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Chapter IV42 verses

अथ चतुर्थोऽध्यायः

ज्ञानकर्मसंन्यासयोगः

Knowledge, Works and Renunciation

Jñāna-karma-saṁnyāsa-yoga

He who descends into our birth descends that we may ascend into his; know his birth and his works, and your own become free. — The Delight of Krishna

The soul enters in
yajña — every work laid upon the altar as an offering to the Lord of works
and is led towards
divyaṃ janma karma — the divine birth and the divine works, known in their truth
Begin at 4 · 1 Play chapter

Recitations

  1. Swami Sarvagananda ji0:00
  2. Ashit Desai0:00
In this chapter

42 verses

Summary of chapter 4

I. The Possibility and Purpose of Avatarhood (1-15)

The Divine Teacher, the Avatar, gives his own example, his own standard to Arjuna. In India the belief in the reality of the Avatar, the descent into form, the revelation of the Godhead in humanity, has grown up and persisted as a logical outcome of the Vedantic view of life and taken firm met in the consciousness of the race.

II. The Divine Worker (16-23)

Equality, impersonality, peace, joy and freedom -these are the signs which distinguish a divine worker; they are all profoundly subjective and do not depend on so outward a thing as doing or not doing works.

III. The Significance of Sacrifice (24-42)

The Gita brings out the inner meaning of the Vedic sacrifice, interpreting the secret symbolism of the ancient Vedic mystics.

Chapter 4 illustration, titled ज्ञानकर्मसंन्यासयोगः
Illustration · Sushanto Nath, Sri Aurobindo Society

Chapter outline

Choose a range to read just those verses.

  1. 4·1–5The divine origin of the Gita's eternal Yoga.
  2. 4·6–15The truth and purpose of Avatarhood. Shri Krishna's self-revelation, His divine birth and action.
  3. 4·16–23The secret of Karma and Yoga.
  4. 4·24–33Various forms of Sacrifice, the divine principle of it.
  5. 4·34–42Spiritual Knowledge, its great value.
  6. 4·1–42Show all 42 verses

The verses

Śrī Bhagavān uvācaश्रीभगवानुवाच

  1. 4·1इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् । विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavānahamavyayam, vivasvānmanave prāha manurikṣvākave’bravīt.This imperishable Yoga I gave to Vivasvan (the Sun-God), Vivasvan gave it to Manu (the father of men), Manu…
  2. 4·2एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः । स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परंतप ॥ २ ॥evaṁ paramparāprāptamimaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ, sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ paraṁtapa.And so it came down from royal sage to royal sage till it was lost in the great lapse of Time, O Parantapa.
  3. 4·3स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः । भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ॥ ३ ॥sa evāyaṁ mayā te’dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ, bhakto’si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṁ hyetaduttamam.This same ancient and original Yoga has been today declared to thee by Me, for thou art My devotee and My…

Arjuna uvācaअर्जुन उवाच

  1. 4·4अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः । कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ॥ ४ ॥aparaṁ bhavato janma paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ, kathametadvijānīyāṁ tvamādau proktavāniti.The Sun-God was one of the first-born of beings (ancestor of the solar dynasty) and Thou art only now born…

