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Bhagavadgītā (Bhagavad Gita): Chapter IV (Jñānayoga) Pure
Yoga of Knowledge - Pure translation
Introduction
Now Lord Kṛṣṇa teaches doubtful Arjuna the Yoga of renunciation to actions by means of knowledge. Listen to His words...
This is a "pure translation" document, that is, there will be no original Sanskrit, but sometimes there will be a minimal quantity of transliterated Sanskrit in the translations themselves of the stanzas. Of course, there will not be any word for word translation. Anyway, there will be very often transliterated Sanskrit in the explanatory notes. If you are a blind person using a screen reader and do not want to read the notes, or simply if you are not blind but want to skip the notes, click on the respective "Skip the notes" link to jump directly onto the next stanza.
Important: All that is in brackets and italicized within the translation has been added by me in order to complete the sense of a particular phrase or sentence. In turn, all that is between double hyphen (--...--) constitutes clarifying further information also added by me. Besides, although I have not written any commentary on each stanza, I have added my own notes when a more detailed explanation is needed. In addition, note that I will use inverted commas to delimit text only when the person speaking is not Sañjaya himself (the narrator). Therefore, the words spoken by Sañjaya will not be delimited by inverted commas or quotation marks.
Chapter 4: Jñānayoga (Yoga of Knowledge)
Venerable Bhagavān1 said :
"I proclaimed this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvān2; Vivasvān said (it) to (Vaivasvata) Manu; (and this) Manu spoke (it) to Ikṣvāku3?"||1||
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1 Lit. "The Divine or Adorable One", or also "The Fortunate One", i.e. Lord Kṛṣṇa.
2 Vivasvān --lit. "the brilliant one"-- is the god of the Sun.
3 The word "Manu" literally means "Man" but in the sense of "father of the human race". There is 14 Manu-s every Kalpa or 12 hours of Brahmā (the Creator), i.e. 4,320,000,000 human years, but here Lord Kṛṣṇa is referring to Vaivasvata (the seventh one of the present Kalpa known as Śvetavārāha), who is still the presiding Manu. The statement of the Lord is made clear by Śrīdhara, the eminent commentator of Bhagavadgītā, in this fragment of his celebrated commentary: "...Imaṁ yogaṁ purāhaṁ vivasvata ādityāya kathitavān| Sa ca svaputrāya manave śrāddhadevāya| Sa ca manuḥ svaputrāyekṣvākave'bravīt||1||", that is, "Formerly, I said this Yoga to Vivasvān Āditya --one of the sons of Aditi, the celebrated wife of Kaśyapa... a long story--. And he (taught it) to Manu, his own son --i.e. Vaivasvata, a term that literally means 'son of Vivasvān'--, the god presiding over Śrāddha rites --ceremonies in honor and for the benefit of dead relatives--. And that Manu spoke (it) to his son (known as) Ikṣvāku||1||". This is the sense.
"The royal Seers knew this (Yoga) thus obtained through a uninterrupted succession (of masters and disciples). Oh destroyer of foes1, that Yoga was lost here --in this world-- in the course of time"||2||
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1 Epithet for Arjuna.
"This very ancient Yoga (has been) today declared to you by Me (because) 'you are My devotee and friend!', (and) for this (is) the uppermost secret"||3||
Arjuna said :
"Your birth (is) posterior or later, (while) the birth of Vivasvān is previous. How might I understand this, viz. (that) 'You spoke (such a Yoga to him) in the beginning?'"||4||
Venerable Bhagavān1 said :
"Many births, (both) of Mine and of yours, have passed, oh Arjuna. I know them all, (but) you do not know (them), oh destroyer of foes2"||5||
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1 Lit. "The Divine or Adorable One", or also "The Fortunate One", i.e. Lord Kṛṣṇa.
2 Epithet for Arjuna.
"Even though (I), the imperishable One, am1 unborn (and) also the Lord of the living beings, by taking possession of My own nature, I take birth through My Māyā2"||6||
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1 "San" literally means "being" (not the noun but the present participle of "to be"), but I translated it "am" for the sake of convenience.
2 As Bhagavadgītā is one of the three pillars of Vedānta (one of the six traditional philosophical systems of India), I will make clear the meaning of the term "Māyā" according to each of the three types of Vedānta: (1) Dvaitavedānta --dualistic Vedānta-- postulates that Māyā is the power of God; (2) Viśiṣṭādvaita --qualified non-dualistic Vedānta-- declares that Māyā is the mysterious power of God; (3) Advaitavedānta --non-dualistic Vedānta-- states that Māyā is the principle of illusion, which inconceivably produces the illusory manifestation of the universe.
