22. 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!

ajo 'pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san I prakṛtiṁ svāmadhiṣṭhāya saṁbhavāmyātmamāyayā II 4.6

4.6 Although I am unborn, imperishable and the lord of all living entities, by ruling my nature I reappear by my own māyā.

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata I abhyutthānam adharmasya tad ātmānaṁ sṛjāmyaham II 4.7 4.7 Whenever positive consciousness declines, when collective negativity rises, O Bhārat, again and again, at these times, I happen Myself.

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām I dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya saṁbhavāmi yuge-yuge II 4.8

4.8 To protect the pious and to annihilate the wicked, to re-establish righteousness I Myself appear, age after age.

janma karma ca me divyamevaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ I tyaktvā dehaṁ punarjanma naiti māmeti so 'rjuna II 4.9

4.9 One who knows or experiences My divine appearance and activities does not take birth again in this material world after leaving the body but attains Me, O Arjuna.

vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ I bahavo jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ II 4.10

4.10 Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being filled with me and by taking refuge in me, many beings in the past have become sanctified by the knowledge of me and have realized me.

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁstathaiva bhajāmyaham I mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśah II 4.11

4.11 I reward everyone, I show Myself to all people, according to the manner in which they surrender unto me, in the manner that they are devoted to me, O Pārtha!

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ I kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmajā II 4.12

4.12 Men in this world desire success from activities and therefore they worship the gods. Men get instant results from active work in this world.

cāturvarṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇakarma vibhāgaśaḥ I tasya kartāram api māṁ viddhyakartāramavyayam II 4.13

4.13 Depending upon the distribution of the three attributes or guṇas and action, I have created the four castes. Yet, I am to be known as the non-doer, the unchangeable.

na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā I iti māṁ yo'bhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate II 4.14

4.14 I am not affected by any work; nor do I long for the outcome of such work. One who understands this truth about me also does not get caught in the bondage of work.

evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ I kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṁ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṁ kṛtam II 4.15

4.15 All the wise and liberated souls of ancient times have acted with this understanding and thus attained liberation. Just as the ancients did, perform your duty with this understanding.

kiṁ karma kimakarmeti kavayo'pyatra mohitāḥ I tat te karma pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvā mokṣyase'śubhāt II 4.16

4.16 What is action and what is inaction, even the wise are confused. Let me explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall be liberated from all ills.

karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ I akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṁ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ II 4.17

4.17 The complexities of action are very difficult to understand. Understand fully the nature of proper action by understanding the nature of wrong action and inaction.

karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ I sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt II 4.18

4.18 He who sees inaction in action and action in inaction, is wise and a yogi, Even if engaged in all activities.

yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāmasaṅkalpavarjitāḥ I jñānāgnidagdhakarmāṇaṁ tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ II 4.19

4.19 He who is determined and devoid of all desires for sense gratification, he is of perfect knowledge. The sages declare such a person wise whose actions are burnt by the fire of knowledge.

tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṁ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ I karmaṇyabhipravṛtto'pi naiva kiñcitkaroti saḥ II 4.20

4.20 Having given up all attachment to the results of his action, always satisfied and independent, the wise man does not act, though he is engaged in all kinds of action.

nirāśī ryatacittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ I śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam II 4.21

4.21 The person who acts without desire for the result; with his consciousness controlling the mind, giving up all sense of ownership over his possessions and body and only working, incurs no sin.

yadṛcchālābhasantuṣṭo dvandvātī to vimatsaraḥ I samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate II 4.22

4.22 He who is satisfied with profit which comes of its own accord and who has gone beyond duality, who is free from envy, who is in equanimity both in success and failure, such a person though doing action, is never affected.

gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacetasaḥ I yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṁ pravilī yate II 4.23

4.23 The work of a liberated man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully centered in the ultimate knowledge, who works totally for the sake of sacrifice, merges entirely into the knowledge.

brahmārpaṇaṁ brahmahavir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam I brahmaiva tena gantavyaṁ brahmakarmasamādhinā II 4.24

4.24 The offering, the offered butter to the supreme in the fire of the supreme is offered by the supreme. Certainly, the supreme can be reached by him who is absorbed completely in action.

daivamevāpare yajñaṁ yoginaḥ paryupāsate I brahmāgnāvapare yajñaṁ yajñenaivopajuhvati II 4.25

4.25 Some yogis worship the gods by offering various sacrifices to them, While others worship by offering sacrifices in the fire of the supreme.

