Chapter 4
Shloka 1
sri-bhagavan uvaca
imam vivasvate yogam
proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave praha
manur iksvakave ‘bravit
Shri Bhagavan said : This, to Vivasvat, the eternal Yoga, declared, Vivasvat to Manu communicated, Manu told to Ikshavaku.
Shloka 2
evam parampara-praptam
imam rajarsayo viduh
sa kaleneha mahata
yogo nastah parantapa
Thus succession-received this raja-rishis knew; this with long time here (on earth) yoga (was) lost, O Scorcher of Foe (Arjuna).
Shloka 3
sa evayam maya te ‘dya
yogah proktah puratanah
bhakto ‘si me sakha ceti
rahasyam hy etad uttamam
This indeed by me to you today ancient Yoga declared; you are my devotee, and friend hence, secrete indeed this supreme.
Shloka 4
arjuna uvaca
aparam bhavato janma
param janma vivasvatah
katham etad vijaniyam
tvam adau proktavan iti
Arjuna said: later (was) you (your) birth, earlier (was) birth of Vivasvat; how this should I understand, you in the beginning declared thus?
Shloka 5
sri-bhagavan uvaca
bahuni me vyatitani
janmani tava carjuna
tany aham veda sarvani
na tvam vettha parantapa
Shri Bhagavan said : Many my passed away births, and yours Arjuna; them I know all, not you know, O scorcher of foe.
Shloka 6
ajo ‘pi sann avyayatma
bhutanam isvaro ‘pi san
prakrtim svam adhisthaya
sambhavamy atma-mayaya
Birthless, though I am, imperishable self, of the beings Lord, although I am, Nature own governing, I bring forth my self, by maya.
Shloka 7
yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham
Whenever indeed of dharma decline (decrease) happens O Bharata (Arjuna), (and) rising up of adharma, then myself create I.
Shloka 8
paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
For protecting the good, and for destroying the evil-doers, (for) dharma re-establishing, I bring forth myself yuga to yuga.
Shloka 9
janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so ‘rjuna
Birth and karma (of) mine divine, thus who knows in essence (truth); (upon) giving up body again birth not he goes, to me he goes Arjuna.
Shloka 10
vita-raga-bhaya-krodha
man-maya mam upasritah
bahavo jnana-tapasa
puta mad-bhavam agatah
(Those with) gone passion-fear-anger, absorbed-in-me (in) me resorting, many wisdom-austerity purified (to) my-state (have) come.
Shloka 11
ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante
manusyah partha sarvasah
Who how me take refuge in me, them in that way indeed I reward, my path follow men O Partha, everywhere.
Shloka 12
kanksantah karmanam siddhim
yajanta iha devatah
ksipram hi manuse loke
siddhir bhavati karma-ja
Desiring of actions success (they) worship here (on earth) Divine beings, quickly indeed (in) human world success come from action.
Shloka 13
catur-varnyam maya srstam
guna-karma-vibhagasah
tasya kartaram api mam
viddhy akartaram avyayam
Four-varna-system by me created, according to guna-karma-distribution, its creator although I am, know (me as) non-doer imperishable.
Shloka 14
na mam karmani limpanti
na me karma-phale sprha
iti mam yo ‘bhijanati
karmabhir na sa badhyate
Not me karma smear, not (in) me fruits-of-action desire, thus me who understands, by actions not he is bound.
Shloka 15
evam jnatva krtam karma
purvair api mumuksubhih
kuru karmaiva tasmat tvam
purvaih purvataram krtam
Thus knowing performed action ancients and also those-desiring-release, do action indeed therefore you, (as) by the ancients in ancient times performed.
Shloka 16
kim karma kim akarmeti
kavayo ‘py atra mohitah
tat te karma pravaksyami
yaj jnatva moksyase ‘subhat
What (is) action what (is) in-action, thus even poets (sages) in this (are) confused. That to you action I shall explain, which knowing from evil you’ll be liberated.
Shloka 17
karmano hy api boddhavyam
boddhavyam ca vikarmanah
akarmanas ca boddhavyam
gahana karmano gatih
Of action indeed to be understood, also, and to be understood wrong-action, and non-action to be understood; (for) profound is path of action.
Shloka 18
karmany akarma yah pasyed
akarmani ca karma yah
sa buddhiman manusyesu
sa yuktah krtsna-karma-krt
In action non-action who sees, and in non-action actions who (sees), he (is) wise among men, he (is) yoked (in Yoga) in all actions (while) performing.
Shloka 19
yasya sarve samarambhah
kama-sankalpa-varjitah
jnanagni-dagdha-karmanam
tam ahuh panditam budhah
Whose all undertakings desire-purpose-excluded, wisdom-fire-burnt-action-he, him they call wise, the wise ones.
Shloka 20
tyaktva karma-phalasangam
nitya-trpto nirasrayah
karmany abhipravrtto ‘pi
naiva kincit karoti sah
Given up action-fruit-attachment, ever contented not-dependent, in action engaging although, no indeed anything performs he.
Shloka 21
nirasir yata-cittatma
tyakta-sarva-parigrahah
sariram kevalam karma
kurvan napnoti kilbisam
Without desires (wishes) controlled-thought-self, abandoned all (sense of) possessions, only body performing action, (does) not incur evil.
Shloka 22
yadrccha-labha-santusto
dvandvatito vimatsarah
samah siddhav asiddhau ca
krtvapi na nibadhyate
Accidental (whatever comes by chance) gains contended, transcending duality free from envy, same in success and failure, (although) having performed action (is) not bound.
