ज्ञानकर्मसंन्यासयोग

इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्। विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत्

॥ 4.1 ॥

I told this imperishable yoga to Vivasvat; Vivasvat told it to Manu; [and] Manu told it to Ikshvaku:

एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः। स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप

॥ 4.2 ॥

Thus handed down in regular succession, the royal sages knew it. This yoga, by long lapse of time, declined in this world, O scorcher of foes.

स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः। भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम्

॥ 4.3 ॥

I have this day told you that same ancient yoga, [for] you are My devotee, and My friend, and this secret is profound indeed.

अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः। कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति

॥ 4.4 ॥

Later was Your birth, and that if Vivasvat prior; how then should I understand that You told this in the beginning?

बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन। तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप

॥ 4.5 ॥

Many are the births that have been passed by Me and you, O Arjuna. I know them all, while you know not, O scorcher of foes.

अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्। प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय संभवाम्यात्ममायया

॥ 4.6 ॥

Though I am unborn, of changeless nature and Lord of beings, yet subjugating My Prakriti, I come into being by My own Maya.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदाऽऽत्मानं सृजाम्यहम्

॥ 4.7 ॥

Whenever, O descendant of Bharata, there is decline of dharma, and rise of Adharma, then I body Myself forth.

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्। धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युगे युगे

॥ 4.8 ॥

For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of dharma, I come into being.

जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः। त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन

॥ 4.9 ॥

He who thus knows, in true light, My divine birth and action, leaving the body, is not born again: he attains to Me, O Arjuna.

वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः। बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः

॥ 4.10 ॥

Freed from attachment, fear, and anger, absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, purified by the fire of knowledge, many have attained My Being.

ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्। मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः

॥ 4.11 ॥

In whatever way men worship Me, in the same way do I fulfil their desires; [it is] My path, O son of Pritha, [that] men tread, in all ways.

काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः। क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा

॥ 4.12 ॥

Longing for success in action, in this world, [men] worship the gods. Because success, resulting from action, is quickly attained in the human world.

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः। तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम्

॥ 4.13 ॥

The fourfold caste was created by Me, by the differentiation of guna and karma. Though I am the author thereof, know Me to be the non-doer, and changeless.

न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा। इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते

॥ 4.14 ॥

Actions do not taint Me, nor have I any thirst for the result of action. He who knows Me thus is not fettered by action.

एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः। कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम्

॥ 4.15 ॥

Knowing thus, the ancient seekers after freedom also performed action. Do you, therefore, perform action, as did the ancients in olden times.

किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः। तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्

॥ 4.16 ॥

Even sages are bewildered as to what is action and what is inaction. I shall, therefore, tell you what action is, by knowing which you will be freed from evil.

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः। अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः

॥ 4.17 ॥

For verily, [the true nature] even of action [enjoined by the shastras] should be known, as also [that] of forbidden action, and of inaction: the nature of karma is impenetrable.

कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः। स बुद्धिमान् मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्

॥ 4.18 ॥

He who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction is intelligent among men, he is a yogi and a doer of all action.

यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः। ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः

॥ 4.19 ॥

Whose undertakings are all devoid of plan and desire for results, and whose actions are burnt by the fire of knowledge, him the sages call wise.

त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः। कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः

॥ 4.20 ॥

Forsaking the clinging to fruits of action, ever satisfied, depending on nothing, though engaged in action, he does not do anything.

निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः। शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्

॥ 4.21 ॥

Without hope, the body and mind controlled, and all possessions relinquished, he does not suffer any evil consequences, by doing mere bodily action.

यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः। समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते

॥ 4.22 ॥

Content with what comes to him without effort, unaffected by the pairs of opposites, free from envy, even-minded in success and failure, though acting, he is not bound.

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः। यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते

॥ 4.23 ॥

Devoid of attachment, liberated, with mind centered in knowledge, performing work for yajna alone, his whole karma dissolves away.

