Shrimad Bhagavad Gita
Chapter 4 - The Yoga of Wisdom
1.Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:
Imam vivaswate yogam proktavaan aham avyayam;
Vivaswaan manave praaha manur ikshwaakave’braveet.
The Blessed Lord said:
I taught this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan;
he told it to Manu;
Manu proclaimed it toIkshvaku.
2.Evam paramparaa praaptam imam raajarshayo viduh;
Sa kaaleneha mahataa yogo nashtah parantapa.
This, handed down thus in regular succession, the royal sages knew. This Yoga, by a longlapse of time, has been lost here, O Parantapa (burner of foes)!COMMENTARY: The royal sages were kings who at the same time possessed divineknowledge. They learnt this Yoga.
3.Sa evaayam mayaa te’dya yogah proktah puraatanah;
Bhakto’si me sakhaa cheti rahasyam hyetad uttamam.
That same ancient Yoga has been today taught to thee by Me, for, thou art My devoteeand friend;
it is the supreme secret.COMMENTARY: This ancient Yoga consists of profound and subtle teachings. Hence itis the supreme secret which the Lord reveals to Arjuna.
4.Arjuna Uvaacha:
Aparam bhavato janma param janma vivaswatah;
Katham etadvijaaneeyaam twam aadau proktavaan iti.
Arjuna said:
Later on was Thy birth, and prior to it was the birth of Vivasvan (the Sun);
how am I tounderstand that Thou didst teach this Yoga in the beginning?
5. Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:
Bahooni me vyateetaani janmaani tava chaarjuna;
Taanyaham veda sarvaani na twam vettha parantapa.
The Blessed Lord said:
Many births of Mine have passed, as well as of thine, O Arjuna! I know them all but thouknowest not, O Parantapa!
6.Ajo’pi sannavyayaatmaa bhootaanaam eeshwaro’pi san;
Prakritim swaam adhishthaaya sambhavaamyaatmamaayayaa.
Though I am unborn and of imperishable nature, and though I am the Lord of all beings,yet, ruling over My own Nature, I am born by My own Maya.
7.Yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya glaanir bhavati bhaarata;
Abhyutthaanam adharmasya tadaatmaanam srijaamyaham.
Whenever there is a decline of righteousness, O Arjuna, and rise of unrighteousness, thenI manifest Myself!COMMENTARY: That which elevates a man and helps him to reach the goal of life andattain knowledge is Dharma (righteousness);
that which drags him into worldliness isunrighteousness. That which helps a man to attain liberation is Dharma;
that which makes himirreligious is Adharma or unrighteousness.
8.Paritraanaaya saadhoonaam vinaashaaya cha dushkritaam;
Dharma samsthaapanaarthaaya sambhavaami yuge yuge.
For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishmentof righteousness, I am born in every age.
9.Janma karma cha me divyam evam yo vetti tattwatah;
Tyaktwa deham punarjanma naiti maameti so’rjuna.
He who thus knows in true light My divine birth and action, after having abandoned thebody is not born again;
he comes to Me, O Arjuna!
10.Veetaraagabhayakrodhaa manmayaa maam upaashritaah;
Bahavo jnaana tapasaa pootaa madbhaavam aagataah.
Freed from attachment, fear and anger, absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, purified bythe fire of knowledge, many have attained to My Being.
11.Ye yathaa maam prapadyante taamstathaiva bhajaamyaham;
Mama vartmaanuvartante manushyaah paartha sarvashah.
In whatever way men approach Me, even so do I reward them;
My path do men tread inall ways, O Arjuna!
12.Kaangkshantah karmanaam siddhim yajanta iha devataah;
Kshipram hi maanushe loke siddhir bhavati karmajaa.
Those who long for success in action in this world sacrifice to the gods, because successis quickly attained by men through action.
13.Chaaturvarnyam mayaa srishtam gunakarma vibhaagashah;
Tasya kartaaram api maam viddhyakartaaram avyayam.
The fourfold caste has been created by Me according to the differentiation of Guna andKarma;
though I am the author thereof, know Me as the non-doer and immutable.COMMENTARY: The four castes are Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra. Thisdivision is according to the Guna and Karma. Guna is quality. Karma is the kind of work. BothGuna and Karma determine the caste of a man.In a Brahmana, Sattwa predominates. He possesses serenity, purity, self-restraint,straightforwardness and devotion.In a Kshatriya, Rajas predominates. He possesses prowess, splendour, firmness, dexterity,generosity and rulership.In a Vaisya, Rajas predominates and Tamas is subordinate to Rajas. He does the duty ofploughing, protection of cattle and trade.In a Sudra, Tamas predominates and Rajas is subordinate to the quality of Tamas. Herenders service to the other three castes. Human temperaments and tendencies vary according to theGunas.
