I taught this imperishable Yoga of one’s relationship with the Supreme to Vivasvaan the Sun God. He taught it to Manu, the first human who in turn, taught it to his son Ikshavaaku.
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4:02
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः | स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परंतप || ४ २ ||
This Yoga was handed down through generations of royal sages. But in due course of time, the passing down of the Yoga from generation to generation has been broken and the Yoga has been lost, O Parantapa (Arjuna – destroyer of enemies).
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4:03
स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः | भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् || ४ ३ ||
sa evaayam mayaa te ‘dya yogaha proktah puraathanaha bhakto ‘si me sakhaa chethi rahasyam hyetha-dhuththamam (SBG 4:03)
I have taught you that ancient Yoga of the relationship with the Supreme today because you are My devotee and friend. This is an eternal and supreme secret.
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4:04
अर्जुन उवाच | अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः | कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति || ४ ४ ||
Arjuna said: Your birth was after the birth of Vivasvaan. How should I understand when You say that You taught this Yoga to him?
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4:05
श्रीभगवानुवाच | बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन | तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परंतप || ४ ५ ||
sri bhagavan uvaacha bahuuni me vyatii-taani janmaani tava-chaarjuna taan-yaham veda sarvaaNi na tvam vettha parantapa (SBG 4:05)
Sri Bhagavan Krishna said: Many births of mine as well as yours have passed. I know all of them but you don’t, O Parantapa (Arjuna – destroyer of enemies).
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4:06
अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् | प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय संभवाम्यात्ममायया || ४ ६ ||
ajo ‘pi san-navya-yaathma bhuuthaanaa-miishvaro ‘pi san prakrthim svaa-madhisht-haaya sambhavaa-myaathma-maayayaa (SBG 4:06)
Though I am unborn and imperishable and although I am the Bhagavan of all beings, I do incarnate by my own Maya or My Divine Energy.
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4:07
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत | अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् || ४ ७ ||
Freed from attachment, fear and anger, being absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, purified by the fire of knowledge, many have thus attained My Divine nature.
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4:11
ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् | मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः || ४ ११ ||
ye yathaa maam prapadhyanthe taam-sthathaiva bhajaam-yaham mama varthmaanu-varthanthe manushyaaha paartha sarvashaha (SBG 4:11)
Whichever way people surrender unto Me, I will reward them. O Arjuna, all people follow My path in all respects.
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4:12
काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः | क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा || ४ १२ ||
The four divisions of human society are based on the aptitude and work of people that result from their disposition of nature or ‘Guna’. Though these divisions were created by Me, you should know Me as the non-doer and the immutable.
Note:
Bhagavan has created and sustained everything. He is the one who created the four divisions of the social order namely Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Shudras. These divisions are based on the Gunas namely Sattvika, Rajasika, and Tamasika as well as their combinations in different proportions.
Bhagavandoes not belong to any of these divisions because he is the Paramatma. The four divisions indicate different levels of the orderly development of the Supreme Consciousness. These Gunas are either inherited Karmically , which means brought along from a previous Janma, or developed by people themselves. Therefore people tend to work according to the Guna they belong to. By developing Supreme Consciousness, a person can change his or her own Guna.
People who have reached this level of consciousness, whichever division of the society they may belong to, can evolve to a spiritual position much higher than that of people who are Brahmanas by birth but do not necessarily have the SattvikaGuna in them.
This is because a person who has become a Brahmana by developing the SattvikaGuna also realises and achieves supreme consciousness. A person who fully understands Bhagavan Krishna is higher than all the divisions of the society.
The Gunas or the nature of people decide the social division they belong to. How can a person who lacks courage and is not physically strong, aspire to be a soldier or a Kshatriya? Similarly, how can someone who is very poor in arithmetic ever become a merchant or a Vaishya?
It is needless to say that a person who eats meat cannot attain Sattvika and hence cannot be a Brahmana. A person who is a Brahmana but eats meat involves himself in violent acts and does not possess the SattvikaGuna. Such a person is not a Brahmana at all.
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4:14
न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा | इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते || ४ १४ ||
na maam karmaaNi limpanti na me karma-phale sprhaa iti maam yo ‘bhijaanaathi karmabhir-na sa badhyate (SBG 4:14)
Actions never affect Me nor do I want results of actions. People who understand Me, are never bound by the Karmic results of actions.
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4:15
एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः | कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् || ४ १५ ||
What is action and what is inaction? Even wise people are confused regarding this. I shall explain to you what action is, which will liberate you from evil.
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4:17
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः | अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः || ४ १७ ||
karmaNo hyapi boddhavyam boddhavyam cha vikarmaNaha akarmaNas cha boddhavyam gahanaa karmaNo gatihi (SBG 4:17)
The nature of action as described in the Vedas must be correctly understood. One should know exactly what action, forbidden action and inaction are.
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4:18
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः | स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् || ४ १८ |
karmaNya-karma yaha pashyedh- akarmaNi cha karma yaha sa buddhimaan manushyeshu sa yuktah krtsna-karma-krt (SBG 4:18)
He who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is a wise one among people and is in the high position of performing perfect actions.
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4:19
यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः | ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः || ४ १९ ||
A person whose every action is devoid of selfish desires and whose actions are burned by the fire of knowledge is known to be a wise and highly learned person.
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4:20
त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः | कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किंचित्करोति सः || ४ २० ||
Such a person who has perfect control over his mind has neither greed nor the sense of ownership over things and his acts for maintaining his body are without any sinful reactions.
