Handed down through disciplic succession, the royal sages received this
knowledge. But due to the passage of time, Arjuna, this yoga was lost to
the world.
Lord Kṛṣṇa says:
Many births of Mine have passed, O Arjuna, and so it is with you also. I
know them all, but you do not know them.
śrī bhagavān uvāca
bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna |
tānyahaṁ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṁ vettha parantapa || 5 ||
4.6
Though I am unborn and unchanging, and although I am the Lord of all
beings, by using My own nature (prakṛti), I enter into this world by My
own free will.
Whosoever knows the truth of My divine birth and deeds, O Arjuna, is not
reborn again. After leaving the body they come to Me.
janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ |
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar-janma naiti māmeti so’rjuna || 9 ||
4.10
Freed from desire, fear and anger, absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me,
and having been purified by the austerity of knowledge, many have
attained their eternal relationship with Me.
In whatever way one surrenders to Me, in the same way I approach them.
Everybody follows My path in all respects, O Arjuna.
ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs-tathaiva bhajāmy-aham |
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ || 11 ||
4.12
Those who desire the fruits of their action perform sacrifices to the
gods; for in this human world, results are quickly attained by such
religious rituals.
Actions do not taint Me, nor do I have a desire for the fruits of
actions. One who understands this about Me, is not bound by karma.
na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma phale spṛhā |
iti māṁ yo’bhijānāti karmabhir-na sa badhyate || 14 ||
4.15
Having known this, the ancient seekers of liberation also performed
action, similarly you should also engage in your duty just as people in
the past have done.
What is action? What is inaction? Even the wise are confused about this.
I shall now explain to you what action is. Knowing this, you will be
freed from suffering.
For verily one must understand what is action (karma), what is forbidden
action (vikarma), as well as what is inaction (akarma). Action is indeed
hard to understand.
A person who has renounced attachment to the fruits of action is
dependent on no one and is ever-content in the Self. He does not act
despite being engaged in activity.
When one is content with what comes without effort, one has transcended
the pairs of opposites, is free from envy, and is balanced in success
and failure; despite acting, one is not bound.
yadṛcchālābha santuṣṭo dvandvātito vimatsaraḥ |
samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate || 22 ||
4.23
For the liberated person, who is free from attachments, whose mind is
established in wisdom, and acts only for sacrifice, karma is entirely
dissolved.
For those absorbed in God, Brahman is the instrument, Brahman is the
oblation; Brahman is the one who offers into the fire which is also
Brahman. Brahman alone is to be reached by one who meditates upon Him in
one’s actions.
Some offer hearing and the other senses into the fires of restraint.
Others offer sound and the other objects of the senses into the fires of
the senses themselves.
Observing strict vows, some sages offer material objects as sacrifice,
some make offerings through austerity and yoga, while others offer their
scriptural study and knowledge as sacrifice.
Still there are others who offer their exhalation into the inhalation,
and the inhalation into the exhalation. In this way they achieve the
state where all breathing stops.
Others who restrict their eating offer the practice of breath-control
(prāṇāyāma). All these yogīs know the meaning of sacrifice and through
their sacrifices become free of sinful reactions.
The remnants of sacrifice is the nectar of immortality. By taking it,
one attains that eternal abode of the Lord. Understand, Arjuna, that one
cannot live happily in this world without sacrifice, and what can be
said of the next?
In this way, many forms of sacrifice have been laid down in the Vedas.
All of them are based on action; once you understand this, you shall be
liberated.
One should approach a spiritual Master with submission, extensive
enquiry and service. Such realised souls can instruct you, for they have
seen the Truth.
tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā |
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas-tattva-darśinaḥ || 34 ||
VERSES 35-42: THE FRUIT OF KARMA-YOGA IS REALISED KNOWLEDGE
4.35
Once you receive this knowledge, Arjuna, you will never again be
deluded. Through that knowledge you will see all beings, without
exception, as the Self and then as part of Me.
yaj-jñātvā na punar-moham eva yāsyasi pāṇḍava |
yena bhūtāny-aśeṣeṇa drakṣyasy-ātman-yatho mayi || 35 ||
4.36
Even if you are the most sinful of all sinners, you can cross over this
miserable condition by the boat of knowledge.
In this world nothing purifies one more than knowledge. Those who have
perfected the practice of karma-yoga will have this knowledge revealed
to them.
na hi jñānena sadṛśaṁ pavitram iha vidyate |
tat-svayaṁ yoga saṁsiddhiḥ kālenātmani vindati || 38 ||
4.39
One who has faith will gain this knowledge, if they are dedicated and
have controlled the senses. Having attained it, one quickly realises
supreme peace.
But for the ignorant, the faithless and the sceptical there is only
destruction. The doubting person does not belong to this world or the
next, and will never find happiness.
ajñāś-cāśraddadhānaśca saṁśayātmā vinaśyati |
nāyaṁ loko’sti na paro na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ || 40 ||
4.41
O Arjuna, when one is established in karma-yoga, with doubts dispelled
by knowledge, having a steady mind, such a person is not bound by
action.
Therefore, with the sword of knowledge, cut this doubt present in your
heart, which has arisen from ignorance. Protected by this yoga, arise
and fight, O Arjuna.