एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः।
स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप ॥
Translation · English
4.2. Thus the regal sages knew this, received in regualr succession. By the passage of long time, this Yoga has been however lost, O scorcher of enemies !
अर्जुन उवाच।
अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः।
कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ॥
Translation · English
4.4. Arjuna said Your birth is later, [while] the birth of Vivasvat is earlier; how am then to understand that You had properly taught [him this] in the beginnig ?
4.6. Though [I am] unborn and the changeless Self; though I am the the Lord of [all] beings; yet presiding over My own nature I take birth by My own Trick-of-illusion.
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥
Translation · English
4.7. For, whenever there is a decay of righteousness and the rise of unrighteousness, then, O descendant of Bharata, I send forth (or create) that is which the Self is unimportant.
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्।
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥
Translation · English
4.8. For the protection of the good people, and for the destruction of evil-doers, and for the purpose of firmly establishing righteousness, I take birth in every age.
4.10. Many persons, who are free from passion, fear and anger; are full of Me; take refuge in Me; and have become pure by the austerity of wisdom-they have come to My being.
4.12. Those, who are desirous of success of their actions, perform sacrifices intending the deities. For, the success born of [ritualistic] actions is ick in the world of men.
4.13. The four-fold caste-structure has been created by Me, according to the division of [their respective] alities and actions. Though I am the creator of this, know Me as a changeless non-creator.
4.15. Realizing in this fashion, action had been under-taken also by ancient seekers of salvation. Hence, you too should perform, by all means, the more ancient action that had been performed by the ancients.
4.16. Even the wise are perplexed about what is action and what is non-action; I shall preperly teach you the action, by knowing which you shall be freed from evil.
4.17. Something has got to be understand of [good] action also; and something is to be understood of the wrong action; and something is to be understood of non-action. Difficult is to comprehend the way of action.
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः।
स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥
Translation · English
4.18. He, who finds non-action in the action, and action in the non-action, is an intelligent one, among men and is said to be a performer or destroyer of all actions.
4.19. He, whose every exertion is devoid of intention for the desirable objects, and whose actions are burnt up by the fire of wisdom-him the wise call a man of learning.
4.20. By abandoning attachment for fruits of actions, remaining ever content and depending on nothing, that person, even though he is engaged in action, does not at all perform anything.
4.21. Being rid of cravings, having mind and self (body) all controlled, abandoning all sense of possession, and performing exclusively bodily action, he does not incur any sin.
यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः।
समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥
Translation · English
4.22. Remaining contended wiht the gain brought by chance, transcending the dualities (pairs of opposites), entertaining no jealously, and remaning eal in success and in failure, he does not get bound, even when he acts.
4.23. The action gets dissolved completely in the case of the person who undertakes it for the sake of sacrifice; who is rid of attachment and is freed; and who has his mind fixed in wisdom.
4.24. The Brahman-oblation that is to be offered ot the Brahman, is poured into the Brahman-fire by the Brahman; it is nothing but the Brahman that is to be attained by him whose deep contemplation is the [said] Brahman-action.
4.25. Certain other men of Yoga are completely devoted to yajna, connected with the devas and offer that yajna, simply as a yajna, into the insatiable fire of the Brahman.
4.26. [Yet] others offer the sense-organs like sense-of-hearing and the rest into the fiires of [their] restrainer; others offer the objects like sound and the rest into the fires of the sense-organs.
4.27. Some others offer all actions of their sense-organs and the actions of their life-breath into the fire of Yoga of the self control, set ablaze by wisdom.
4.28. [These] are [respectively] the performs of sacrifices with material objects, the performers of sacrifices with penance, and the performers of sacrifices with Yoga. Likewise [there are] yet other ascetics with rigid vows whose sacrifices are the svadhyaya-knowledge.
4.29. - 4.30. [Some sages] offer the prana into the apana; like-wise others offer the apana into the prana. Having controlled both the courses of the prana and apana, the same sages, with their desire fulfilled by the above activities, and with their food restricted, offer the pranas into pranas. All these persons know what sacrifices are and have their sins destroyed by sacrifices.
4.29. - 4.30. [Some sages] offer the prana into the apana; like-wise others offer the apana into the prana. Having controlled both the courses of the prana and apana, the same sages, with their desire fulfilled by the above activities, and with their food restricted, offer the pranas into pranas. All these persons know what sacrifices are and have their sins destroyed by sacrifices.
4.31. The eaters of the sacrifice-ordained (or sacrificial remnant) nectar, attain the eternal Brahman. [Even] this world is not for a non-sacrificer, how can there be the other ? O best of the Kurus !
4.32. Thus, sacrifices of many varieties have been elaborated in the mouth of the Brahman. Know them all as having sprung from actions. By knowing thus you shall be liberated.
तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया।
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥
Translation · English
4.34. This you should learn [from those, endowed with knowledge], by prostration, by iniry and by service [all offered to them]; those who are endowed with knowledge and are capable of showing the truth will give you the truth nearby;
4.35. By knowing which you shall not get deluded once again in this manner, O son of Pandu; and by which means you shall see all beings without exception in [your] Self i.e., in Me.
न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते।
तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति ॥
Translation · English
4.38. In this world there exists no purifier comparabel to knowledge. One who becomes perfect in Yoga finds this, on his own accord, in his Self in course of time.
4.39. He, who has faith, gains knowledge, if he is solely intending upon it and has his sense-organs well-controlled; having gained the knowledge, he attains, before long, the Peace Supreme.
अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति।
नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥
Translation · English
4.40. But he, who is ignorant and has no faith, perishes, with his self (mind) full of doubts. Neither this world nor the other, nor happiness is for a person, who is by nature is full of doubts.
योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम्।
आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ॥
Translation · English
4.41. O Dhananjaya ! Actions do not bind him who has renounced [all] actions through Yoga; who has cut off his doubts by the sword of knowledge; and who is a master of his own self.
तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः।
छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥
Translation · English
4.42. Therefore, thus cutting off, by means of knowledge-sword, the doubt that has sprung from ignornace and exists in [your] heart, practise the Yoga ! Stand up ! O descendant of Bharata !
श्रीभगवानुवाच। इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्। विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥
4.1. The Bhagavat said This changeless Yoga I had properly taught thus to Vivasvat; Vivasvat correctly told it ot Manu; and Manu declared to Iksvaku.
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः। स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप ॥
4.2. Thus the regal sages knew this, received in regualr succession. By the passage of long time, this Yoga has been however lost, O scorcher of enemies !
स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः। भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ॥
4.3. The self-same ancient Yoga has been taught now by Me to you on the ground that you are My devotee and friend too. This is the highest secret.
अर्जुन उवाच। अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः। कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ॥
4.4. Arjuna said Your birth is later, [while] the birth of Vivasvat is earlier; how am then to understand that You had properly taught [him this] in the beginnig ?
श्रीभगवानुवाच। बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन। तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप ॥
4.5. The Bhagavat said O Arjuna, many births of Mine, as well as of yours have passed. All of them I do know, but you do not, O scorcher of foes !
अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्। प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ॥
4.6. Though [I am] unborn and the changeless Self; though I am the the Lord of [all] beings; yet presiding over My own nature I take birth by My own Trick-of-illusion.
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥
4.7. For, whenever there is a decay of righteousness and the rise of unrighteousness, then, O descendant of Bharata, I send forth (or create) that is which the Self is unimportant.
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्। धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥
4.8. For the protection of the good people, and for the destruction of evil-doers, and for the purpose of firmly establishing righteousness, I take birth in every age.
जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः। त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥
4.9. Whosoever knows thus correctly the divine birth and action of Mine, he, on abandoning the body does not go to rirth, [but] goes to Me, O Arjuna !
वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः। बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः ॥
4.10. Many persons, who are free from passion, fear and anger; are full of Me; take refuge in Me; and have become pure by the austerity of wisdom-they have come to My being.
ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्। मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥
4.11. The way in which men resort to Me, in the same way I favour them. O son of Prtha, all sorts of men follow the path of Mine.
काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः। क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥
4.12. Those, who are desirous of success of their actions, perform sacrifices intending the deities. For, the success born of [ritualistic] actions is ick in the world of men.
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः। तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥
4.13. The four-fold caste-structure has been created by Me, according to the division of [their respective] alities and actions. Though I am the creator of this, know Me as a changeless non-creator.
न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा। इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥
4.14. Actions do not stain Me; nor do I have a desire for the fruits [of actions] also. Whosoever comprehends Me as such, he is not bound by actions.
एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः। कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ॥
4.15. Realizing in this fashion, action had been under-taken also by ancient seekers of salvation. Hence, you too should perform, by all means, the more ancient action that had been performed by the ancients.
किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः। तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥
4.16. Even the wise are perplexed about what is action and what is non-action; I shall preperly teach you the action, by knowing which you shall be freed from evil.
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः। अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥
4.17. Something has got to be understand of [good] action also; and something is to be understood of the wrong action; and something is to be understood of non-action. Difficult is to comprehend the way of action.
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः। स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥
4.18. He, who finds non-action in the action, and action in the non-action, is an intelligent one, among men and is said to be a performer or destroyer of all actions.
यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः। ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥
4.19. He, whose every exertion is devoid of intention for the desirable objects, and whose actions are burnt up by the fire of wisdom-him the wise call a man of learning.