śrotrādī nīndriyāṇyanye saṁyamāgniṣu juhvati I śabdādī nviṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati II 4.26

4.26 Some sacrifice the hearing process and other senses in the fire of equanimity and others offer as sacrifice the objects of the senses, such as sound in the fire of the sacrifice.

sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi cāpare I ātmasaṁyamayogāgnau juhvati jñānadī pite II 4.27

4.27 One who is interested in knowledge offers all the actions due to the senses, including the action of taking in the life breath into the fire of Yoga and is engaged in the yoga of the equanimity of the mind.

dravyayajñāstapoyajñā yogayajñāstathāpare I svādhyāyajñānayajñāśca yatayaḥ saṁśitavratāḥ II 4.28

4.28 There is the sacrifice of material wealth, sacrifice through penance, sacrific through yoga and other sacrifices while there is sacrifice through self-study and through strict vows.

apāne juhvati prāṇaṁ prāṇe 'pānaṁ tathāpare I prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ II 4.29

4.29 There are others who sacrifice the life energy in the form of incoming breath and outgoing breath, thus checking the movement of the incoming and outgoing breaths and controlling the breath.

apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇānprāṇeṣu juhvati I sarve'pyete yajñavido yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ II 4.30

4.30 There are others who sacrifice through controlled eating and offering the outgoing breath, life energy. All these people know the meaning of sacrifice and are purified of sin or karma.

yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam I nāyaṁ loko'styayajñasya kuto'nyaḥ kurusattama II 4.31

4.31 Having tasted the nectar of the results of such sacrifices, they go to the supreme eternal consciousness. This world is not for those who have not sacrificed. How can the other be, Arjuna?

evaṁ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe I karmajānviddhi tānsarvānevaṁ jñātvā vimokṣyase II 4.32

4.32 Thus, there are many kinds of sacrifices born of work mentioned in the Vedas. Thus, knowing these, one will be liberated.

śreyān-dravya-mayād yajñāj jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa I sarvaṁ karmā'khilaṁ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate II 4.33

4.33 O Parantapa (conqueror of foes), the sacrifice of wisdom is superior to the sacrifice of material wealth. After all, all activities totally end in wisdom.

tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā I upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ II 4.34

4.34 Understand these truths by approaching a spiritual Master, by asking him your questions, by offering service. The enlightened person can initiate the wisdom unto you because he has seen the Truth

yajjñātvā na punar moham evaṁ yāsyasi pāṇḍava I yena bhūtāny aśeṣeṇa drakṣyasy ātmanyatho mayi II 4.35

4.35 O Pāṇḍava, knowing this you will never suffer from desire or illusion, you will know that all living beings are in the supreme, in Me.

api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ I sarvaṁ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṁ santariṣyasi II 4.36

4.36 Even if you are the most sinful of all sinners, you will certainly cross completely the ocean of miseries through the boat of knowledge.

yathaidhāṁsi samiddho'gnir bhasmasātkurute'rjuna I jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurute tathā II 4.37

4.37 Just as a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of wisdom burn to ashes all actions, all your karma.

na hi jñānena sadṛśaṁ pavitramiha vidyate I tatsvayaṁ yogasaṁsiddhah kālenātmani vindati II 4.38

4.38 Truly, in this world, there is nothing as pure as wisdom. One who has matured to know this enjoys in himself in due course of time.

śraddhāvāllabhate jñānaṁ tatparaḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ I jñānaṁ labdhvā parāṁ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati II 4.39

4.39 A person with śraddhā (courageous faith) achieves wisdom and has control over the senses. Achieving wisdom, without delay, he attains supreme peace.

ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca saṁśayātmā vinaśyati I nāyaṁ loko 'sti na paro na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ II 4.40

4.40 Those who have no wisdom and faith, who always have doubts, are destroyed. There is no happiness in this world or the next.

yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaṁ jñānas-aṁchinna-saṁśayam I ātmavantaṁ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhañanjaya II 4.41

4.41 O Dhanañjaya (winner of riches), one who has renounced the fruits of his actions, whose doubts are destroyed, who is well-situated in the Self, is not bound by his actions.

tasmād ajñāna saṁbhūtaṁ hṛtsthaṁ jñānāsinātmanaḥ I chittvainaṁ saṁśayaṁ yogam ātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata II 4.42

4.42 O descendant of Bhārata, therefore, stand up, be situated in yoga. Armed with the sword of knowledge; cut the doubt born of ignorance that exists in your heart.

iti śrī mad bhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu brahmavidyāyām yogaśāstre śrī kṛṣṇārjuna saṁvāde jñānakarmasannyāsa yogo nāma caturtho'dhyāyaḥ II

In the Upaniṣad of Śrimad Bhagavad Gītā, the scripture of yoga dealing with Brahmavidyā Yogaśāstra, the science of Brahman, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇārjuna saṁvād, dialogue between Śrī Kṛṣṇa-Arjuna, this is fourth chapter named, Jñānakarmasannyāsa Yogaḥ**,** 'The Yoga of Action in Knowledge and Renunciation.'

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