"Undoubtedly, whenever there is a decrease of Dharma1, oh descendant of Bharata2, (and) preponderance of the opposite to Dharma, then I manifest Myself"||7||
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1 Although this word may be translated as "religion, duty, righteousness, etc.", no "single" word in English can translate it adequately in all contexts. That is why, I will not translate it in the text itself ever. Now an approximate translation: Dharma is "that which holds everything together", to wit, "it is the foundation on which all social, moral and religious order is built". Even by using long sentences, the meaning cannot rightly expressed, as you can see. Well, then Dharma is... Dharma. Remember what I said previously when you read this term again in the scripture.
2 Epithet for Arjuna.
"For the protection of the righteous people and for the destruction of the evil-doers. (In short,) I take birth in each of the ages in order to establish Dharma"||8||
"He who thus knows indeed (that) My birth and action(s) (are) divine, after leaving (his) body he is not born again, (but) he attains Me, oh Arjuna!"||9||
"Delivered from attachment, fear (and) wrath --krodha--, absorbed in Me, abiding in Me, a lot of (beings), purified through the austerity of knowledge, (have) attained My State"||10||
"According as those (people) approach Me, in that very manner I favor them. Men follow My path in every way, oh son of Pṛthā1"||11||
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1 Epithet for Arjuna.
"Those who desire the accomplishment of (their) actions (in the form of fruits or results), worship deities here --in this world--, because in the human world, the accomplishment produced from (any) action occurs quickly"||12||
"The four castes were created by Me according to the qualities of Prakṛti1 (and) duties. Know Me (to be) the imperishable Nondoer although (I am) the Doer --kartā-- of that (system of castes)"||13||
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1 Prakṛti is the source from which all matter is produced. It has three qualities: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.
"The actions do not pollute Me, nor do I have longing for the fruit of (any) action. He who knows Me thus, is not bound by actions"||14||
"Knowing (Me) thus too, the ancient ones --pūrvās-- who desired liberation --mumukṣavas-- performed actions --lit. "action performed"--1. Therefore, do action(s) (such as they were) performed by the ancestors previously"||15||
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1 A literal translation of this sentence would be "Knowing Me thus too, the action performed by the ancient ones who desired liberation", which looks great in Sanskrit but poor in English. So, I had to adapt the structure but I made clear the changes, so much as possible, between double hyphen. For example: "pūrvaiḥ" literally means "by the ancient ones" and not "the ancient ones", hence I added the original word "pūrvās" (the ancient ones). Oh well, if you cannot understand yet, just trust me, please. I always attempt to keep as literal as possible, but sometimes the structures of the sentences in Sanskrit are too strange for a completely literal word for word translation. Remember this in the future.
"'What (is) action, what (is) inaction?', even the sages (are) confounded about this. Therefore, I will speak to you about action, by knowing which you will be released from sin1"||16||
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1 The word "aśubha" literally means "sin, misfortune, etc.", but according to several commentators of this scripture, it is synonymous with Saṁsāra or Transmigration. Saṁsāra turns round like a wheel in which one is born to die and die to be reborn, i.e. continuous misery. So, the Lord would be affirming: "... by knowing which you will be released from Saṁsāra". I wanted to make this point clear for respect to those renowned commentators, hence the present note.
"Because (there is) something (true) to be known even about action and something (true) to be known about forbidden action. Also, (there is) something (true) to be known about inaction. The way of action is hard to be understood, i.e. impenetrable"||17||
"He (is) endowed with understanding --viz. he is a wise-- among the human beings who sees inaction in action and action in inaction. He has attained Yoga or Union --i.e. he is a Yogī-- (and) a doer of all actions"||18||
"The wise called him a paṇḍita or learned one whose undertakings (were) all devoid of wishes for kāma or fruit(s) --i.e. that which is desired--1, (and whose) actions (had been) burnt by the fire of knowledge"||19||
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1 The term "kāma" is generally translated as "desire", but here it means "fruit" in the sense of "that which is desired". Śrīdhara explains this special meaning very well in his commentary: "... Kāmyata iti kāmaḥ phalam| Tatsaṅkalpena varjitā yasya bhavanti tam paṇḍitamāhuḥ|...", in other words: "Kāma is the fruit (of an action), viz. 'that which is desired'. They --the wise-- called him a learned one whose (undertakings) were devoid of wishes for that --i.e. for kāma or fruit--". This is the sense.
"Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of action, ever satisfied, supportless, he does nothing at all even though engaged in action"||20||
"Being free from desire, with (his) mind (and) ātmā --lit. Self, but here: 'physical body', according to Śrīdhara and other commentators-- under control, having renounced all possessions, doing action(s) for (sustaining life in) the body alone, he does not incur sin"||21||
"Being quite satisfied with what he obtains spontaneously, beyond the pairs of opposites, free from enmity 1, always remaining the same in success and failure, he is not bound even while acting --i.e. while doing actions--"||22||
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1 The word "vimatsara" generally is to be interpreted as "free from envy or jealousy", but in this context its meaning is "free from enmity". Śrīdhara affirms this in his celebrated commentary: "... Vimatsaro nirvairaḥ|...", i.e. "(The term) 'vimatsara' (means) 'one who is free from enmity'".
"All karma --action and its inherent bond too-- of one who performs (it) for Yajña --viz. Lord Viṣṇu--, who is free from attachment, liberated (and) whose mind is engaged in knowledge, becomes dissolved"||23||
"Brahma1 (is) the offering (in a yajña or sacrifice), Brahma (is) the oblation poured into the fire of Brahma by a brahmā or priest versed in Vedic knowledge. Brahma alone (is) to be attained by him who is onepointed on Brahma, (whose nature --i.e. of Brahma-- is) karma 2"||24||
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1 The impersonal aspect of God.
2 The word "karma" means in this context "the entire religious rite" or "sacrifice". In short, Brahma is the whole sacrifice or yajña and is only to be attained by one who is so concentrated on Him during the performance of such a karma or sacrificial rite.
"Other yogī-s perform sacrifice(s) to deities alone . (While even) other (yogī-s) offer yajña1 by means of the sacrifice itself in the fire of Brahma2"||25||
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1 I need to explain this term "yajña" a little, because it is somewhat controversial in this context. Yes, it generally means "sacrifice" or even "Lord Viṣṇu" as He is the personification of all sacrifices. Let us briefly check the opinions of authoritative commentators:
a) Śrīdhara: "... Apare tu jñānayogino brahmarūpe'gnau apare yajñenaivopāyena brahmārpaṇamityādyuktaprakāreṇa yajñamupajuhvati|...", that is, "But others... i.e. other yogī-s of knowledge... offer 'yajña', viz. offering to Brahma, etc., in the aforesaid way --Śrīdhara refers to what he expressed before in his commentary, obviously... keep reading-- in the fire whose nature is Brahma. (The phrase "yajñenaiva" --yajñena eva-- in the Bhagavadgītā means) 'upāyena' or '(by using sacrifice itself) as a means --and this is the 'aforesaid way' referred to by Śrīdhara before--'". Then, according to Śrīdhara, "yajña" means "offering to Brahma, etc." here. Eminent Śrīdhara is advaitī, i.e. he follows the path of non-dualism. Anyway, in my humble opinion, his commentaries always look "neuter"... that is why I like them so much. Maybe I am wrong, but this is the sensation I feel from reading his writings. Ah, his full name, as it were, is Śrīdhara Svāmī.
b) Śaṅkarācārya: "... tamātmānaṁ yajñaṁ paramārthataḥ parameva brahma santam...", which means "...(others knowers of Brahma offer) that yajña or Ātmā --Self-- who is certainly the Supreme Brahma in the true sense of the word...". I had to omit some parts because the paragraph is too long. The important thing is that venerable Śaṅkarācārya considers "yajña" in this context as "Ātmā" (Self) who is identical with Brahma "really" or "in the true sense of the word" (paramārthatas). He speaks like that because is advaitī or follower of non-dualism, i.e. the individual Self (Ātmā) is identical with the universal Self (Brahma)... keep reading, please. Thus, according to him, those other yogī-s are offering Ātmā, who is inherently Brahma, in the fire of Brahma. This is the sense. Of course, Śaṅkarācārya is the founder of the Advaitavedānta or non-dualistic Vedānta.
c) Baladeva: "... yajñaṁ ghṛtādihavīrūpaṁ juhvati...", in sum, "... (others) offer yajña whose form is 'havis' or oblation consisting of clarified butter, etc...". So, according to Baladeva, "yajña" means an oblation composed of clarified butter and so forth. The full name of Baladeva is Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, and he is a follower of dualistic Vedānta. Both Baladeva and Viśvanātha (see below) even gave his teachings together. They are had in high esteem by the Gauḍīyavaiṣṇava-s, viz. the Bengalese followers of Lord Viṣṇu. This sacred tradition is born in Bengal and spread throughout India... oh, another long story.
