Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā — Chapter 4

01

śrībhagavānuvācha ।

imaṃ vivasvatē yōgaṃ prōktavānahamavyayam ।
vivasvānmanavē prāha manurikṣvākavē'bravīt ॥ 1 ॥

The Blessed Lord said:

This imperishable yoga I declared to Vivasvân; Vivasvân taught it to Manu; Manu to Ikshvâku told it.

02

ēvaṃ paramparāprāptamimaṃ rājarṣayō viduḥ ।
sa kālēnēha mahatā yōgō naṣṭaḥ parantapa ॥ 2 ॥

This, handed on down the line, the King-Sages knew. This yoga by great efflux of time decayed in the world, O Parantapa.

03

sa ēvāyaṃ mayā tē'dya yōgaḥ prōktaḥ purātanaḥ ।
bhaktō'si mē sakhā chēti rahasyaṃ hyētaduttamam ॥ 3 ॥

This same ancient yoga hath been to-day declared to thee by Me, for thou art My devotee and My friend; it is the supreme Secret.

04

arjuna uvācha ।

aparaṃ bhavatō janma paraṃ janma vivasvataḥ ।
kathamētadvijānīyāṃ tvamādau prōktavāniti ॥ 4 ॥

Arjuna said:

Later was Thy birth, earlier the birth of Vivasvân; how then am I to understand that Thou declaredst it in the beginning?

05

śrībhagavānuvācha ।

bahūni mē vyatītāni janmāni tava chārjuna ।
tānyahaṃ vēda sarvāṇi na tvaṃ vēttha parantapa ॥ 5 ॥

The Blessed Lord said:

Many births have been left behind by Me and by thee, O Arjuna. I know them all, but thou knowest not thine, O Parantapa.

06

ajō'pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvarō'pi san ।
prakṛtiṃ svāmadhiṣṭhāya sambhavāmyātmamāyayā ॥ 6 ॥

Though unborn, the imperishable Self, and also the Lord of all beings, brooding over nature which is Mine own, yet I am born through My own Power.

07

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata ।
abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham ॥ 7 ॥

Whenever there is decay of righteousness, O Bhârata, and there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I Myself come forth;

08

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya cha duṣkṛtām ।
dharmasaṃsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yugē yugē ॥ 8 ॥

For the protection of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers, for the sake of firmly establishing righteousness, I am born from age to age.

09

janma karma cha mē divyamēvaṃ yō vētti tattvataḥ ।
tyaktvā dēhaṃ punarjanma naiti māmēti sō'rjuna ॥ 9 ॥

He who thus knoweth My divine birth and action, in its essence, having abandoned the body, cometh not to birth again, but cometh unto Me, O Arjuna.

10

vītarāgabhayakrōdhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ ।
bahavō jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ ॥ 10 ॥

Freed from passion, fear and anger, filled with Me, taking refuge in Me, purified in the fire of wisdom, many have entered into My Being.

11

yē yathā māṃ prapadyantē tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham ।
mama vartmānuvartantē manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ॥ 11 ॥

However men approach Me, even so do I welcome them, for the path men take from every side is Mine, O Pârtha.

12

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha dēvatāḥ ।
kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣē lōkē siddhirbhavati karmajā ॥ 12 ॥

They who long after success in action on earth worship the Shining Ones; for in brief space verily, in this world of men, success is born of action.

13

chāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ ।
tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam ॥ 13 ॥

The four castes were emanated by Me, by the different distribution of qualities and actions; know Me to be the author of them, though the actionless and inexhaustible.

14

na māṃ karmāṇi limpanti na mē karmaphalē spṛhā ।
iti māṃ yō'bhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyatē ॥ 14 ॥

Nor do actions affect Me, nor is the fruit of action desired by Me. He who thus knoweth Me is not bound by actions.

15

ēvaṃ jñātvā kṛtaṃ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ ।
kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṃ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṃ kṛtam ॥ 15 ॥

Having thus known, our forefathers, ever seeking liberation, performed action; therefore do thou also perform action, as did our forefathers in the olden time.

