Chapter 4

The Path Of Knowledge

1 sections

The Path Of Knowledge

Logic can never lead you to Self-Realization. The ultimate Truth is beyond logic. The qualification to receive the Truth is Devotion. Krsna begins revealing the mysterious supreme science of Enlightenment to His devotee and friend, Arjuna. ...

Jñānakarmasannyāsa Yogaḥ

śrībhagavānuvāca imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavānaham avyayaṁ I vivasvānmanave prāha manurikṣvākave'bravīt II 4.1

4.1 Bhagavān says: 'I taught the sun god, Vivasvān, the imperishable science of yoga and Vivasvān taught Manu, the father of mankind and Manu in turn taught Ikṣvāku.'

evaṁ paraṁparāprāptamimaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ I sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa II 4.2

4.2 The supreme science was thus received through the chain of master-disciple succession and the saintly kings understood it in that way. In the course of time, the succession was broken and therefore the science as it was, appears to have been lost.

sa evāyaṁ mayā te'dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ I bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṁ hyetaduttamam II 4.3

4.3 That ancient science of Enlightenment, or entering into eternal bliss, is today taught by me to you because you are my devotee as well as my friend. You will certainly understand the supreme mystery of this science.

arjuna uvāca aparaṁ bhavato janma paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ I kathametad vijānīyāṁ tvamādau proktavāniti II 4.4

4.4 Arjuna says: 'Oh Kṛṣṇa, you are younger to the sun god Vivasvān by birth. How am I to understand that in the beginning you instructed this science to him?'

śrībhagavānuvāca

bahuni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna I tānyahaṁ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṁ vettha parantapa II 4.5

4.5 Bhagavān says: Many many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O Parantapa!