jñānakarmasanyāsayoga
atha caturtho'dhyāyaḥ
śloka 1
śrībhagavānuvāca |
imaṃ vivasvate yogaṃ proktavānahamavyayam |
vivasvānmanave prāha manurikṣvākave'bravīt ||4-1||
Translation
Shri Bhagavan said: I taught this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan (the Sun deity); Vivasvan told it to Manu; Manu told it to Ikshvaku.
śloka 2
evaṃ paramparāprāptamimaṃ rājarṣayo viduḥ |
sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa ||4-2||
Translation
This Yoga was thus known by the royal sages through tradition, (but) O scorcher of foes! That Yoga has been lost to this world for a long time.
śloka 3
sa evāyaṃ mayā te'dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ |
bhakto'si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṃ hyetaduttamam ||4-3||
Translation
That same ancient Yoga I have today taught to you, because you are My devotee and friend. This is the supreme secret.
śloka 4
arjuna uvāca |
aparaṃ bhavato janma paraṃ janma vivasvataḥ |
kathametadvijānīyāṃ tvamādau proktavāniti ||4-4||
Translation
Arjuna said: Your birth is later (apara) and the birth of Vivasvan is earlier (than yours); therefore, how am I to understand that You taught (this Yoga) in the beginning (of creation)?
śloka 5
śrībhagavānuvāca |
bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna |
tānyahaṃ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṃ vettha parantapa ||4-5||
Translation
Shri Bhagavan said: O Arjuna! Many births of Mine and yours have passed, (but) O scorcher of foes! I know them all and you do not.
śloka 6
ajo'pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvaro'pi san |
prakṛtiṃ svāmadhiṣṭhāya sambhavāmyātmamāyayā ||4-6||
Translation
Although I am unborn and of imperishable nature, and the Lord of all beings (yet) by establishing my Prakriti under my control (adhishthaya), I take birth through My Maya.
śloka 7
yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata |
abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham ||4-7||
Translation
O Bharata! Whenever there is decline of Dharma and rise of adharma, then I manifest Myself.
śloka 8
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām |
dharmasaṃsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge ||4-8||
Translation
For the protection of the righteous, the destruction of the wicked, and the establishment of Dharma, I manifest Myself in every age.
śloka 9
janma karma ca me divyamevaṃ yo vetti tattvataḥ |
tyaktvā dehaṃ punarjanma naiti māmeti so'rjuna ||4-9||
Translation
O Arjuna! My birth and actions are divine; he who knows this in truth, having abandoned the body, does not attain birth again; he attains Me alone.
śloka 10
vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ |
bahavo jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ ||4-10||
Translation
Many men who have taken refuge in Me, free from attachment, fear and anger, purified by the austerity of knowledge, have attained My nature.
śloka 11
ye yathā māṃ prapadyante tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham |
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ||4-11||
Translation
However they worship Me, I bestow My grace upon them accordingly; O Partha, all men in all ways follow My path.
śloka 12
kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha devatāḥ |
kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmajā ||4-12||
Translation
(Ordinary men) desiring the fruits of action worship the devas here (in this world); for in the human world the fruits of action are obtained quickly.
śloka 13
cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ |
tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam ||4-13||
Translation
The fourfold division of society was created by Me according to the divisions of Guna and Karma. Though I am the doer of this, yet know Me to be the non-doer and indestructible.
śloka 14
na māṃ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā |
iti māṃ yo'bhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate ||4-14||
Translation
Actions do not bind Me; nor do I have desire for the fruits of action. He who knows Me thus is also not bound by actions.
śloka 15
evaṃ jñātvā kṛtaṃ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ |
kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṃ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṃ kṛtam ||4-15||
Translation
Even the seekers of liberation in ancient times performed action knowing it thus; therefore you too should perform only those actions that have always been performed by the ancients.
śloka 16
kiṃ karma kimakarmeti kavayo'pyatra mohitāḥ |
tatte karma pravakṣyāmi yajjñātvā mokṣyase'śubhāt ||4-16||
Translation
What is action and what is inaction? Even wise men are bewildered in this matter. Therefore I shall explain to you the nature of action and inaction, knowing which you shall be freed from inauspicious worldly bondage.
śloka 17
karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ |
akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ ||4-17||
Translation
One should know the nature of action, and also the nature of forbidden action, as well as the nature of inaction; for the course of action is profound.
śloka 18
karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ |
sa buddhimānmanuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt ||4-18||
Translation
He who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among men; he is a Yogi who performs all actions.
śloka 19
yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāmasaṅkalpavarjitāḥ |
jñānāgnidagdhakarmāṇaṃ tamāhuḥ paṇḍitaṃ budhāḥ ||4-19||
Translation
The wise call that man a sage whose all works are free from desire and resolve, and whose actions have been consumed by the fire of knowledge.
śloka 20
tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ |
karmaṇyabhipravṛtto'pi naiva kiñcitkaroti saḥ ||4-20||
Translation
He who, having abandoned attachment to the fruits of action, is ever content and free from all dependence—though engaged in action, he in truth does nothing.
śloka 21
nirāśīryatacittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ |
śārīraṃ kevalaṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam ||4-21||
Translation
He who is free from hope, who has restrained his mind and body, and who has renounced all possessions—such a man, though performing bodily actions, does not incur sin.
śloka 22
yadṛcchālābhasantuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ |
samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate ||4-22||
Translation
He who is content with whatever comes of itself, who is beyond the pairs of opposites, free from envy, and equipoised in success and failure—such a man is not bound even by performing action.