16

kiṃ karma kimakarmēti kavayō'pyatra mōhitāḥ ।
tattē karma pravakṣyāmi yajjñātvā mōkṣyasē'śubhāt ॥ 16 ॥

"What is action, what inaction"? Even the wise are herein perplexed. Therefore I will declare to thee the action by knowing which thou shalt be loosed from evil.

17

karmaṇō hyapi bōddhavyaṃ bōddhavyaṃ cha vikarmaṇaḥ ।
akarmaṇaścha bōddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇō gatiḥ ॥ 17 ॥

It is needful to discriminate action, to discriminate unlawful action, and to discriminate inaction; mysterious is the path of action.

18

karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyēdakarmaṇi cha karma yaḥ ।
sa buddhimānmanuṣyēṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt ॥ 18 ॥

He who seeth inaction in action, and action in inaction, he is wise among men, he is harmonious, even while performing all action.

19

yasya sarvē samārambhāḥ kāmasaṅkalpavarjitāḥ ।
jñānāgnidagdhakarmāṇaṃ tamāhuḥ paṇḍitaṃ budhāḥ ॥ 19 ॥

Whose works are all free from the moulding of desire, whose actions are burned up by the fire of wisdom, him the wise have called a Sage.

20

tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ nityatṛptō nirāśrayaḥ ।
karmaṇyabhipravṛttō'pi naiva kiñchitkarōti saḥ ॥ 20 ॥

Having abandoned attachment to the fruit of action, always content, nowhere seeking refuge, he is not doing anything, although doing actions.

21

nirāśīryatachittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ ।
śārīraṃ kēvalaṃ karma kurvannāpnōti kilbiṣam ॥ 21 ॥

Hoping for naught, his mind and self controlled, having abandoned all greed, performing action by the body alone, he doth not commit sin.

22

yadṛchChālābhasantuṣṭō dvandvātītō vimatsaraḥ ।
samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau cha kṛtvāpi na nibadhyatē ॥ 22 ॥

Content with whatsoever he obtaineth without effort, free from the pairs of opposites, without envy, balanced in success and failure, though acting he is not bound.

23

gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitachētasaḥ ।
yajñāyācharataḥ karma samagraṃ pravilīyatē ॥ 23 ॥

Of one with attachment dead, harmonious, with his thoughts established in wisdom, his works sacrifices, all action melts away.

24

brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma havirbrahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam ।
brahmaiva tēna gantavyaṃ brahmakarmasamādhinā ॥ 24 ॥

The Eternal the oblation, the Eternal the clarified butter, are offered in the Eternal the fire by the Eternal; unto the Eternal verily shall he go who in his action meditateth wholly upon the Eternal.

25

daivamēvāparē yajñaṃ yōginaḥ paryupāsatē ।
brahmāgnāvaparē yajñaṃ yajñēnaivōpajuhvati ॥ 25 ॥

Some Yogis offer up sacrifice to the Shining Ones; others sacrifice only by pouring sacrifice into the fire of the Eternal;

26

śrōtrādīnīndriyāṇyanyē saṃyamāgniṣu juhvati ।
śabdādīnviṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati ॥ 26 ॥

Some pour as sacrifice hearing and the other senses into the fires of restraint; some pour sound and the other objects of sense into the fires of the senses as sacrifice;

27

sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi chāparē ।
ātmasaṃyamayōgāgnau juhvati jñānadīpitē ॥ 27 ॥

Others again into the wisdom-kindled fire of union attained by self-control, pour as sacrifice all the functions of the senses and the functions of life;

28

dravyayajñāstapōyajñā yōgayajñāstathāparē ।
svādhyāyajñānayajñāścha yatayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ ॥ 28 ॥

Yet others the sacrifice of wealth, the sacrifice of austerity, the sacrifice of yoga, the sacrifice of silent reading and wisdom, men concentrated and of effectual vows;

29

apānē juhvati prāṇaṃ prāṇē'pānaṃ tathāparē ।
prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ ॥ 29 ॥

Yet others pour as sacrifice the outgoing breath in the incoming, and the incoming in the outgoing, restraining the flow of the outgoing and incoming breaths, solely absorbed in the control of breathing.

