BG 4: Transcendental Knowledge
1
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
imaḿ vivasvate yogaḿ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.
2
evaḿ paramparā-prāptam
imaḿ rājarṣayo viduḥ
sa kāleneha mahatā
yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa
TRANSLATION
This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.
3
sa evāyaḿ mayā te 'dya
yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ
bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti
rahasyaḿ hy etad uttamam
TRANSLATION
That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.
4
arjuna uvāca
aparaḿ bhavato janma
paraḿ janma vivasvataḥ
katham etad vijānīyāḿ
tvam ādau proktavān iti
TRANSLATION
Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvān is senior by birth to You. How am I to understand that in the beginning You instructed this science to him?
5
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
bahūni me vyatītāni
janmāni tava cārjuna
tāny ahaḿ veda sarvāṇi
na tvaḿ vettha parantapa
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!
6
ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā
bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san
prakṛtiḿ svām adhiṣṭhāya
sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā
TRANSLATION
Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.
7
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaḿ sṛjāmy aham
TRANSLATION
Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion — at that time I descend Myself.
8
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saḿsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge
TRANSLATION
To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.
9
janma karma ca me divyam
evaḿ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaḿ punar janma
naiti mām eti so 'rjuna
TRANSLATION
One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.
10
vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā
man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ
bahavo jñāna-tapasā
pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ
TRANSLATION
Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me — and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.
11
ye yathā māḿ prapadyante
tāḿs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ
TRANSLATION
As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.
12
kāńkṣantaḥ karmaṇāḿ siddhiḿ
yajanta iha devatāḥ
kṣipraḿ hi mānuṣe loke
siddhir bhavati karma-jā
TRANSLATION
Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world.
13
cātur-varṇyaḿ mayā sṛṣṭaḿ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ
tasya kartāram api māḿ
viddhy akartāram avyayam
TRANSLATION
According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the nondoer, being unchangeable.
14
na māḿ karmāṇi limpanti
na me karma-phale spṛhā
iti māḿ yo 'bhijānāti
karmabhir na sa badhyate
TRANSLATION
There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in the fruitive reactions of work.
15
. evaḿ jñātvā kṛtaḿ karma
pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ
kuru karmaiva tasmāt tvaḿ
pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraḿ kṛtam
TRANSLATION
All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding of My transcendental nature. Therefore you should perform your duty, following in their footsteps.
16
kiḿ karma kim akarmeti
kavayo 'py atra mohitāḥ
tat te karma pravakṣyāmi
yaj jñātvā mokṣyase 'śubhāt
TRANSLATION
Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall be liberated from all misfortune.
17
karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaḿ
boddhavyaḿ ca vikarmaṇaḥ
akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyaḿ
gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ
TRANSLATION
The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is, and what inaction is.
18
karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed
akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ
sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu
sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt
TRANSLATION
One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.
19
yasya sarve samārambhāḥ
kāma-sańkalpa-varjitāḥ
jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaḿ
tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaḿ budhāḥ
TRANSLATION
One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.
20
tyaktvā karma-phalāsańgaḿ
nitya-tṛpto nirāśrayaḥ
karmaṇy abhipravṛtto 'pi
naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ
TRANSLATION
Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.
21
nirāśīr yata-cittātmā
tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ
śārīraḿ kevalaḿ karma
kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
TRANSLATION
Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions, and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reactions.
22
yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo
dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ
samaḥ siddhāv asiddhau ca
kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate
TRANSLATION
He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.
23
gata-sańgasya muktasya
jñānāvasthita-cetasaḥ
yajñāyācarataḥ karma
samagraḿ pravilīyate
TRANSLATION
The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence.
24
brahmārpaṇaḿ brahma havir
brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyaḿ
brahma-karma-samādhinā
TRANSLATION
A person who is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.
25
daivam evāpare yajñaḿ
yoginaḥ paryupāsate
brahmāgnāv apare yajñaḿ
yajñenaivopajuhvati
TRANSLATION
Some yogīs perfectly worship the demigods by offering different sacrifices to them, and some of them offer sacrifices in the fire of the Supreme Brahman.
26
śrotrādīnīndriyāṇy anye
saḿyamāgniṣu juhvati
śabdādīn viṣayān anya
indriyāgniṣu juhvati
TRANSLATION
Some [the unadulterated brahmacārīs] sacrifice the hearing process and the senses in the fire of mental control, and others [the regulated householders] sacrifice the objects of the senses in the fire of the senses.
