Bhagvad Gita - Chapter: 4 Gyana Karma Sannyasa Yogah

Chapter 4

Gyana Karma Sannyasa Yogah

श्रीभगवानुवाच इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् |
विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ||1||

The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable yoga to Vivasvan; Vivasvan conveyed it to Manu; and Manu imparted it to Ikshvaku.

Vivasvan: The sun god, to whom the yoga was originally imparted.
Ikshvaku: The son of Manu, a famous king in the solar dynasty.

Krishna begins by tracing the origin of this timeless yoga, emphasizing its sacred transmission from the divine to kings who upheld dharma. This establishes the Gita’s teachings as a continuum of universal wisdom meant for both rulers and saints, underlining the sanctity and ancient lineage of this path.

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Gyana Karma Sannyasa Yogah - Thus received by the chain of disciplic succession, the saintly kings understood it. But, over a long period, this yoga was lost, O Arjuna.

एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदु: |
स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्ट: परन्तप ||2||

Thus received by the chain of disciplic succession, the saintly kings understood it. But, over a long period, this yoga was lost, O Arjuna.

Parampara: The chain of disciplic succession.
Rajarsaya: Saintly kings who upheld dharma.

Krishna laments the loss of this ancient wisdom due to the erosion of values over time, hinting at the need for spiritual renewal. This loss is reflective of cycles where materialism overshadows spiritual knowledge, setting the stage for Arjuna to reclaim this wisdom and reestablish dharma in the present era.

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स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योग: प्रोक्त: पुरातन: |
भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ||3||

Today I have declared this ancient yoga to you, for you are my devotee and friend; it is indeed a supreme secret.

Puratanah: Ancient and eternal knowledge.
Rahasya: A supreme secret or confidential knowledge.

Krishna reveals why he has chosen Arjuna as the recipient of this sacred knowledge, highlighting both devotion and friendship. This underscores the personal bond and trust necessary for transmitting spiritual insights, illustrating that wisdom is shared with those who are both committed and capable of understanding it.

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Gyana Karma Sannyasa Yogah - Arjuna said: Your birth is recent, while Vivasvan’s was long ago. How am I to understand that you instructed this yoga in the beginning?

अर्जुन उवाच अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वत: |
कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ||4||

Arjuna said: Your birth is recent, while Vivasvan’s was long ago. How am I to understand that you instructed this yoga in the beginning?

Vivasvatah: Of Vivasvan, the sun god.
Arjuna: The listener questioning the origin of the knowledge.

Arjuna, confused by Krishna’s claim of instructing ancient sages, questions how Krishna could exist before them. This inquiry opens the door to exploring Krishna’s divine, timeless nature and foreshadows the revelation of his transcendental form, which transcends ordinary human birth and death cycles.

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Gyana Karma Sannyasa Yogah - The Blessed Lord said: Both you and I have had many births, O Arjuna. I know them all, but you do not remember them, O Parantapa.

श्रीभगवानुवाच बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन |
तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप ||5||

The Blessed Lord said: Both you and I have had many births, O Arjuna. I know them all, but you do not remember them, O Parantapa.

Parantapa: A title for Arjuna, meaning the scorcher of foes.

Krishna explains that while he and Arjuna have lived many lives, Krishna remembers all while Arjuna forgets. This contrast emphasizes Krishna’s divine omniscience and reminds Arjuna of the limited nature of human understanding, deepening the discourse on divine knowledge versus human memory.

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अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् |
प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ||6||

Though I am unborn, imperishable, and the Lord of all beings, still I appear in every age by my internal potency.

Ishvara: The Supreme Lord or controller.
Prakriti: Material nature or cosmic energy.

Krishna discloses his ability to manifest in the world, even though he remains unborn and eternal. This concept introduces the idea of divine incarnations that descend out of compassion for humanity, embodying timeless truths in human form to guide society and restore balance during times of crisis.

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