त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः। कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः ॥
4.20. By abandoning attachment for fruits of actions, remaining ever content and depending on nothing, that person, even though he is engaged in action, does not at all perform anything.
निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः। शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥
4.21. Being rid of cravings, having mind and self (body) all controlled, abandoning all sense of possession, and performing exclusively bodily action, he does not incur any sin.
यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः। समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥
4.22. Remaining contended wiht the gain brought by chance, transcending the dualities (pairs of opposites), entertaining no jealously, and remaning eal in success and in failure, he does not get bound, even when he acts.
गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः। यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥
4.23. The action gets dissolved completely in the case of the person who undertakes it for the sake of sacrifice; who is rid of attachment and is freed; and who has his mind fixed in wisdom.
ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्। ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥
4.24. The Brahman-oblation that is to be offered ot the Brahman, is poured into the Brahman-fire by the Brahman; it is nothing but the Brahman that is to be attained by him whose deep contemplation is the [said] Brahman-action.
दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते। ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥
4.25. Certain other men of Yoga are completely devoted to yajna, connected with the devas and offer that yajna, simply as a yajna, into the insatiable fire of the Brahman.
श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति। शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति ॥
4.26. [Yet] others offer the sense-organs like sense-of-hearing and the rest into the fiires of [their] restrainer; others offer the objects like sound and the rest into the fires of the sense-organs.
सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे। आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥
4.27. Some others offer all actions of their sense-organs and the actions of their life-breath into the fire of Yoga of the self control, set ablaze by wisdom.
द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे। स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः ॥
4.28. [These] are [respectively] the performs of sacrifices with material objects, the performers of sacrifices with penance, and the performers of sacrifices with Yoga. Likewise [there are] yet other ascetics with rigid vows whose sacrifices are the svadhyaya-knowledge.
अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे। प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः ॥
4.29. - 4.30. [Some sages] offer the prana into the apana; like-wise others offer the apana into the prana. Having controlled both the courses of the prana and apana, the same sages, with their desire fulfilled by the above activities, and with their food restricted, offer the pranas into pranas. All these persons know what sacrifices are and have their sins destroyed by sacrifices.
अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति। सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः ॥
4.29. - 4.30. [Some sages] offer the prana into the apana; like-wise others offer the apana into the prana. Having controlled both the courses of the prana and apana, the same sages, with their desire fulfilled by the above activities, and with their food restricted, offer the pranas into pranas. All these persons know what sacrifices are and have their sins destroyed by sacrifices.
यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम्। नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम ॥
4.31. The eaters of the sacrifice-ordained (or sacrificial remnant) nectar, attain the eternal Brahman. [Even] this world is not for a non-sacrificer, how can there be the other ? O best of the Kurus !
एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे। कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे ॥
4.32. Thus, sacrifices of many varieties have been elaborated in the mouth of the Brahman. Know them all as having sprung from actions. By knowing thus you shall be liberated.
श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप। सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥
Dr.S.Sankaranarayan did not comment on this sloka
तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया। उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥
4.34. This you should learn [from those, endowed with knowledge], by prostration, by iniry and by service [all offered to them]; those who are endowed with knowledge and are capable of showing the truth will give you the truth nearby;
यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव। येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि (var अशेषाणि) ॥
4.35. By knowing which you shall not get deluded once again in this manner, O son of Pandu; and by which means you shall see all beings without exception in [your] Self i.e., in Me.
अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः। सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि ॥
4.36. Even if you are the highest sinner amongst all sinners, you shall cross over [the ocean of] all the sin just by the boat of knowledge.
यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन। ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥
4.37. Just as the fire, well inflamed, reduces the fuels to ashes, so also the fire of knowledge reduces all actions to ashes.
न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते। तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति ॥
4.38. In this world there exists no purifier comparabel to knowledge. One who becomes perfect in Yoga finds this, on his own accord, in his Self in course of time.
श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः। ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥
4.39. He, who has faith, gains knowledge, if he is solely intending upon it and has his sense-organs well-controlled; having gained the knowledge, he attains, before long, the Peace Supreme.
अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति। नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥
4.40. But he, who is ignorant and has no faith, perishes, with his self (mind) full of doubts. Neither this world nor the other, nor happiness is for a person, who is by nature is full of doubts.
योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम्। आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ॥
4.41. O Dhananjaya ! Actions do not bind him who has renounced [all] actions through Yoga; who has cut off his doubts by the sword of knowledge; and who is a master of his own self.
तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः। छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥
4.42. Therefore, thus cutting off, by means of knowledge-sword, the doubt that has sprung from ignornace and exists in [your] heart, practise the Yoga ! Stand up ! O descendant of Bharata !