Chapter 4
Transcendental Knowledge
- "śrī bhagavān kahilen:
- "pūrve āmi balechilām, sūryake pratham
- ei se niṣkām karm apūrva kathan
- sūrya balechila pare manuke svaputre
- ikṣvāku śunila pare paramparā sūtre
Text 1: The Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.
- sei paramparā dvār rājarṣigaṇ
- eke eke śune saba gītāra vacan
- kālakrame paramparā hayeche vinaṣṭa
- paramparā vinā jāna saba artha bhraṣṭa
Text 2: This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.
- ataeva kahi punaḥ sei purātan
- punarvāra paramparā karite sthāpan
- bhakti vinā ke bujhibe gītāra rahasya
- tumi mor priya sakhā karaha vimuṣya
Text 3: That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.
- arjun kahilen:
- tumi ta' navīna sakhā sedina janmile
- koṭi koṭi varṣa pūrve sūrya janma nile
- e kathā ki kare bujhi pūrva eta dine
- upadeś purātan tumi balechile
Text 4: Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvān is senior by birth to You. How am I to understand that in the beginning You instructed this science to him?
- śrī-bhagavān kahilen:
- he arjun bahu janma tomāra āmār
- hayeche pūrvakāle se saba apār
- bhuli nāi āmi sei tumi bhule gecha
- āmi bibhu tumi jīv ei bhāve ācha
Text 5: The Personality of Godhead said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!
- sakaler niyāmak ajanmā haiyā
- avyayātmā paramātmā bhuvana bhariyā
- tathāpi sva-śakti sāthe janma lai āmi
- sei bhagavattā mor bhāla bujha tumi
Text 6: Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.
- yadā yadā dharma-glāni haila saṁsāre
- he bhārat! viśva-bhār laghu karibāre
- adharmer abhyutthān dharma-glāni hale
- ātmāra sṛjan kari dekhaye sakale
Text 7: Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend Myself.
- sādhuder paritraṇ asādhur vināś
- ye kare adharma tār kari sarva-nāś
- ār dharma sthiti artha karite sādhan
- yuge yuge āsi āmi mānase vacan
Text 8: To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to re-establish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.
- āmāra ye janma-karma se ati mahān
- ye bujhila sei kathā seo bhāgyavān
- se chāḍiyā deha ei nahe punarjanma
- mama dhāme phiri āse chāḍe jaḍa dharma
Text 9: One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.
- chāḍi rāg bhay krodh trividha asār
- manmaya madbhakti sādhya kariyā vicār
- vahu bhakta jñānī sab tapasyār dvāre
- vidhauta haiyā pāp peyeche āmāre
Text 10: Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me-and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.
- yebhāve ye bhaje more āmi sei bhāve
- yathā-yogya phal di-i āpana prabhāve
- āmākei sarva mate cāhe sarva ṭhṁāi
- āgupichu mātra hay pathe bhed nāi
Text 11: As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.
- karma-kāṇdī siddhi lāgi vahu dev-devī
- iha-lok hay sab bahu sevya sevī
- śīghra yei karma-phal e manuṣya-loke
- anitya se phal bhuñje duḥkhe ār śoke
Text 12: Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world.
- cāri varṇa sṛṣṭi mora guṇa karma bhāge
- yār yāhā guṇ hay kahiba se āge
- tathāpi se nahi āmi guna karma mājhe
- yadyapi niyantā āmi sakalera kāje
Text 13: According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the nondoer, being unchangeable.
- āmi karma-phale lipta nahi kona kāle
- spṛhā kabhu nāi mor kona karma-phale
- āmāra karmera kathā bujhe bhāla mate
- bandhana ghucila tār karmera phalete
Text 14: There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in the fruitive reactions of work.
- ei gūḍha tattva-kathā pūrve ye bujhila
- anāyāse tārā sab saṁsāra tarila
- tumi pūrva mahājane yathā anusār
- yathāvat siddhi-lābh haibe vistar
Text 15: All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding of My transcendental nature. Therefore you should perform your duty, following in their footsteps.