Śrī Bhagavān uvācaश्रीभगवानुवाच

  1. 4·5बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन । तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परंतप ॥ ५ ॥bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna, tānyahaṁ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṁ vettha paraṁtapa.Many are my lives that are past, and thine also, O Arjuna…
  2. 4·6अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् । प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय संभवाम्यात्ममायया ॥ ६ ॥ajo’pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvaro’pi san, prakṛtiṁ svāmadhiṣṭhāya saṁbhavāmyātmamāyayā.Though I am the unborn, though I am imperishable in my self-existence, though I am the Lord of all existences…
  3. 4·7, a key verseयदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत । अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥ ७ ॥yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata, abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmyaham.Whensoever there is the fading of the Dharma and the uprising of unrighteousness, then I loose myself forth…
  4. 4·8, a key verseपरित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् । धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युगे युगे ॥ ८ ॥paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, dharmasaṁsthāpanārthāya saṁbhavāmi yuge yugeFor the deliverance of the good, for the destruction of the evil-doers, for the enthroning of the Right, I am…
  5. 4·9, a key verseजन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः । त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥ ९ ॥janma karma ca me divyamevaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punarjanma naiti māmeti so’rjuna.He who knoweth thus in its right principles my divine birth and my divine work, when he abandons his body…
  6. 4·10वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः । बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः ॥ १० ॥vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ, bahavo jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ.Delivered from liking and fear and wrath, full of me, taking refuge in me, many purified by austerity of…
  7. 4·11ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् । मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥ ११ ॥ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁstathaiva bhajāmyaham, mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ.As men approach Me, so I accept them to My love (bhajāmi); men follow in every way my path, O son of Pritha.
  8. 4·12काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः । क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥ १२ ॥kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ, kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmajā.They who desire the fulfilment of their works on earth sacrifice to the gods (various forms and personalities…
  9. 4·13चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः । तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥ १३ ॥cāturvarṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ, tasya kartāramapi māṁ viddhyakartāramavyayam.The fourfold order was created by Me according to the divisions of quality and active function.
  10. 4·14न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा । इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥ १४ ॥na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā, iti māṁ yo’bhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate.Works fix not themselves on Me, nor have I desire for the fruits of action…
  11. 4·15एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः । कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ॥ १५ ॥evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ, kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṁ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṁ kṛtam.So knowing was work done by the men of old who sought liberation…
  12. 4·16किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः । तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥ १६ ॥kiṁ karma kimakarmeti kavayo’pyatra mohitāḥ, tatte karma pravakṣyāmi yajjñātvā mokṣyase’śubhāt.What is action and what is inaction, as to this even the sages are perplexed and deluded.
  13. 4·17कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः । अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥ १७ ॥karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ, akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṁ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ.One has to understand about action as well as to understand about wrong action and about inaction one has to…
  14. 4·18, a key verseकर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः । स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥ १८ ॥karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ, sa buddhimānmanuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt.He who in action can see inaction and can see action still continuing in cessation from works, is the man of…
  15. 4·19यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः । ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥ १९ ॥yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāmasaṅkalpavarjitāḥ, jñānāgnidagdhakarmāṇaṁ tamāhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ.Whose inceptions and undertakings are all free from the will of desire, whose works are burned up by the fire…
  16. 4·20त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः । कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किंचित्करोति सः ॥ २० ॥tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṁ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ, karmaṇyabhipravṛtto’pi naiva kiṁcitkaroti saḥ.Having abandoned all attachment to the fruits of his works, ever satisfied without any kind of dependence, he…
  17. 4·21निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः । शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥ २१ ॥nirāśīryatacittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ, śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam.He has no personal hopes, does not seize on things as his personal possessions…
  18. 4·22यदृच्छालाभसंतुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः । समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥ २२ ॥yadṛcchālābhasaṁtuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ, samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate.He who is satisfied with whatever gain comes to him, who has passed beyond the dualities, is jealous of none…
  19. 4·23गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः । यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥ २३ ॥gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacetasaḥ, yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṁ pravilīyate.When a man liberated, free from attachment, with his mind, heart and spirit firmly founded in self-knowledge…