27
sarvāṇīndriya-karmāṇi
prāṇa-karmāṇi cāpare
ātma-saḿyama-yogāgnau
juhvati jñāna-dīpite
TRANSLATION
Others, who are interested in achieving self-realization through control of the mind and senses, offer the functions of all the senses, and of the life breath, as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind.
28
dravya-yajñās tapo-yajñā
yoga-yajñās tathāpare
svādhyāya-jñāna-yajñāś ca
yatayaḥ saḿśita-vratāḥ
TRANSLATION
Having accepted strict vows, some become enlightened by sacrificing their possessions, and others by performing severe austerities, by practicing the yoga of eightfold mysticism, or by studying the Vedas to advance in transcendental knowledge.
29
apāne juhvati prāṇaḿ
prāṇe 'pānaḿ tathāpare
prāṇāpāna-gatī ruddhvā
prāṇāyāma-parāyaṇāḥ
apare niyatāhārāḥ
prāṇān prāṇeṣu juhvati
TRANSLATION
Still others, who are inclined to the process of breath restraint to remain in trance, practice by offering the movement of the outgoing breath into the incoming, and the incoming breath into the outgoing, and thus at last remain in trance, stopping all breathing. Others, curtailing the eating process, offer the outgoing breath into itself as a sacrifice.
30
sarve 'py ete yajña-vido
yajña-kṣapita-kalmaṣāḥ
yajña-śiṣṭāmṛta-bhujo
yānti brahma sanātanam
TRANSLATION
All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become cleansed of sinful reactions, and, having tasted the nectar of the results of sacrifices, they advance toward the supreme eternal atmosphere.
31
nāyaḿ loko 'sty ayajñasya
kuto 'nyaḥ kuru-sattama
TRANSLATION
O best of the Kuru dynasty, without sacrifice one can never live happily on this planet or in this life: what then of the next?
32
evaḿ bahu-vidhā yajñā
vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe
karma-jān viddhi tān sarvān
evaḿ jñātvā vimokṣyase
TRANSLATION
All these different types of sacrifice are approved by the Vedas, and all of them are born of different types of work. Knowing them as such, you will become liberated.
33
śreyān dravya-mayād yajñāj
jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa
sarvaḿ karmākhilaḿ pārtha
jñāne parisamāpyate
TRANSLATION
O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice performed in knowledge is better than the mere sacrifice of material possessions. After all, O son of Pṛthā, all sacrifices of work culminate in transcendental knowledge.
34
"tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaḿ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
TRANSLATION
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.
35
yaj jñātvā na punar moham
evaḿ yāsyasi pāṇḍava
yena bhūtāny aśeṣāṇi
drakṣyasy ātmany atho mayi
TRANSLATION
Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for by this knowledge you will see that all living beings are but part of the Supreme, or, in other words, that they are Mine.
36
api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ
sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛt-tamaḥ
sarvaḿ jñāna-plavenaiva
vṛjinaḿ santariṣyasi
TRANSLATION
Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries.
37
yathaidhāḿsi samiddho 'gnir
bhasma-sāt kurute 'rjuna
jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi
bhasma-sāt kurute tathā
TRANSLATION
As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.
38
na hi jñānena sadṛśaḿ
pavitram iha vidyate
tat svayaḿ yoga-saḿsiddhaḥ
kālenātmani vindati
TRANSLATION
In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become accomplished in the practice of devotional service enjoys this knowledge within himself in due course of time.
39
śraddhāvāl labhate jñānaḿ
tat-paraḥ saḿyatendriyaḥ
jñānaḿ labdhvā parāḿ śāntim
acireṇādhigacchati
TRANSLATION
A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having achieved it he quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace.
40
ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca
saḿśayātmā vinaśyati
nāyaḿ loko 'sti na paro
na sukhaḿ saḿśayātmanaḥ
TRANSLATION
But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.
41
yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaḿ
jñāna-sañchinna-saḿśayam
ātmavantaḿ na karmāṇi
nibadhnanti dhanañjaya
TRANSLATION
One who acts in devotional service, renouncing the fruits of his actions, and whose doubts have been destroyed by transcendental knowledge, is situated factually in the self. Thus he is not bound by the reactions of work, O conqueror of riches.
42
tasmād ajñāna-sambhūtaḿ
hṛt-sthaḿ jñānāsinātmanaḥ
chittvainaḿ saḿśayaḿ yogam
ātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata
TRANSLATION
Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of ignorance should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed with yoga, O Bhārata, stand and fight.
