Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 – Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga
Attaining the Divine through Knowledge, Action and Renunciation.
42 verses
All verses of this chapter
- 4.1 – श्रीभगवानुवाच – The Blessed Lord said: I taught this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan, the Sun-god; Vivasvan passed it on to…
- 4.2 – एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः – Thus handed down in succession, this Yoga was known to the royal sages.
- 4.3 – स एवायं मया तेऽद्य – That very same ancient Yoga I have declared to you today, because you are My devotee and My friend.
- 4.4 – अर्जुन उवाच – Arjuna said: Your birth was recent, and the birth of Vivasvan was long ago.
- 4.5 – श्रीभगवानुवाच – The Blessed Lord said: Many births of Mine have passed, and of yours too, O Arjuna.
- 4.6 – अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् – Though I am unborn and of imperishable nature, and though I am the Lord of all beings, yet, governing My own…
- 4.7 – यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य – Whenever there is a decline of righteousness and a rise of unrighteousness, O Bharata, then I manifest Myself.
- 4.8 – परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च – To protect the good, to destroy the wicked, and to firmly establish righteousness, I come into being age…
- 4.9 – जन्म कर्म च मे – He who truly knows My divine birth and actions in this way, O Arjuna, on leaving the body is not born again…
- 4.10 – वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः – Freed from attachment, fear and anger, absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, purified by the…
- 4.11 – ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते – In whatever way people approach Me, in that very way do I respond to them.
- 4.12 – काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त – Those who desire success in their actions here worship the gods, for in the human world success born of…
- 4.13 – चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः – The fourfold order of society was created by Me according to the division of qualities (gunas) and actions.
- 4.14 – न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति – Actions do not taint Me, nor do I have any desire for their fruit.
- 4.15 – एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म – Knowing this, the seekers of liberation of old also performed action.
- 4.16 – किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र – What is action and what is inaction? Even the wise are bewildered here.
- 4.17 – कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं – One must understand the nature of action, of forbidden action, and of inaction; for the way of action is…
- 4.18 – कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च – One who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among human beings; he is a yogi, and the…
- 4.19 – यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः – One whose every undertaking is free from desire and self-centred intent, and whose actions have been burnt…
- 4.20 – त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः – Having given up attachment to the fruit of action, ever content and dependent on nothing, he does nothing at…
- 4.21 – निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः – Free from expectation, with mind and body under control, having given up all sense of possession, and…
- 4.22 – यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः – Content with whatever comes to him unsought, beyond the pairs of opposites, free from envy, and even-minded…
- 4.23 – गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः – For one whose attachment is gone, who is free, whose mind is firmly established in knowledge, and who acts…
- 4.24 – ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा – The act of offering is Brahman, the oblation is Brahman, and it is offered by Brahman into the fire of…
- 4.25 – दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते – Some yogis perform sacrifice in the form of worship of the gods alone; others offer the self as sacrifice…
- 4.26 – श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति – Some offer hearing and the other senses into the fires of restraint; others offer sound and the other sense…
- 4.27 – सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे – Others offer all the functions of the senses and all the functions of the vital breath into the fire of the…
- 4.28 – द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे – Some offer wealth as sacrifice, some austerity, and some yoga; while ascetics of firm vows offer the study…
- 4.29 – अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं – Others, devoted to breath control, offer the outgoing breath into the incoming and the incoming into the…
- 4.30 – अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति – Others, regulating their food, offer the vital breaths into the vital breaths.
- 4.31 – यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम् – Those who partake of the nectar-like remnants of sacrifice reach the eternal Brahman.
- 4.32 – एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता – Thus many kinds of sacrifice are set forth in detail in the words of the Veda.
- 4.33 – श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप – Superior to sacrifice performed with material things is the sacrifice of knowledge, O scorcher of foes.
- 4.34 – तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया – Learn that knowledge by humble reverence, by sincere questioning and by service.
- 4.35 – यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि – Knowing that, O son of Pandu, you will never again fall into delusion like this; and by it you will see all…
- 4.36 – अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः – Even if you were the most sinful of all sinners, you would cross over all wrongdoing by the boat of…
- 4.37 – यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन – Just as a blazing fire reduces firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge reduce all actions…
- 4.38 – न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं – Truly, there is nothing in this world as purifying as knowledge.
- 4.39 – श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः – One who has faith, who is devoted to it and who has mastered the senses gains knowledge; and having gained…
- 4.40 – अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति – The ignorant, the faithless and the doubting soul perish.
- 4.41 – योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम् – Actions do not bind one who has renounced actions through yoga, whose doubts have been cut asunder by…
- 4.42 – तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः – Therefore, O Bharata, cut asunder with the sword of knowledge this doubt in your heart, born of ignorance…