d) Madhusūdana: "... tasminnagnau yajñaṁ pratyagātmānaṁ tvapadārtham...", that is, "(other offer) yajña, which is equal to the Self, i.e. the 'You' principle...". The "You" principle --tva or tvam-- is related to the individual Self, while the "That" principle --tad or tat-- refers to the universal Self or Brahma. You can see this in the great Vedic statement: "Tattvamasi" - "That You are". As Madhusūdana Sarasvatī (his full name) is advaitī or a follower of non-dualism, he postulates the identity between Ātmā and Brahma, viz. between the "You" and "That" principles, hence I wrote "You" in uppercase... oh well, another long story again.
This master also specifies in other portion of his commentary on the 25th stanza, that the sage Yāska (the author of Nirukti --or Nirukta--, the celebrated commentary on the Vedic glossary known as the Nighaṇṭu-s) mentioned the word "yajña" as one of the names of Ātmā or Self: "... yajñaśabda ātmanāmasu yāskena paṭhitaḥ". Thus, by means of that statement, Madhusūdana attempts to validly justify his opinion that "yajña" is synonymous with "Self" in this particular context. Enough, I think.
e) Viśvanātha: "... yajñaṁ haviḥsthānīyaṁ tvampadārthaṁ jīvam...", in short, "(other offer) yajña, i.e. the 'you' principle (also called) jīva --the individual soul--, which represents the oblation...". To make it clear: According to Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhakura (this is his full name), the individual soul or jīva, viz. the "you" principle, by standing for the oblation, is the yajña to be offered in the fire of Brahma --the "That" principle--. As Viśvanātha is dvaitī or follower of dualism, I wrote "you" in lowercase in this case, as he postulates that the individual soul is not identical with Brahma. Thus, to offer yajña is, in his opinion, to pour the oblation known as jīva into the Supreme Self (Brahma). Viśvanātha and Baladeva worked together spreading the teachings of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu... oh, another long story too.
All right, the "brief" explanatory note was turned into a lengthy one, hehe, but I had to make clear the meaning of that crucial term, viz. "yajña", according to these commentators of Bhagavadgītā. Yes, there were other important commentators too, such as Rāmānuja, etc., but my life is so short and my intellect so weak that with five commentaries I have more than enough for now! My salutations to all commentators and thank you for helping me in my task of translating the sacred Gītā!
2 The impersonal aspect of God.
"Others offer the indriya-s --the Powers of perception and action--1 (such as) śrotra --the power of hearing--, etc. in the fires of saṁyama --control of those indriya-s--. (Even) others offer objects (such as) sound, etc. in the fires of the indriya-s"||26||
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1 Jñānendriya-s (Jñāna-indriya-s) are the five Powers of perception, viz. Śrotra (power of hearing), Tvak (power of feeling by touch), Cakṣus (power of seeing), Jihvā (power of tasting) and Ghrāṇa (power of smelling). In turn, Karmendriya-s (Karma-indriya-s) are the five Powers of action, viz. Vāk (power of speaking), Pāṇi (power of handling), Pāda (power of locomotion), Pāyu (power of excreting) and Upastha (power of sexual activity and restfulness).
"Others offer all actions of the indriya-s --the Powers of perception and action--1 and the actions of the vital energies in the fire of the Yoga of self-control --also "control of mind"-- kindled by knowledge"||27||
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1 Read the note under the previous stanza.
"Likewise, others perform sacrifices (by offering their) wealth, (by practicing) austerities (and through) Yoga. And the yati-s or ascetics --lit. the ones who make continued efforts-- who firmly observe rigid vows, perform sacrifices by means of knowledge (gained from) Svādhyāya --i.e. by hearing, pondering over, etc. the Vedic scriptures--"||28||
"In like manner, others who are engaged in Prāṇāyāma1, having stopped the movements of prāṇa --i.e. the vital energy contained in the outgoing breath-- (and) apāna --i.e. the vital energy contained in the ingoing breath--, offer prāṇa in apāna (and) apāna in prāṇa"||29||
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1 This word literally means "control or restriction of the vital energy", and it is generally understood as "breathing exercises" (a gross interpretation, no doubt about it). Anyway, as a matter of fact, its multiple meanings and implications are too deep as if to be fully described in a mere explanatory note as the present one. So, I preferred to leave the word untranslated in the text and just add this short note.
