The fourth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga. In this chapter, Krishna glorifies the Karma Yoga and imparts the Transcendental Knowledge (the knowledge of the soul and the Ultimate Truth) to Arjuna. He reveals the reason behind his appearance in this material world. He reveals that even though he is eternal, he reincarnates time after time to re-establish dharma and peace on this Earth. His births and activities are eternal and are never contaminated by material flaws. Those persons who know and understand this Truth engage in his devotion with full faith and eventually attain Him. They do not have to take birth in this world again.

slok:’4.1′,

‘śrībhagavānuvāca . imaṃ vivasvate yogaṃ proktavānahamavyayam . vivasvānmanave prāha manurikṣvākave.abravīt ||4-1||’,

‘4.1 The Blessed Lord said I taught this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan; he told it to Manu; Manu proclaimed it to Ikshvaku.’,

slok:’4.2′,

‘evaṃ paramparāprāptamimaṃ rājarṣayo viduḥ . sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa ||4-2||’,

‘4.2 This, handed down thus in regular succession, the royal sages knew. This Yoga, by long lapse of time, has been lost here, O Parantapa (burner of the foes).’,

slok:’4.3′,

‘sa evāyaṃ mayā te.adya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ . bhakto.asi me sakhā ceti rahasyaṃ hyetaduttamam ||4-3||’,

‘4.3 That same ancient Yoga has been today taught to thee by Me, for thou art My devotee and My friend; it is the supreme secret.’,

slok:’4.4′,

‘arjuna uvāca . aparaṃ bhavato janma paraṃ janma vivasvataḥ . kathametadvijānīyāṃ tvamādau proktavāniti ||4-4||’,

‘4.4 Arjuna said Later on was Thy birth, and prior to it was the birth of Vivasvan (the Sun); how am I to understand that Thou taughtest this Yoga in the beginning?’,

slok:’4.5′,

‘śrībhagavānuvāca . bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna . tānyahaṃ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṃ vettha parantapa ||4-5||’,

‘4.5 The Blessed Lord said Many births of Mine have passed as well as of thine, O Arjuna; I know them all but thou knowest not, O Parantapa (scorcher of foes).’,

slok:’4.6′,

‘ajo.api sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvaro.api san . prakṛtiṃ svāmadhiṣṭhāya sambhavāmyātmamāyayā ||4-6||’,

‘4.6 Though I am unborn, of imperishable nature, and though I am the Lord of all beings, yet, governing My own Nature, I am born by My own Maya.’,

slok:’4.7′,

‘yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata . abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham ||4-7||’,

‘4.7 Whenever there is decline of righteousness, O Arjuna, and rise of unrighteousness, then I manifest Myself.’,

slok:’4.8′,

‘paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām . dharmasaṃsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge ||4-8||’,

‘4.8 For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age.’,

slok:’4.9′,

‘janma karma ca me divyamevaṃ yo vetti tattvataḥ . tyaktvā dehaṃ punarjanma naiti māmeti so.arjuna ||4-9||’,

‘4.9 He who thus know, in their true light, My divine birth and action, having abandoned the body, is not born again, he comes to Me, O Arjuna.’,

slok:’4.10′,

‘vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ . bahavo jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ ||4-10||’,

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

slok:’4.11′,

‘ye yathā māṃ prapadyante tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham . mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ||4-11||’,

‘4.11 In whatever way men approach Me even so do I reward them; My path do men tread in all ways, O Arjuna.’,

slok:’4.12′,

‘kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha devatāḥ . kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmajā ||4-12||’,

‘4.12 Those who long for success in action in this world sacrifice to the gods; because success is ickly attained by men through action.’,

slok:’4.13′,

‘cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ . tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam ||4-13||’,

‘4.13 The fourfold caste has been created by Me according to the differentiation of Guna and Karma; though I am the author thereof know Me as non-doer and immutable.’,

slok:’4.14′,

‘na māṃ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā . iti māṃ yo.abhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate ||4-14||’,

‘4.14 Actions do not taint Me, nor have I a desire for the fruit of actions. He who knows Me thus is not bound by actions.’,

slok:’4.15′,

‘evaṃ jñātvā kṛtaṃ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ . kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṃ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṃ kṛtam ||4-15||’,