30

aparē niyatāhārāḥ prāṇānprāṇēṣu juhvati ।
sarvē'pyētē yajñavidō yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ ॥ 30 ॥

Others regular in food, pour as sacrifice their life-breaths in life-breaths. All these are knowers of sacrifice, and by sacrifice have destroyed their sins.

31

yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujō yānti brahma sanātanam ।
nāyaṃ lōkō'styayajñasya kutō'nyaḥ kurusattama ॥ 31 ॥

The eaters of the life-giving remains of sacrifice go to the changeless Eternal. This world is not for the non-sacrificer, much less the other, O best of the Kurus.

32

ēvaṃ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇō mukhē ।
karmajānviddhi tānsarvānēvaṃ jñātvā vimōkṣyasē ॥ 32 ॥

Many and various sacrifices are thus spread out before the Eternal. Know thou that all these are born of action, and thus knowing thou shalt be free.

33

śrēyāndravyamayādyajñājjñānayajñaḥ parantapa ।
sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñānē parisamāpyatē ॥ 33 ॥

Better than the sacrifice of any objects is the sacrifice of wisdom, O Parantapa. All actions in their entirety, O Pârtha, culminate in wisdom.

34

tadviddhi praṇipātēna paripraśnēna sēvayā ।
upadēkṣyanti tē jñānaṃ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ ॥ 34 ॥

Learn thou this by discipleship, by investigation, and by service. The wise, the seers of the essence of things, will instruct thee in wisdom.

35

yajjñātvā na punarmōhamēvaṃ yāsyasi pāṇḍava ।
yēna bhūtānyaśēṣēṇa drakṣyasyātmanyathō mayi ॥ 35 ॥

And having known this, thou shalt not again fall into this confusion, O Pândava; for by this thou wilt see all beings without exception in the Self, and thus in Me.

36

api chēdasi pāpēbhyaḥ sarvēbhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ ।
sarvaṃ jñānaplavēnaiva vṛjinaṃ santariṣyasi ॥ 36 ॥

Even if thou art the most sinful of all sinners, yet shalt thou cross over all sin by the raft of wisdom.

37

yathaidhāṃsi samiddhō'gnirbhasmasātkurutē'rjuna ।
jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurutē tathā ॥ 37 ॥

As the burning fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so doth the fire of wisdom reduce all actions to ashes.

38

na hi jñānēna sadṛśaṃ pavitramiha vidyatē ।
tatsvayaṃ yōgasaṃsiddhaḥ kālēnātmani vindati ॥ 38 ॥

Verily there is no purifier in this world like wisdom; he that is perfected in yoga finds it in the Self in due season.

39

śraddhāvāँllabhatē jñānaṃ tatparaḥ saṃyatēndriyaḥ ।
jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntimachirēṇādhigachChati ॥ 39 ॥

The man who is full of faith obtaineth wisdom, and he also who hath mastery over his senses; and, having obtained wisdom, he goeth swiftly to the supreme Peace.

40

ajñaśchāśraddadhānaścha saṃśayātmā vinaśyati ।
nāyaṃ lōkō'sti na parō na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ ॥ 40 ॥

But the ignorant, faithless, doubting self goeth to destruction; nor this world, nor that beyond, nor happiness, is there for the doubting self.

41

yōgasannyastakarmāṇaṃ jñānasañChinnasaṃśayam ।
ātmavantaṃ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya ॥ 41 ॥

He who hath renounced actions by yoga, who hath cloven asunder doubt by wisdom, who is ruled by the Self, actions do not bind him, O Dhananjaya.

42

tasmādajñānasambhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinātmanaḥ ।
Chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yōgamātiṣṭhōttiṣṭha bhārata ॥ 42 ॥

Therefore, with the sword of the wisdom of the Self cleaving asunder this ignorance-born doubt dwelling in thy heart, be established in yoga. Stand up, O Bhârata.