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4:22
यदृच्छालाभसंतुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः | समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते || ४ २२ ||
yadrcchaa-laabha-santushto dvandvaa-thiitho vimath-saraha samah siddhaa-vasiddhau cha krthvaapi na nibadhyate (SBG 4:22)
A person who is satisfied with gains that come to him on their own is steady, has surpassed duality and is free from envy. Such a person is even-minded both in success as well as in failure. He is never bound even while performing actions.
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4:23
गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः | यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते || ४ २३ ||
The actions of a person who has neither attachments nor the feeling of ‘doership’, and has his mind completely established in Divine knowledge, when performed as a sacrifice unto Bhagavan Krishna, are freed from all Karmic reactions
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4:24
ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविः ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् | ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्म कर्म समाधिना || ४ २४ ||
The eternal Truth or Brahman is the offering; Brahman is the clarified butter poured into the fire of Brahman. For him, who, through complete absorption in spiritual activities has attained Supreme Consciousness and sees Divinity in everything, the Supreme Being is easily attainable.
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4:25
दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते | ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति || ४ २५ ||
Some Yogis or mystics perform Yagnyaas or sacrifices to deities, while others who have understood the Absolute Truth, offer the sacrifice of their Atman or Self in the sacrificial fire of the Supreme Brahman.
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4:26
श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति | शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति || ४ २६ ||
Some people again, offer hearing and other senses as sacrifice in the fire of Self-control; while others offer sound and various objects of the senses as sacrifice in the fire of the senses.
Note:
This means that they hear from a Guru only words that lead them closer to the Supreme Consciousness and hence they ‘sacrifice’ everything else.
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4:27
सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे | आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते || ४ २७ ||
Others again sacrifice all the functions of the senses and those of the breath called Prana or vital energy, in the fire of the Yoga of Self-control which is powered by Supreme Knowledge.
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4:28
द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे | स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः || ४ २८ ||
Others offer their wealth in austerities, they take strict vows, practice Yoga Yagnyaa which is a sacrifice as per the Yoga of the eightfold mysticism and they study the Vedas for spiritual growth and offer that knowledge as sacrifice.
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4:29
अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे | प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः || ४ २९ ||
There are others who control the inhaling and exhaling of air and offer as sacrifice and experience a trance caused by stopping all breathing.
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4:30
अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति | सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः || ४ ३० ||
apare niyataa-haaraaha praaNaan-praaNeshu juh-vathi sarve ’pyethe yagnyavi-do yagnyaksha-pitha-kalmashaaha (SBG 4:30)
Some control their diet and also offer their outgoing breath as a sacrifice. Those who know about sacrifices have their sins destroyed through sacrifice.
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4:31
यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम् | नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम || ४ ३१ ||
Those who eat what remains of the sacrifice, which tastes like nectar, attain the eternal Brahman. O Arjuna, for those who don’t sacrifice, this world is lost, let alone the other.
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4:32
एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे | कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे || ४ ३२ ||
Sacrifice through knowledge is higher than sacrifices performed with materials, O Parantapa. All actions in their entirety are comprised in knowledge.
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4:34
तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया | उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः || ४ ३४ ||
tadhviddhi praNipaathena pariprashnena sevayaa upadekshyanthi te gnyaanam gnyaaninas-thatthva-darshinah (SBG 4:34)
Acquire knowledge through reverence to teachers who have known the Truth, serve them and ask them questions until all of them are answered. The wise who know the Truth will teach it to you.
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4:35
यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव | येन भूतान्यशेषाणि द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि || ४ ३५ ||
After acquiring that knowledge, O son of Pandu (Arjuna), you will not be deluded like this anymore and by that knowledge, you will see all creatures in you and them in Me.
The person of faith and devotion, who has control over the senses, attains knowledge. He immediately attains Supreme Peace.
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4:40
अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति | नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः || ४ ४० ||
agnyash-chaa-shraddha-dhaanash-cha samshayaatmaa vinashyati naayam loko’sti na paro na sukham samshayaat-manaha(SBG 4:40)
The ignorant, the faithless and those who doubt themselves proceed to destruction. For the one who doubts, there is happiness neither in this world nor in the other.
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4:41
योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसंछिन्नसंशयम् | आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनंजय || ४ ४१ ||
yoga-sannyasta-karmaaNam gnyaana-samcchinna-samshayam aatmavantam na karmaaNi nibadhnanti dhananjaya (SBG 4:41)
He who has renounced the fruit of actions by Yoga, whose doubts have been destroyed by knowledge and who is situated in the Self, O Dhananjaya (Arjuna), is not bound by actions.
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4:42
तस्मादज्ञानसंभूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः | छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत || ४ ४२ ||
Therefore, O descendant of Bharata (Arjuna), destroy doubt born of ignorance of the Self seated in your heart, with the sword of your knowledge, take to Yoga and rise.
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ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे
ज्ञानकर्मसंन्यास योगो नाम
चतुर्थोऽध्यायः ॥4॥
Hari Om Tat Sat
Iti Srimad Bhagavadgeetaasoopanishatsu
Brahmavidyaayaam
Yogashaastre Sri Krishnaarjunasamvaade
Jnaanakarma sanyaasa yogo Naama
Chaturtho’dhyaayaha
Thus ends the fourth part of the Bhagavad Gita
“The Yoga of Wisdom”
-The Science of the Eternal, the Scripture of Yoga,
TVM Gita Samiti 