‘4.15 Having known this, the ancient seekers after freedom also performed action; therefore do thou also perform action, as did the ancients in days of yore.’,

slok:’4.16′,

‘kiṃ karma kimakarmeti kavayo.apyatra mohitāḥ . tatte karma pravakṣyāmi yajjñātvā mokṣyase.aśubhāt ||4-16||’,

‘4.16 What is action? What is inaction? As to this even the wise are confused. Therefore I shall teach thee such action (the nature of action and inaction) by knowing which thou shalt be liberated from the evil (of Samsara, the wheel of birth and death).’,

slok:’4.17′,

‘karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ . akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ ||4-17||’,

‘4.17 For verily (the true nature) of action (enjoined by the scriptures) should be known, also (that) of forbidden (or unlawful) action, and of inaction; hard to understand is the nature (path) of action.’,

slok:’4.18′,

‘karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ . sa buddhimānmanuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt ||4-18||’,

‘4.18 He who seeth inaction in action and action in inaction, he is wise among men; he is a Yogi and performer of all actions.’,

slok:’4.19′,

‘yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāmasaṅkalpavarjitāḥ . jñānāgnidagdhakarmāṇaṃ tamāhuḥ paṇḍitaṃ budhāḥ ||4-19||’,

‘4.19 He whose undertakings are all devoid of desires and (selfish) purposes and whose actions have been burnt by the fire of knowledge, him the wise call a sage.’,

slok:’4.20′,

‘tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ . karmaṇyabhipravṛtto.api naiva kiñcitkaroti saḥ ||4-20||’,

‘4.20 Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of the action, ever content, depending on nothing, he does not do anything though engaged in activity.’,

slok:’4.21′,

‘nirāśīryatacittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ . śārīraṃ kevalaṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam ||4-21||’,

‘4.21 Without hope and with the mind and the self controlled, having abandoned all covetousness, doing mere bodily action, he incurs no sin.’,

slok:’4.22′,

‘yadṛcchālābhasantuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ . samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate ||4-22||’,

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

slok:’4.23′,

‘gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacetasaḥ . yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṃ pravilīyate ||4-23||’,

‘4.23 To one who is devoid of attchment, who is liberated, whose mind is established in knowledge, who works for the sake of sacrifice (for the sake of God), the whole action is dissolved.’,

slok:’4.24′,

‘brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma havirbrahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam . brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahmakarmasamādhinā ||4-24||’,

‘4.24 Brahman is the oblation; Brahman is the melted butter (ghee); by Brahman is the oblation poured into the fire of Brahman; Brahman verily shall be reached by him who always sees Brahman in action.’,

slok:’4.25′,

‘daivamevāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate . brahmāgnāvapare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuhvati ||4-25||’,

‘4.25 Some Yogies perform sacrifice to the gods alone; while others (who have realised the Self) offer the self as sacrifice by the Self in the fire of Brahman alone.’,

slok:’4.26′,

‘śrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye saṃyamāgniṣu juhvati . śabdādīnviṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati ||4-26||’,

‘4.26 Some again offer the organ of hearing and other senses as sacrifice in the fire of restraint; others offer sound and other objects of the senses as sacrifice in the fire of the senses.’,

slok:’4.27′,

‘sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi cāpare . ātmasaṃyamayogāgnau juhvati jñānadīpite ||4-27||’,

‘4.27 Others again sacrifice all the functions of the senses and those of the breath (vital energy or Prana) in the fire of the Yoga of self-restraint kindled by knowledge.’,

slok:’4.28′,

‘dravyayajñāstapoyajñā yogayajñāstathāpare . svādhyāyajñānayajñāśca yatayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ ||4-28||’,

‘4.28 Others again offer wealth, austerity and Yoga as sacrifice, while the ascetics of self-restraint and rigid vows offer study of scriptures and knowledge as sacrifice.’,

slok:’4.29′,

‘apāne juhvati prāṇaṃ prāṇe.apānaṃ tathāpare . prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ ||4-29||’,