- kivā karma akarma vā karite vicār
- baḍa baḍa muni ṛṣi hay camatkār
- tāi se baliba āmi kivā karma hay
- jānile se tattva-kathā aśubhera kṣay
Text 16: Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall be liberated from all misfortune.
- karma ye bujhite tumi akarma bujhibe
- vikarma bujhite tathā bhāve buddha habe
Text 17: The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is, and what inaction is.
- durgama karmera gati nigūḍha se tattva
- ye bujhila se bujhila tāhāra mahattva
- karmete akarma dekhe akarme ye karma
- ye buddhimān manuṣya se bujheche marma
Text 18: One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.
- sakala samārambhe yār saṁkalpa varjan
- jñānāgnite dagdha karma pāṇḍitye grahaṇ
Text 19: One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.
- tyakta karmaphalāsaṅga āśraya vihīn
- nitya tṛpta nityānanda nija karme līna
- se pravṛtta nija karme kichu nāhi kare
- anāsakta karmaphal sacchanda vihare
Text 20: Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.
- karma-phale spṛhā-hīn datta citta ātmā
- sarva parigraha tyakta yukta se sarvathā
- śarīra nirvāha mātra karma yei kare
- kariyāo sarva karma sarva pāpa hare
Text 21: Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions, and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reactions.
- yathā-lābh tathā tuṣṭa sarva dvandva mukta
- nirmatsar samacitta nija karme yukta
- siddhāsiddha samadṛṣṭi nāhita vidveṣ
- kariyāo sarva karma karma-phala śeṣ
Text 22: He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.
- asaṅga niyukta jñānī citte kṣobh nāi
- jñānāvasthita sei sarvadā sab ṭhṅāi
- sei se yājñika sadā ācaraṇe dakṣa
- tār karma pravilīta ekānta samakṣa
Text 23: The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence.
- brahma-maya karma tār brahmete arpaṇ
- brahma habi brahma agni hotā brahma-phal
- tāhāra se brahma-gati niścita nirṇaya
- brahma karma samādhistha sarvatra vijay
Text 24: A person who is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.
- daiva yajña kare pare seo yogī hay
- brahma-jñānī seo yogī homādi nilay
- naiṣṭhika brahmacārīr yajña indriya saṁyam
- śrotādi mānasa tapa agnite arpaṇ
Text 25: Some yogīs perfectly worship the demigods by offering different sacrifices to them, and some of them offer sacrifices in the fire of the Supreme Brahman.
- rūpa rasa śabda sparśa viṣaye saṁyam
- yajñāhuti sei haya indriya haban
Text 26: Some (the unadulterated brahmacārīs) sacrifice the hearing process and the senses in the fire of mental control, and others (the regulated householders) sacrifice the objects of the senses in the fire of the senses.
- sarvendriya karma prāṇ saṁyam agnite
- yatnaśīl yata yogī habana karite
- ātma-saṁyamādi yog jñāna dīpite
- pṛthak pṛthak yogī hay yukta se yogete
Text 27: Others, who are interested in achieving self-realization through control of the mind and senses, offer the functions of all the senses, and of the life breath, as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind.
- dravya-yajña tapo-yajña yoga-yajña yata
- svādhyāya yogīra jñān śaṁsita se vrata
Text 28: Having accepted strict vows, some become enlightened by sacrificing their possessions, and others by performing severe austerities, by practicing the yoga of eightfold mysticism, or by studying the Vedas to advance in transcendental knowledge.
- prāṇāpān yogakriyā apāne haban
- prāṇāpān gatiruddha prāṇāyāmī han
- āhārādi kharva kari niyata āhār
- prāṇke prāṇete dyaya homera ākār
Text 29: Still others, who are inclined to the process of breath restraint to remain in trance, practice by offering the movement of the outgoing breath into the incoming, and the incoming breath into the outgoing, and thus at last remain in trance, stopping all breathing. Others, curtailing the eating process, offer the outgoing breath into itself as a sacrifice.