śloka 23
gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacetasaḥ |
yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṃ pravilīyate ||4-23||
Translation
All actions of that man who is free from attachment, liberated, whose mind is established in knowledge, and who acts for the sake of sacrifice—merge and dissolve.
śloka 24
brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma havirbrahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam |
brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahmakarmasamādhinā ||4-24||
Translation
Brahman is the offering and Brahman is the oblation; the oblation is poured into the fire of Brahman by the doer who is Brahman. Thus the man absorbed in Brahman attains Brahman itself as his goal.
śloka 25
daivamevāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate |
brahmāgnāvapare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuhvati ||4-25||
Translation
Some Yogis perform sacrifice in the form of worshipping the deities; others offer sacrifice into the fire of Brahman by means of sacrifice itself.
śloka 26
śrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye saṃyamāgniṣu juhvati |
śabdādīnviṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati ||4-26||
Translation
Others offer all the senses beginning with hearing into the fire of restraint; and others offer the objects of sense such as sound into the fire of the senses.
śloka 27
sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi cāpare |
ātmasaṃyamayogāgnau juhvati jñānadīpite ||4-27||
Translation
Others offer the actions of all the senses and the vital breaths into the fire of the Yoga of self-restraint, kindled by knowledge.
śloka 28
dravyayajñāstapoyajñā yogayajñāstathāpare |
svādhyāyajñānayajñāśca yatayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ ||4-28||
Translation
Some perform sacrifice of material offerings, austerity and Yoga; and others, observing strict vows, perform sacrifice of self-study and the sacrifice of knowledge.
śloka 29
apāne juhvati prāṇaṃ prāṇe'pānaṃ tathāpare |
prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ ||4-29||
Translation
Others offer the vital breath into the apana breath, and apana into the vital breath, restraining the flow of prana and apana; they regard pranayama itself as their aim.
śloka 30
apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇānprāṇeṣu juhvati |
sarve'pyete yajñavido yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ ||4-30||
Translation
Others who observe regulated diet offer the vital breaths into the vital breaths. All these are knowers of sacrifice, whose sins have been destroyed by sacrifice.
śloka 31
yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam |
nāyaṃ loko'styayajñasya kuto'nyaḥ kurusattama ||4-31||
Translation
O best of the Kurus! Those who partake of the nectar that remains after sacrifice attain the eternal Brahman. The man without sacrifice does not even gain this world; how then shall he gain the world beyond?
śloka 32
evaṃ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe |
karmajānviddhi tānsarvānevaṃ jñātvā vimokṣyase ||4-32||
Translation
These various kinds of sacrifices are spread forth in the mouth of Brahma, that is, in the Vedas. Know them all to be born of action; knowing thus, you shall be liberated.
śloka 33
śreyāndravyamayādyajñājjñānayajñaḥ parantapa |
sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate ||4-33||
Translation
O scorcher of foes! The sacrifice of knowledge is superior to sacrifice performed with material offerings. O Partha! All actions in their entirety culminate in knowledge; knowledge is their highest attainment.
śloka 34
tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā |
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṃ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ ||4-34||
Translation
Know that knowledge by approaching a teacher, through prostration with eight limbs, through questioning and through service; those seers of truth who are wise will instruct you in knowledge.
śloka 35
yajjñātvā na punarmohamevaṃ yāsyasi pāṇḍava |
yena bhūtānyaśeṣeṇa drakṣyasyātmanyatho mayi (var aśeṣāṇi) ||4-35||
Translation
Knowing which you shall not again fall into such delusion, and O Pandava! by which you shall see all beings in your own Self and in Me as well.
śloka 36
api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ |
sarvaṃ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṃ santariṣyasi ||4-36||
Translation
Even if you are the greatest of sinners, you shall certainly cross over all sins by the boat of knowledge.
śloka 37
yathaidhāṃsi samiddho'gnirbhasmasātkurute'rjuna |
jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurute tathā ||4-37||
Translation
Just as a blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes, so too, O Arjuna! the fire of knowledge reduces all actions to ashes.
śloka 38
na hi jñānena sadṛśaṃ pavitramiha vidyate |
tatsvayaṃ yogasaṃsiddhaḥ kālenātmani vindati ||4-38||
Translation
In this world there is nothing so purifying as knowledge. The man perfected in Yoga attains it of himself in due time within the Self.
śloka 39
śraddhāvā~llabhate jñānaṃ tatparaḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ |
jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati ||4-39||
Translation
The man of faith, who is diligent and has conquered the senses, attains knowledge. Having attained knowledge, he soon reaches supreme peace.
śloka 40
ajñaścāśraddadhānaśca saṃśayātmā vinaśyati |
nāyaṃ loko'sti na paro na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ ||4-40||
Translation
The ignorant man who is without faith and full of doubt is destroyed. For the doubting man there is neither this world, nor the world beyond, nor happiness.
śloka 41
yogasaṃnyastakarmāṇaṃ jñānasañchinnasaṃśayam |
ātmavantaṃ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya ||4-41||
Translation
He who has renounced actions through Yoga, whose doubts have been destroyed by knowledge—actions do not bind such a self-possessed man, O Dhananjaya!
śloka 42
tasmādajñānasambhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinātmanaḥ |
chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata ||4-42||
Translation
Therefore, cutting asunder with the sword of knowledge the doubt concerning the Self that arises from ignorance and dwells in your heart, O Bharata! take refuge in Yoga and stand firm.
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