‘4.29 Others offer as sacrifice the outgoing breath in the incoming, and the incoming in the outgoing, restraining the course of the outgoing and the incoming breaths, solely absorbed in the restraint of the breath.’,

slok:’4.30′,

‘apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇānprāṇeṣu juhvati . sarve.apyete yajñavido yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ ||4-30||’,

‘4.30 Others who regulate their diet offer life-breaths in life-breaths. All these are knowers of sacrifice, whose sins are destroyed by sacrifice.’,

slok:’4.31′,

‘yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam . nāyaṃ loko.astyayajñasya kuto.anyaḥ kurusattama ||4-31||’,

‘4.31 Those who eat the remnants of the sacrifice, which are like nectar, go to the eternal Brahman. This world is not for the man who does not perform sacrifice; how then can he have the other, O Arjuna?’,

slok:’4.32′,

‘evaṃ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe . karmajānviddhi tānsarvānevaṃ jñātvā vimokṣyase ||4-32||’,

‘4.32 Thus, manifold sacrifices are spread out before Brahman (literally) at the mouth or face of Brahman). Know them all as born of action and thus knowing, thou shalt be liberated.’,

slok:’4.33′,

‘śreyāndravyamayādyajñājjñānayajñaḥ parantapa . sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate ||4-33||’,

‘Swami Sivananda did not comment on this sloka’,

slok:’4.34′,

‘tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā . upadekṣyanti te jñānaṃ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ ||4-34||’,

‘4.34 Know That by long prostration, by estion and by service; the wise who have realised the Truth will instruct thee in (that) knowledge.’,

slok:’4.35′,

‘yajjñātvā na punarmohamevaṃ yāsyasi pāṇḍava . yena bhūtānyaśeṣāṇi drakṣyasyātmanyatho mayi ||4-35||’,

‘4.35 Knowing ï1thatï1 thou shalt not, O Arjuna, again get deluded like this; and by that thou shalt see all beings in thy Self and also in Me.’,

slok:’4.36′,

‘api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ . sarvaṃ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṃ santariṣyasi ||4-36||’,

‘4.36 Even if thou art the most sinful of all sinners, yet thou shalt verily cross all sins by the raft of knowledge.’,

slok:’4.37′,

‘yathaidhāṃsi samiddho.agnirbhasmasātkurute.arjuna . jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurute tathā ||4-37||’,

‘4.37 As the blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge reduce all actions to ashes.’,

slok:’4.38′,

‘na hi jñānena sadṛśaṃ pavitramiha vidyate . tatsvayaṃ yogasaṃsiddhaḥ kālenātmani vindati ||4-38||’,

‘4.38 Verily, there is no purifier in this world like knowledge. He who is perfected in Yoga finds it in the Self in time.’,

slok:’4.39′,

‘śraddhāvā.Nllabhate jñānaṃ tatparaḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ . jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati ||4-39||’,

‘4.39 The man who is full of faith, who is devoted to it, and who has subdued the senses obtains (this) knowledge; and having obtained the knowledge he attains at once to the supreme peace.’,

slok:’4.40′,

‘ajñaścāśraddadhānaśca saṃśayātmā vinaśyati . nāyaṃ loko.asti na paro na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ ||4-40||’,

‘4.40 The ignorant the faithless, the doubting self goes to destruction; there is neither this world nor the other, nor happiness for the doubting.’,

slok:’4.41′,

‘yogasaṃnyastakarmāṇaṃ jñānasañchinnasaṃśayam . ātmavantaṃ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya ||4-41||’,

‘4.41 He who has renounced actions by Yoga, whose doubts are rent asunder by knowledge, and who is self-possessed actions do not bind him, O Arjuna.’,

slok:’4.42′,

‘tasmādajñānasambhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinātmanaḥ . chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata ||4-42||’,

‘4.42 Therefore with the sword of the knowledge (of the Self) cut asunder the doubt of the self born of ignorance, residing in thy heart, and take refuge in Yoga. Arise, O Arjuna.’,

slok:’4.43′,

‘OM tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu brahmavidyāyāṃ yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvāde jñānakarmasaṃnyāsayogo nāma caturtho.adhyāyaḥ ||4-43||’,

‘Swami Sivananda did not comment on this sloka’,