- ei sab tattvavit kṣīṇ pāpa hay
- krame krame pāpahīn brahma se prāpay
- yajña niṣṭha bhojī tārā niṣpāpa jīvan
- yogya vyakti hay lābhe brahma sanātan
Text 30: All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become cleansed of sinful reactions, and, having tasted the nectar of the results of sacrifices, they advance toward the supreme eternal atmosphere.
- ihaloke yajña vinā kona sukh nāi
- paralok vinā yajñe kemane se pāi
Text 31: O best of the Kuru dynasty, without sacrifice one can never live happily on this planet or in this life: what then of the next?
- he puruṣottama! ataḥ yajñai ye dharma
- ār sab yāhā kichu sakala vikarma
- vedādi śāstrete tathā bahu yajña hay
- kata śākhā praśākhādi ke kare nirṇay
- se sab yajñādi jāna saba karmajān
- muktipatha sei jāna yajña se sarvān
Text 32: All these different types of sacrifice are approved by the Vedas, and all of them are born of different types of work. Knowing them as such, you will become liberated.
- kintu śreya jñāna-yajña dravya yajñāpekṣā
- jñānīra nāhika ār karmaja apekṣā
- sarva karma śeṣ hay jñāne samāpan
- karma-śuddha citte hay jñānera sādhan
Text 33: O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice performed in knowledge is better than the mere sacrifice of material possessions. After all, O son of Pṛthā, all sacrifices of work culminate in transcendental knowledge.
- ataeva se vijñān ye jānibāre cāy
- upayukta gurupada karaye āśray
- praṇipāt paripraśna sevāra sahit
- guru-sthāne jāni lao āpanār hit
Text 34: Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.
- se sab jñānera kathā bujhite pārile
- moha ār habe nāhi hārile jitile
- takhana se ātmā-dṛka dekhe brahma-sama
- sampūrṇa darśana sei samparka se sama
Text 35: Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for by this knowledge you will see that all living beings are but part of the Supreme, or, in other words, that they are Mine.
- pāpī hate pāpī yadi haye thāka tumi
- tathāpi jñānera pote taribe āpani
Text 36: Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries.
- pravala agnite yathā kāṣṭha bhasmasāt
- jñānāgni jvalile pāpa sakala nipāt
- ataev jñānatulya nāhi se pavitra
- tāhā nahe jaḍa jñān lābh yatra-tatra
Text 37: As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.
- yog-siddha sei jñān cinmaya nirmal
- se jñān labhile habe ānande vihval
Text 38: In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become accomplished in the practice of devotional service enjoys this knowledge within himself in due course of time.
- sraddhāvān yei hay labhe sei jñān
- saṁyata indriya yār tatpara se han
- se jñān labhile śānti acirāt pāya
- saṁsārera yata kleś sab miṭe yāy
Text 39: A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having achieved it he quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace.
- saṁśayātmā ajña yārā tāhe śraddhā nāi
- vināśa niścaya tār kahinu niścaya-i
- se sab lokera nāi iha-parakāl
- saṁśayī ātmā se duḥkhī se saṁsāra-jāl
Text 40: But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.
- ataeva yoga dvārā sandeha vihīna
- jñāna-lābha dvārā haya saṁśay vilīna
- ātmavān jñanavān karma hate mukta
- he dhanañjay! tumi sei hao nityamukta
Text 41: One who acts in devotional service, renouncing the fruits of his actions, and whose doubts have been destroyed by transcendental knowledge, is situated factually in the self. Thus he is not bound by the reactions of work, O conqueror of riches.
- ajñāna-sambūta moha jñāna asi dvārā
- hṛdaye udaya sab haiyāche yār
- ei sab chinna kari jāgiyā uṭhibe
- he bhārat! yogotiṣṭha hao e saṁsāre
Text 42: Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of ignorance should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed with yoga, O Bharata, stand and fight.
- bhaktivedānta kahe śrī-gītāra gān
- śune yadi śuddha bhakta kṛṣṇagata-prāṇ
Thus Bhaktivedānta sings the song of Śrī Gītā, with the hope that hearing this, Kṛṣṇa conscious pure devotees will be pleased.