Chapter 4: Jnana Yoga; The Yoga of Wisdom

Shri Krishna Arjuna sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Verse 4.1: Shri Krishna says, I gave this divine wisdom (Bhagavad Gita) to the Sun-God, who gave it to Manu, the father of mankind. Manu further gave it to king Ikshavaku.

Verse 4.2: This divine wisdom was given from saintly kings to their successors. However, with time this wisdom was lost.

Verse 4.3: I speak to you this same divine wisdom (Bhagavad Gita) as you are My dear friend and devoted to Me.

Verse 4.4: Arjuna says, You have come in the modern times, however, Sun-God is from the time of creation. How can I then understand that you imparted this divine wisdom to Sun-God?

Verse 4.5: Shri Krishna says, you and I have passed through many many births. I remember them all but you do not.

Verse 4.6: Although I am unborn and the sat-chit-ananda Supreme Controller (repository of supreme divine truth-consciousness-happiness), I appear in each age (yuga) by my own potency.

Verse 4.7: Whenever and wherever there is a decline of righteousness, at that time I descend.

Verse 4.8: To save righteous people and to destroy miscreants, I appear in yuga after yuga (age) to establish righteousness.

Verse 4.9: One who knows this transcendental nature of My appearance and activities in different yugas, does not take birth again in the material world and attains the Divine world.

Verse 4.10: Many persons who have taken refuge in Me, have been freed from fear, anger, and attachment to material world. They have attained pure love for Me.

Verse 4.13: The four orders of society i.e. Brahmin (learned teachers), Kshatriya (leaders/soldiers), Vaishya (merchants), and Shudra (servitors) are created by Me based on a persons inherent qualities and karma (actions). Even though I am the origin of this creation, know Me to be a non-doer and Immortal.

Verse 4.14: Shri Krishna says, I do not aspire for rewards/fruits of karma (actions) and therefore karma do not affect me. One who understands this truth of Mine is also not bound by results/fruits of karma.

Verse 4.19: One who does not have any desire for sense gratification, is a wise person. For him, the reactions of his actions (karma) are burnt by this wisdom.

Verse 4.22 One who remains above duality of the material world, is non-envious, remains same in success and failure and is satisfied with whatever he gets in life; such a person does not get entangled by the results of his karma (actions).

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Shri Madan-mohan sharanam!