"Others, being abstemious in food, offer the vital energies in the vital energies. Even all of these knowers of yajña or sacrifice have (their) sins destroyed by sacrifice"||30||
"The ones who enjoy --i.e. eat-- the nectar that remains after a sacrifice attain the eternal Brahma --the impersonal aspect of God--. This world is not for someone who does not perform sacrifices. How (then any) other (higher world)?, oh best among the Kuru-s1"||31||
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1 Epithet for Arjuna.
"So, various sacrifices are spread out at the mouth of Brahma --i.e. the Veda-s, in this context--1. Know them all to be born of action. By thus knowing, you will become completely liberated"||32||
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1 The first part of this stanza: "So, various sacrifices are spread out at the mouth of Brahma --i.e. the Veda-s, in this context--", is concisely and easily explained by Śrīdhara in his commentary: "... Vedena sākṣādvihitā ityarthaḥ", viz. "(Such a statement means that those various sacrifices have been) clearly arranged and presented by the Veda-s, this is sense".
"Oh destroyer of enemies1, sacrifice of knowledge (is) better than a sacrifice using materials. Oh son of Pṛthā2, all action, in its totality, culminate completely in knowledge"||33||
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1 Epithet for Arjuna.
2 Epithet for Arjuna.
"Know that --i.e. that knowledge-- by means of prostration, inquiring (and) service. The wise who perceive the Truth will instruct you in knowledge"||34||
"Thus, having known which --i.e. knowledge--, you will not fall into error and delusion again, oh son of Pāṇḍu1. Through that (knowledge), you will see living beings entirely in the Self, (and) immediately after (you will see the Self) in Me2"||35||
and the translation for the second version of the stanza reads
"Thus, having known which --i.e. knowledge--, you will not fall into error and delusion again, oh son of Pāṇḍu1. Through that (knowledge), you will see all living beings in the Self, (and) immediately after (you will see the Self) in Me2"||35||
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1 Epithet for Arjuna.
2 Śrīdhara explains that the word "atho" is really "anantaram", i.e. "immediately after". I am following his view here. In other words, the Lord is saying to Arjuna that he will firstly see the living beings in his own Self (Ātmā) and immediately after in the Supreme Self (Paramātmā), viz. in Him. This is the sense.
"Even if you be the worst sinner among all wicked men, you will pass over all sin and vice with the boat of knowledge indeed!"||36||
Just as a kindled fire reduces logs to ashes1, oh Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge turns all actions to ashes"||37||
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1 The word "edhāṁsi" is the plural number of "edhas" (lit. fuel), but according to Śrīdhara "edhāṁsi" (fuels) = "kāṣṭhāni" (logs, pieces of wood) in this context, which seems to be more consistent in my opinion.
"Here --in this world--, there is no means of purification similar to knowledge, undoubtedly. The one who has become perfected by means of Yoga --according to Śrīdhara, 'Karmayoga' or Yoga of action-- in the course of time, obtains by himself that (knowledge) about the Self"||38||
"One who has faith, is totally devoted to that --i.e. knowledge-- (and) has (his) indriya-s --the Powers of perception an action--1 controlled, obtains knowledge. After having gotten knowledge, he attains, without delay, supreme Peace"||39||
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1 See note under the 26th stanza.
"One who is ignorant, without faith and has a doubtful mind --i.e. his mind has doubts--, perishes. Neither this world nor the other (one) nor happiness are --lit. "is"-- for him who has a doubtful mind"||40||
"On winner of wealth1, actions do not bind the prudent one2 who has given actions up by means of Yoga (and) whose doubts have been removed through knowledge"||41||
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1 Epithet for Arjuna.
2 The word "ātmavantam" is the Accusative singular of "ātmavān". I follow the interpretation of Śrīdhara here, i.e. "apramādī" or "careful". That is why I wrote "prudent one". However, others interpret "ātmavān" as "prāptapratyagātmā" or "one who possesses a soul".
"Therefore, by cutting this doubt, which resides in (your) heart (and) arises from ignorance, with the sword of Self-knowledge, resort to Yoga (and) stand up, oh descendant of Bharata1"||42||
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1 Epithet for Arjuna.
Further Information
This document was conceived by Gabriel Pradīpaka, one of the two founders of this site, and spiritual guru conversant with Sanskrit language and Trika philosophy.
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