  20. 4·24, a key verseब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्‌ । ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥ २४ ॥brahm’ārpaṇaṁ brahma havir-brahm’āgnau brahmaṇā hutam, brahm’aiva tena gantavyaṁ brahma-karma-samādhinā.Brahman is the giving, Brahman is the food-offering, by Brahman it is offered into the Brahman-fire, Brahman…
  21. 4·25दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते । ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥ २५ ॥daivamevāpare yajñaṁ yoginaḥ paryupāsate, brahmāgnāvapare yajñaṁ yajñenaivopajuhvati.Some Yogins follow after the sacrifice which is of the gods…
  22. 4·26श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति । शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति ॥ २६ ॥śrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye saṁyamāgniṣu juhvati, śabdādīnviṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati.Some offer hearing and the other senses into the fires of control, others offer sound and the other objects of…
  23. 4·27सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे । आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥ २७ ॥sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi cāpare, ātmasaṁyamayogāgnau juhvati jñānadīpite.And others offer all the actions of the sense and all the actions of the vital force into the fire of the Yoga…
  24. 4·28द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे । स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः ॥ २८ ॥dravyayajñāstapoyajñā yogayajñāstathāpare, svādhyāyajñānayajñāśca yatayaḥ saṁśitavratāḥ.The offering of the striver after perfection may be material and physical (dravyayajña, like that consecrated…
  25. 4·29अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे । प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः ॥ २९ ॥apāne juhvati prāṇaṁ prāṇe’pānaṁ tathāpare, prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ.Others again who are devoted to controlling the breath, having restrained the Prana (the outgoing breath) and…
  26. 4·30अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति । सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः ॥ ३० ॥apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇānprāṇeṣu juhvati, sarve’pyete yajñavido yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ.Others having regulated the food pour as sacrifice their life-breaths into life-breaths.
  27. 4·31यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम् । नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम ॥ ३१ ॥yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam, nāyaṁ loko’styayajñasya kuto’nyaḥ kurusattama.O best of the Kurus, they who enjoy the nectar of immortality left over from the sacrifice attain to the…
  28. 4·32एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे । कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे ॥ ३२ ॥evaṁ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe, karmajānviddhi tānsarvānevaṁ jñātvā vimokṣyase.Therefore all these and many other forms of sacrifice have been extended in the mouth of the Brahman (the…
  29. 4·33, a key verseश्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप । सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥ ३३ ॥śreyāndravyamayādyajñājjñānayajñaḥ paraṁtapa, sarvaṁ karmākhilaṁ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate.The sacrifice of knowledge, O Parantapa, is greater than any material sacrifice.
  30. 4·34तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया । उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥ ३४ ॥tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā, upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ.Learn that by worshipping the feet of the teacher, by questioning and by service…
  31. 4·35यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव । येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि ॥ ३५ ॥yajjñātvā na punarmohamevaṁ yāsyasi pāṇḍava, yena bhūtānyaśeṣāṇi drakṣyasyātmanyatho mayi.Possessing that knowledge thou shalt not fall again into the mind’s ignorance, O Pandava…
  32. 4·36अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः । सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं संतरिष्यसि ॥ ३६ ॥api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ, sarvaṁ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṁ saṁtariṣyasi.Even if thou art the greatest doer of sin beyond all sinners, thou shalt cross over all the crookedness of…
  33. 4·37यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन । ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥ ३७ ॥yathaidhāṁsi samiddho’gnirbhasmasātkurute’rjuna, jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurute tathā.As a fire kindled turns to ashes its fuel, O Arjuna, so the fire of knowledge turns all works to ashes.
  34. 4·38न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते । तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति ॥ ३८ ॥na hi jñānena sadṛśaṁ pavitramiha vidyate, tatsvayaṁ yogasaṁsiddhaḥ kālenātmani vindati.There is nothing in the world equal in purity to knowledge, the man who is perfected by Yoga, finds it of…
  35. 4·39श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः । ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥ ३९ ॥śraddhāvāṁ labhate jñānaṁ tatparaḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ, jñānaṁ labdhvā parāṁ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati.Who has faith, who conquered and controlled the mind and senses, who has fixed his whole conscious being on…
  36. 4·40अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति । नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥ ४० ॥ajñaścāśraddadhānaśca saṁśayātmā vinaśyati, nāyaṁ loko’sti na paro na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ.The ignorant who has not faith, the soul of doubt goeth to perdition…
  37. 4·41योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसंछिन्नसंशयम् । आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ॥ ४१ ॥yogasaṁnyastakarmāṇaṁ jñānasaṁchinnasaṁśayam, ātmavantaṁ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanaṁjaya.He who has destroyed all doubt by knowledge and has by Yoga given up all works and is in possession of the…
  38. 4·42तस्मादज्ञानसंभूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः । छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥ ४२ ॥tasmādajñānasaṁbhūtaṁ hṛtsthaṁ jñānāsinātmanaḥ, chittvainaṁ saṁśayaṁ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata.Therefore, having cut asunder with the sword of knowledge this doubt that has arisen out of ignorance and…

End of the chapter

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सुब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादेज्ञानकर्मसंन्यासयोगो नाम चतुर्थोऽध्यायः ॥ ४॥

om tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsubrahmavidyāyāṁ yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṁvādejñānakarmasaṁnyāsayogo nāma caturtho’dhyāyaḥ

Thus, in the Upanishad sung by the Lord, the science of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the fourth chapter entitled “The Yoga of Knowledge and Renunciation of Action”

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