Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 39

Chapter 4 – Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः ।
ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥

Transliteration

śraddhāvā.Nllabhate jñānaṃ tatparaḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ .
jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati ॥

Meaning

One who has faith, who is devoted to it and who has mastered the senses gains knowledge; and having gained knowledge, he soon attains supreme peace.

Word meanings

श्रद्धावान् – one full of faith (in the words of the teacher and scripture)
लभते – gains, obtains
ज्ञानम् – knowledge
तत्परः – devoted to it, wholly intent on it
संयतेन्द्रियः – one whose senses are controlled
लब्ध्वा – having gained
पराम् – supreme
शान्तिम् – peace
अचिरेण – soon, without delay
अधिगच्छति – attains

Anvaya (word order)

श्रद्धावान् तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः (पुरुषः) ज्ञानं लभते; ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा अचिरेण परां शान्तिम् अधिगच्छति ।

Explanation

In the previous verse Krishna said that the seeker prepared by yoga finds knowledge in due time. Now He names three definite qualities of that seeker, in whose presence knowledge is sure to come: faith, devotion to the goal, and control of the senses. The verse is like a short but complete syllabus for the spiritual seeker.

The first quality is ‘shraddhavan’ — full of faith. Shraddha is not blind belief; it is the trust in the words of the teacher and the scriptures that keeps the seeker on the path until he experiences the Truth for himself. Shankara makes a subtle observation: the prostration and service described in 4.34 can be performed outwardly, even for show, but true faith cannot be faked. That is why faith is placed first here.

Yet faith alone is not enough, so the second quality is ‘tatparah’ — wholly devoted to it. A seeker who has faith but is slack in effort does not gain knowledge. Devotion means making knowledge the highest aim of life and striving for it continually. The third quality is ‘samyatendriyah’ — control of the senses. Shankara notes that even with faith and devotion, if the senses are unrestrained, the mind is scattered among objects and knowledge cannot become steady. Together, these three make the gaining of knowledge certain.

Then comes the fruit: ‘jnanam labdhva param shantim achirenadhigachchhati’ — having gained knowledge, he soon attains supreme peace. For Shankara, this supreme peace is liberation itself, and it follows knowledge immediately, just as darkness vanishes the moment a lamp is lit. The word ‘param’ shows that this is not the temporary peace of the world, which breaks as soon as circumstances change, but a peace that depends on no external cause. Ramanuja too describes it as the peace of nirvana that springs from realisation of the Self.

This verse also prepares for the next, where Krishna describes the fate of the very opposite kind of person — ignorant, faithless and full of doubt.

Context

In 4.38 Krishna said that nothing purifies like knowledge, and that the seeker prepared by yoga finds it within himself in time. Here He says that one who has faith, devotion and self-control gains knowledge and soon attains supreme peace. In the next verse (4.40) He describes the ruin of the opposite type — the ignorant, the faithless and the doubter.

Life lesson

Any high goal needs three things — trust in the path, wholehearted commitment and self-discipline. If even one is missing, the journey stays incomplete; when all three are present, success and inner peace are assured.

Key terms

Shraddha: sincere trust in the words of the teacher and scripture
Tatpara: wholly devoted to the goal, single-minded
Samyatendriya: one who has mastered the senses
Para shanti: supreme peace; liberation, which depends on no external cause