14.Na maam karmaani limpanti na me karmaphale sprihaa;
Iti maam yo’bhijaanaati karmabhir na sa badhyate.
Actions do not taint Me, nor have I a desire for the fruits of actions. He who knows Methus is not bound by actions.
15. Evam jnaatwaa kritam karma poorvair api mumukshubhih;
Kuru karmaiva tasmaat twam poorvaih poorvataram kritam.
Having known this, the ancient seekers after freedom also performed actions;
therefore,do thou perform actions as did the ancients in days of yore.
16.Kim karma kim akarmeti kavayo’pyatra mohitaah;
Tat te karma pravakshyaami yajjnaatwaa mokshyase’shubhaat.
What is action? What is inaction? As to this even the wise are confused. Therefore, Ishall teach thee such action (the nature of action and inaction), by knowing which thou shalt beliberated from the evil (of Samsara, the world of birth and death).
17. Karmano hyapi boddhavyam boddhavyam cha vikarmanah;
Akarmanashcha boddhavyam gahanaa karmano gatih.
For, verily the true nature of action (enjoined by the scriptures) should be known, also(that) of forbidden (or unlawful) action, and of inaction;
hard to understand is the nature (path) ofaction.
18. Karmanyakarma yah pashyed akarmani cha karma yah;
Sa buddhimaan manushyeshu sa yuktah kritsnakarmakrit.
He who seeth inaction in action and action in inaction, he is wise among men;
he is aYogi and performer of all actions.COMMENTARY: It is the idea of agency, the idea of “I am the doer” that binds man toworldliness. If this idea vanishes, action is no action at all. It does not bind one to worldliness. Thisis inaction in action. But if a man sits quietly, thinking of actions and that he is their doer, he is everdoing actions. This is referred to as action in inaction.
19.Yasya sarve samaarambhaah kaamasankalpa varjitaah;
Jnaanaagni dagdhakarmaanam tam aahuh panditam budhaah.
He whose undertakings are all devoid of desires and (selfish) purposes, and whoseactions have been burnt by the fire of knowledge,—him the wise call a sage.
20. Tyaktwaa karmaphalaasangam nityatripto niraashrayah;
Karmanyabhipravritto’pi naiva kinchit karoti sah.
Having abandoned attachment to the fruit of the action, ever content, depending onnothing, he does not do anything though engaged in activity.
21. Niraasheer yatachittaatmaa tyaktasarvaparigrahah;
Shaareeram kevalam karma kurvannaapnoti kilbisham.
Without hope and with the mind and the self controlled, having abandoned all greed,doing mere bodily action, he incurs no sin.
22. Yadricchaalaabhasantushto dwandwaateeto vimatsarah;
Samah siddhaavasiddhau cha kritwaapi na nibadhyate.
Content with what comes to him without effort, free from the pairs of opposites andenvy, even-minded in success and failure, though acting, he is not bound.
23. Gatasangasya muktasya jnaanaavasthitachetasah;
Yajnaayaacharatah karma samagram pravileeyate.
To one who is devoid of attachment, who is liberated, whose mind is established inknowledge, who works for the sake of sacrifice (for the sake of God), the whole action is dissolved.
24. Brahmaarpanam brahmahavirbrahmaagnau brahmanaa hutam;
Brahmaiva tena gantavyam brahmakarmasamaadhinaa.
Brahman is the oblation;
Brahman is the melted butter (ghee);
by Brahman is theoblation poured into the fire of Brahman;
Brahman verily shall be reached by him who always seesBrahman in action.COMMENTARY: This is wisdom-sacrifice, wherein the idea of Brahman is substitutedfor the ideas of the instrument and other accessories of action, the idea of action itself and its results.By having such an idea the whole action melts away.
25. Daivam evaapare yajnam yoginah paryupaasate;
Brahmaagnaavapare yajnam yajnenaivopajuhwati.
Some Yogis perform sacrifice to the gods alone, while others (who have realised theSelf) offer the Self as sacrifice by the Self in the fire of Brahman alone.
26. Shrotraadeeneendriyaanyanye samyamaagnishu juhwati;
Shabdaadeen vishayaananya indriyaagnishu juhwati.
Some again offer hearing and other senses as sacrifice in the fire of restraint;
others offersound and various objects of the senses as sacrifice in the fire of the senses.
27. Sarvaaneendriya karmaani praanakarmaani chaapare;
Aatmasamyamayogaagnau juhwati jnaanadeepite.
Others again sacrifice all the functions of the senses and those of the breath (vital energyor Prana) in the fire of the Yoga of self-restraint kindled by knowledge.
28. Dravyayajnaas tapoyajnaa yogayajnaastathaapare;
Swaadhyaayajnaana yajnaashcha yatayah samshitavrataah.
Some again offer wealth, austerity and Yoga as sacrifice, while the ascetics ofself-restraint and rigid vows offer study of scriptures and knowledge as sacrifice.
