhau aiddhau cha
kritva api na nibadhyate

Who is contented with whatever accrues to him, is beyond duality, is free of envy, keeps an even mind in gain and loss, does not get into the bondage of his actions.

·  gatsangasya muktasya
gyanavapthita chetasah
yagyai acharatah; karma
samagram praviliyate

All works of person, who is free from desire, steady in knowledge, acts in accordance with the injunction of scriptures are destroyed and he is freed from them.

·  brahma arpanam brahma havih
brahmagno brahmana hutam
brahmai tena gantavyam
brahmakarma samadhina

Some perform sacrifices knowing the act of offering to be god, the oblation to be god, the fire also being god in which god is offered by the god, performing the act of sacrifice such men meditating on the god become one with him.

·  devam eva apare
yagyam yoginah paryupasate
brahmagnau apare yagyam
yagyena eva upjuhyati

Other yogis, worship the gods through sacrifices and still others offer sacrifice in the fire, which is brahma.

·  shrotadina indriyani
anye samyamagrishu juhvati
shahdadina vishyan
anye indriyagnishu juhvati

Other yogis by listening and by discipline of senses stoke the fire of sacrifice and others use speech etc senses to stoke the fire of sacrifice.

·  sarvani indriyakarmani
prankarmani cha apare
atmasamyam yogagnau
juhyati gyandipite

Other yogis offer all the actions of the senses, actions of the life force in the knowledge lit fire of the self discipline.

·  dravya yagyah tapoyagyah
yogayagyah tatha apare
svadhyaya gyanayagyah
cha yatayah shanshitvratah

Others conduct sacrifice of their wealth etc, likewise others do the sacrifice by penance and still others do eight-fold yoga sacrifice and some observe hard penance of non-violence etc, some assiduously study the scriptures and perform sacrifice by gathering knowledge.

·  apane juhvati pranam
prane apana tathapare
pranapanagati ruddhava
pranayama parayanah

Others yogis devoted to pranayama, (breath control) control of the path of outgoing breath (prana) and apana (incoming breath) and pour prana upon apana by way of sacrifice and vice-versa.

·  apare niyathara pranam
praneshu juhvati
sarve api etc yagyavidah
yagyakshapita kalmishah

Other yogis, by fasting offer their vital force to sacrifice and such men, who have gone beyond the sins, have the true knowledge of sacrifices.

·  yagya shistabhujmritah
yanti brahma sanatanam
na ayam lokah asti
ayagyasya kutah anyah kurusattam

O Arjuna, the yogis who drink the nectar like wisdom brewed from the sacrifices attain to the brahma, and those do not perform sacrifices even this world offers nothing what can they get in the other world?

·  evam bahuvidhan yagyah
vitatah brahmanah mukhe
karmajan viddhi tan sarvana
evam gyatva vimokshyase

Many such sacrifices are detailed in the veda, know them to be produced by action, knowing this truth you shall be freed of the wordly bonds.

·  shreyan dravyamyat
yagyat gyanayagyah parantap
sarvam karma akhilam
parth gyane parisamapyate

O Arjuna sacrifices done by acquisition of knowledge is far superior to those performed by using worldly riches because all the actions ultimately reach the state of knowledge.

·  tat viddhi pranipatena
pratiprashnena sevaya
updekshyanti te gyanam
gyaninah tatudarshinin

Having respectfully saluted them, serving them and questioning them without guile, acquire that knowledge. The wisemen who know the truth shall preach that knowledge to you.

·  yat gyatna na punah moham
evam yasyasi pandava
yen bhutani asheshena
drakshiyasi atmani atho mayi

After acquiring that knowledge you shall not be deluded again, O Arjuna, by that knowledge you shall see all the creatures under self and then you shall become one with me.

·  api cheta asi papebhyah
sarvebhyah papakritam
sarvam gyana plavena
eva vrijanam santarisyashi

Even you are more sinful than all other sinners even then the life-boat of knowledge shall help you go beyond all your sins.

·  yatha edhansi samiddhi
agnih bhasmasat kurute arjuna
gyanagni sarvakarmavi
bhasmasat kurute tatha

O Arjuna, as the fire devours the fuel. Likewise the fire of knowledge burns all the actions.

·  na hi gyanena sadrisham
pavitram iha vidhyate
tat svayan yogasamsiddhah
kalena atmani vindati

In this world verily there is no purifying agent like knowledge. A person having attained the state of Yoga experience that purity (of knowledge) is his self.

·  shradhavan labhata gyanam
tatparah samyatendriyah
gyanam labdhava param
shantim acharena adhigachhati

A person having ready control over his senses attains understanding and having done so attains the supreme peace immediately.

·  agyah cha ashraddhanah cha
sanshayaatna vinashyanti
na ayam lokah asti na parah
na sukham shanshayatmanah

Who is ignorant and is lacking in devotion and is also full of doubts, loses the right way to salvation. The person full of doubts can get peace neither is this world nor in the other world.

·  yoga samyastha karmanam
gyana sanchhinnasahnshayam
atmavantam na karmani
nibandhanti dhamanjaya

O Arjuna, one who has consigned his actions to the god and whose doubts have been destroyed by knowledge, is not amenable to the bondage of the actions.

·  tasmat agayana sambhutam
hritastham gyanasina atmanah
chhitva evam shanshayam
atishtha utistha bharata

O Arjuna therefore having steadied yourself in the yoga and cut through this doubts engendered in your heart by ignorance, with the sword of knowledge, arise for this battle.