Shloka 23
gata-sangasya muktasya
jnanavasthita-cetasah
yajnayacaratah karma
samagram praviliyate
Gone-attachment (one whose attachment is gone), one-who-is free, whose mind is stabilized in wisdom, as yagna (sacrifice) action (he performs) wholly dissolves.
Shloka 24
brahmarpanam brahma havir
brahmagnau brahmana hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyam
brahma-karma-samadhina
Brahman (is the) offering, Brahman is oblation, in the fire of Brahman by Brahman is poured (the oblation), Brahman indeed by it (him) attained, (who) Brahman-action contemplates.
Shloka 25
daivam evapare yajnam
yoginah paryupasate
brahmagnav apare yajnam
yajnenaivopajuhvati
To divine being indeed some yogis practice sacrifice, in the fire of Brahman some sacrifice by sacrifice they offer.
Shloka 26
srotradinindriyany anye
samyamagnisu juhvati
sabdadin visayan anya
indriyagnisu juhvati
Hearing like (and other) senses others in fire of control (they) sacrifice, sound etc objects other senses, in the fire of senses (they) sacrifice.
Shloka 27
sarvanindriya-karmani
prana-karmani capare
atma-samyama-yogagnau
juhvati jnana-dipite
All senses actions and prana-actions others in the fire of yoga-of-self-restraint, (they) sacrifice in wisdom kindled.
Shloka 28
dravya-yajnas tapo-yajna
yoga-yajnas tathapare
svadhyaya-jnana-yajnas ca
yatayah samsita-vratah
Material-sacrifices, austerity-sacrifices, yoga-sacrifices thus some, and Vedic-wisdom-sacrifice ascetics with sharpened vows.
Shloka 29
apane juhvati pranam
prane ‘panam tathapare
pranapana-gati ruddhva
pranayama-parayanah
In apana (exhalation breath), (they) sacrifice prana (inhalation breath), in prana, apana thus some, prana-apana-path restraining, control of breath intent upon.
Shloka 30
apare niyataharah
pranan pranesu juhvati
sarve ‘py ete yajna-vido
yajna-ksapita-kalmasah
Some restrained in food prana in prana sacrifice, all these sacrifice-knowing, sacrifice-destroyed-evil (whose evil-destroyed-through-sacrifice).
Shloka 31
yajna-sistamrta-bhujo
yanti brahma sanatanam
nayam loko ‘sty ayajnasya
kuto ‘nyah kuru-sattama
Sacrifice-remainder-nectar consuming (Yogis) they go to Brahman, primeval, not (even) this world is there for non-sacrificing one, how other (worlds) O Best of Kurus (Arjuna).
Shloka 32
evam bahu-vidha yajna
vitata brahmano mukhe
karma-jan viddhi tan sarvan
evam jnatva vimoksyase
Thus many-kinds (of) sacrifices (are) spread in mouth of Brahman, karma-born; know them all, thus knowing you will be released.
Shloka 33
sreyan dravya-mayad yajnaj
jnana-yajnah parantapa
sarvam karmakhilam partha
jnane parisamapyate
Better than material yagna, (is) gyana (knowledge) yagna, O Scorcher of foe (Arjuna), all actions-completely (without gap) O Partha, in wisdom is fully comprehended.
Shloka 34
tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
This know (through) prostrating (humble submission), by (intelligent) inquiry (and) through service; they will teach you knowledge (wisdom) the wise ones, the ones who have perceived truth.
Shloka 35
yaj jnatva na punar moham
evam yasyasi pandava
yena bhutany asesani
draksyasy atmany atho mayi
Which knowing not again delusion thus you will go O Arjuna, by which beings without remainder (you) will see in your-self then in me.
Shloka 36
api ced asi papebhyah
sarvebhyah papa-krttamah
sarvam jnana-plavenaiva
vrjinam santarisyasi
Even if you are of the sinners all worst-sinner, all (by) boat-of-knowledge indeed, wickedness (you will) cross over.
Shloka 37
yathaidhamsi samiddho ‘gnir
bhasmasat kurute ‘rjuna
jnanagnih sarva-karmani
bhasmasat kurute tatha
As firewood kindled fire ashes-makes Arjuna, wisdom-fire all karma ashes-makes so.
Shloka 38
na hi jnanena sadrsam
pavitram iha vidyate
tat svayam yoga-samsiddhah
kalenatmani vindati
Not indeed similar to wisdom pure here (on earth) is found, that (by) himself perfected in yoga, with time in (him)self finds.
Shloka 39
sraddhaval labhate jnanam
tat-parah samyatendriyah
jnanam labdhva param santim
acirenadhigacchati
One with faith gains wisdom, devoted to that, controlling sense(s), wisdom having attained supreme peace without delay he goes (gains).
Shloka 40
ajnas casraddadhanas ca
samsayatma vinasyati
nayam loko ‘sti na paro
na sukham samsayatmanah
And ignorant (and) not-faith-placing doubtful-self is lost (destroyed), not this world, not other, not happiness for doubtful-self.
Shloka 41
yoga-sannyasta-karmanam
jnana-sanchinna-samsayam
atmavantam na karmani
nibadhnanti dhananjaya
One who has renounced action in(to) yoga, cut-away-doubts-by-wisdom, self-possessed, not actions bind, Dhananjaya (Arjuna).
Shloka 42
tasmad ajnana-sambhutam
hrt-stham jnanasinatmanah
chittvainam samsayam yogam
atisthottistha bharata
Therefore (from) ignorance proceeding, in heart situated wisdom-sword-(of)-self, cut-asunder this doubt, to yoga resort, arise O Bharatha (Arjuna)
Bhagavad Gita translated 