29. Apaane juhwati praanam praane’paanam tathaa’pare;
Praanaapaana gatee ruddhwaa praanaayaamaparaayanaah.
Others offer as sacrifice the outgoing breath in the incoming, and the incoming in theoutgoing, restraining the courses of the outgoing and the incoming breaths, solely absorbed in therestraint of the breath.COMMENTARY: Some Yogis practise inhalation, some practise exhalation, and someretention of breath. This is Pranayama.
30. Apare niyataahaaraah praanaan praaneshu juhwati;
Sarve’pyete yajnavido yajnakshapita kalmashaah.
Others who regulate their diet offer life-breaths in life-breaths;
all these are knowers ofsacrifice, whose sins are all destroyed by sacrifice.
31. Yajnashishtaamritabhujo yaanti brahma sanaatanam;
Naayam loko’styayajnasya kuto’nyah kurusattama.
Those who eat the remnants of the sacrifice, which are like nectar, go to the eternalBrahman. This world is not for the man who does not perform sacrifice;
how then can he have theother, O Arjuna?COMMENTARY: They go to the eternal Brahman after attaining knowledge of the Selfthrough purification of the mind by performing the above sacrifices. He who does not perform anyof these is not fit even for this miserable world. How then can he hope to get a better world than this?
32. Evam bahuvidhaa yajnaa vitataa brahmano mukhe;
Karmajaan viddhi taan sarvaan evam jnaatwaa vimokshyase.
Thus, various kinds of sacrifices are spread out before Brahman (literally at the mouth orface of Brahman). Know them all as born of action, and knowing thus, thou shalt be liberated.
33. Shreyaan dravyamayaadyajnaaj jnaanayajnah parantapa;
Sarvam karmaakhilam paartha jnaane parisamaapyate.
Superior is wisdom-sacrifice to sacrifice with objects, O Parantapa! All actions in theirentirety, O Arjuna, culminate in knowledge!
34. Tadviddhi pranipaatena pariprashnena sevayaa;
Upadekshyanti te jnaanam jnaaninas tattwadarshinah.
Know that by long prostration, by question and by service, the wise who have realisedthe Truth will instruct thee in (that) knowledge.
35. Yajjnaatwaa na punarmoham evam yaasyasi paandava;
Yena bhootaanyasheshena drakshyasyaatmanyatho mayi.
Knowing that, thou shalt not, O Arjuna, again become deluded like this;
and by that thoushalt see all beings in thy Self and also in Me!
36. Api chedasi paapebhyah sarvebhyah paapakrittamah;
Sarvam jnaanaplavenaiva vrijinam santarishyasi.
Even if thou art the most sinful of all sinners, yet thou shalt verily cross all sins by theraft of knowledge.COMMENTARY: One can overcome sin through Self-knowledge.
37. Yathaidhaamsi samiddho’gnir bhasmasaat kurute’rjuna;
Jnaanaagnih sarvakarmaani bhasmasaat kurute tathaa.
As the blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge reduceall actions to ashes!
38. Na hi jnaanena sadrisham pavitram iha vidyate;
Tat swayam yogasamsiddhah kaalenaatmani vindati.
Verily there is no purifier in this world like knowledge. He who is perfected in Yogafinds it in the Self in time.
39. Shraddhaavaan labhate jnaanam tatparah samyatendriyah;
Jnaanam labdhvaa paraam shaantim achirenaadhigacchati.
The man who is full of faith, who is devoted to it, and who has subdued all the senses,obtains (this) knowledge;
and, having obtained the knowledge, he goes at once to the supremepeace.
40. Ajnashchaashraddhadhaanashcha samshayaatmaa vinashyati;
Naayam loko’sti na paro na sukham samshayaatmanah.
The ignorant, the faithless, the doubting self proceeds to destruction;
there is neither thisworld nor the other nor happiness for the doubting.
41. Yogasannyasta karmaanam jnaanasamcchinnasamshayam;
Aatmavantam na karmaani nibadhnanti dhananjaya.
He who has renounced actions by Yoga, whose doubts are rent asunder by knowledge,and who is self-possessed,—actions do not bind him, O Arjuna!
42. Tasmaad ajnaanasambhootam hritstham jnaanaasinaatmanah;
Cchittwainam samshayam yogam aatishthottishtha bhaarata.
Therefore, with the sword of knowledge (of the Self) cut asunder the doubt of the selfborn of ignorance, residing in thy heart, and take refuge in Yoga;
arise, O Arjuna!
Hari Om Tat Sat Iti Srimad Bhagavadgeetaasoopanishatsu BrahmavidyaayaamYogashaastre Sri KrishnaarjunasamvaadeJnaanavibhaagayogo Naama Chaturtho’dhyaayah
Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the science of the Eternal, thescripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the fourth discourse entitled:“The Yoga of Wisdom”
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