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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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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