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्महविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्। ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना

॥ 4.24 ॥

The process is Brahman, the clarified butter is Brahman, offered by Brahman in the fire of Brahman; by seeing Brahman in action, he reaches Brahman alone.

दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते। ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति

॥ 4.25 ॥

Some yogis perform sacrifices to devas alone, while others offer the self as sacrifice by the self in the fire of Brahman alone.

श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति। शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति

॥ 4.26 ॥

Some again offer hearing and other senses as sacrifice in the fire of control, while others offer sound and other sense-objects as sacrifice in the fire of the senses.

सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे। आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते

॥ 4.27 ॥

Some again offer all the actions of senses and the functions of the vital energy, as sacrifice in the fire of control in self, kindled by knowledge.

द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे। स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः

॥ 4.28 ॥

Others again offer wealth, austerity, and yoga, as sacrifice, while others, of self-restraint and rigid vows, offer study of the scriptures and knowledge, as sacrifice.

अपाने जुह्वति प्राण प्राणेऽपानं तथाऽपरे। प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः

॥ 4.29 ॥

Yet some offer as sacrifice, the outgoing into the incoming breath, and the incoming into the outgoing, stopping the courses of the incoming and outgoing breaths, constantly practicing the regulation of the vital energy; while others yet of regulated food, offer in the pranas the functions thereof.

अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति। सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः

॥ 4.30 ॥

All of these are knowers of yajna, having their sins consumed by yajna, and eating of the nectar–the remnant of yajna–they go to the Eternal Brahman. [Even] this world is not for the non-performer of yajna, how then another, O best of the Kurus?

यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम्। नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतो़ऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम

॥ 4.31 ॥

All of these are knowers of yajna, having their sins consumed by yajna, and eating of the nectar–the remnant of yajna–they go to the Eternal Brahman. [Even] this world is not for the non-performer of yajna, how then another, O best of the Kurus?

एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे। कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे

॥ 4.32 ॥

Various yajnas, like the above, are strewn in the storehouse of the Veda. Know them all to be born of action; and thus knowing, you shall be free.

श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप। सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते

॥ 4.33 ॥

Knowledge-sacrifice, O scorcher of foes, is superior to sacrifice [performed] with [material] objects. All action in its entirety, O Partha, attains its consummation in knowledge.

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया। उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः

॥ 4.34 ॥

Know that, by prostrating yourself, by questions, and by service; the wise, those who have realized the Truth, will instruct you in that knowledge.

यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव। येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि

॥ 4.35 ॥

Knowing which, you shall not, O Pandava, again get deluded like this, and by which you shall see the whole of creation in [your] self and in Me.

अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः। सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि

॥ 4.36 ॥

Even if you are the most sinful among all the sinful, yet by the raft of knowledge alone you shall go across all sin.

यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन। ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा

॥ 4.37 ॥

As blazing fire reduces wood into ashes, so, O Arjuna, does the fire of knowledge reduce all karma to ashes.

न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते। तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति

॥ 4.38 ॥

Verily there exists nothing in this world purifying like knowledge. In good time, having reached perfection in yoga, one realizes that oneself in one’s own heart.

श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः। ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति

॥ 4.39 ॥

The man with shraddha, the devoted, the master of one’s senses, attains [this] knowledge. Having attained knowledge one goes at once to the Supreme Peace.

अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति। नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः

॥ 4.40 ॥

The ignorant, the man without shraddha, the doubting self, goes to destruction. The doubting self has neither this world, nor the next, nor happiness.

योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसंछिन्नसंशयम्। आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय

॥ 4.41 ॥

With work renounced by yoga and doubts rent asunder by knowledge, O Dhananjaya, actions do not bind him who is poised in the self.

तस्मादज्ञानसंभूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनाऽऽत्मनः। छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत

॥ 4.42 ॥

Therefore, cutting with the sword of knowledge, this doubt about the self, born of ignorance, residing in your heart, take refuge in yoga. Arise, O Bharata!