Shrimad Bhagavad Gita · 42 verses
Chapter 4: Knowledge and Renunciation of Action
Krishna reveals that this wisdom is ancient and that he appears in every age to protect dharma. The fire of knowledge burns away the bondage of action.
All verses, with meaning
4.1The ancient line of teachingKrishna said: I taught this everlasting yoga to Vivasvan, the Sun god; Vivasvan taught it …4.2Knowledge lost over timePassed down this way from one to the next, the royal sages knew this yoga. But over a long…4.3Told to a devotee and friendThat same ancient yoga I have told you today, because you are my devotee and my friend. It…4.4Arjuna's doubtArjuna said: You were born recently, and Vivasvan was born long ago. How am I to understan…4.5Many birthsKrishna said: Arjuna, both you and I have passed through many births. I know them all, but…4.6How God takes birthThough I am unborn and unchanging, and the Lord of all beings, I take birth through my own…4.7Whenever dharma declinesO Bharata, whenever dharma declines and adharma rises, I manifest myself.4.8I appear in every ageTo protect the good, destroy the wicked and re-establish dharma, I appear in every age.4.9Divine birth and deedsOne who truly understands that my birth and actions are divine does not take birth again a…4.10Purified by knowledgeFree from attachment, fear and anger, absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many people,…4.11God meets us as we comeIn whatever way people come to Me, in that same way I respond to them. Partha, all people …4.12Worship for quick resultsWanting success in their work, people in this world worship the gods, because success from…4.13Four orders by quality and workI created the four orders of society according to people's qualities and work. Though I am…4.14Actions do not bind MeActions do not stain Me, and I have no desire for their fruit. One who knows Me like this …4.15Act as the ancients didKnowing this, even the seekers of liberation in ancient times did their work. So you too s…4.16What is action?What is action and what is inaction? Even the wise are confused about this. I will explain…4.17The deep way of actionOne must understand what action is, what wrong action is, and what inaction is. The way of…4.18Inaction in actionOne who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among people; such a person…4.19Actions burned by knowledgeOne whose every undertaking is free from selfish desire and planning, and whose actions ar…4.20Busy yet freeGiving up attachment to the fruits of action, always content and depending on nothing, suc…4.21Simple living, no sinWithout longing, with mind and body controlled, giving up all possessiveness, doing only b…4.22Content with what comesContent with whatever comes on its own, beyond opposites, free from envy, and the same in …4.23Actions dissolveFor one free of attachment, liberated, with a mind fixed in knowledge, and working only as…4.24Everything is BrahmanThe act of offering is Brahman, the offering is Brahman, it is offered by Brahman into the…4.25Kinds of yajnaSome yogis perform yajna as worship of the gods, while others offer the self itself as yaj…4.26Self-control as yajnaSome offer hearing and the other senses into the fire of self-control; others offer sound …4.27Discipline lit by knowledgeOthers offer all the actions of the senses and of the life-breath into the fire of self-di…4.28Many ways of offeringSome offer wealth as yajna, some austerity, some the practice of yoga; others, strict in t…4.29Breath as offeringOthers, devoted to breath control, offer the outgoing breath into the incoming and the inc…4.30Restraint in eatingOthers, eating with restraint, offer their life-breaths into the life-breaths. All these k…4.31The nectar of yajnaThose who partake of what remains of yajna, like nectar, reach the eternal Brahman. Arjuna…4.32All yajnas come from actionMany such kinds of yajna are described in the Vedas. Know that all of them are born of act…4.33Knowledge is the best offeringThe yajna of knowledge is better than a yajna of material things, Arjuna. All action, with…4.34Learn humbly from the wiseLearn this truth by bowing humbly, by asking sincere questions and by serving. The wise wh…4.35Seeing all in oneselfKnowing this, Arjuna, you will not fall into such delusion again. Through it you will see …4.36The boat of knowledgeEven if you were the worst of all sinners, you would cross over all sin with the boat of k…4.37The fire of knowledgeJust as a blazing fire turns wood to ash, Arjuna, the fire of knowledge turns all actions …4.38Nothing purifies like knowledgeNothing in this world purifies like knowledge. One who is perfected in yoga finds it withi…4.39Faith leads to knowledgeA person of faith, devoted to it and with senses controlled, gains knowledge. Having gaine…4.40Doubt destroysThe ignorant person without faith, who is full of doubt, is ruined. For the doubting mind …4.41Free of doubt, free of bondsActions do not bind one who has given up actions through yoga, whose doubts are cut by kno…4.42Cut doubt with knowledgeSo cut this doubt in your heart, born of ignorance, with the sword of knowledge. Take refu…