Diya Scripture guide
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4: Wisdom in Action
Read all 42 verses of Bhagavad Gita chapter 4, The Yoga of Knowledge and Renunciation of Action, in Sanskrit with transliteration and English translation.
The short answer
Chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita, traditionally titled The Yoga of Knowledge and Renunciation of Action, has 42 verses.
In Diya's summary: Krishna reveals ancient wisdom, divine descent, and action transformed by knowledge. Below are all 42 verses of chapter 4 in Sanskrit, each with a transliteration and Diya's English translation.
Bhagavad Gita chapter 4 in English
Every verse below comes from Diya's Bhagavad Gita library, in verse order.
| Sanskrit and transliteration | English |
|---|---|
| 4.1 इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्। विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत्॥ imaṃ vivasvate yogaṃ proktavānahamavyayam | vivasvān manave prāha manurikṣvākave’bravīt || | I taught this imperishable yoga to Vivasvat; Vivasvat taught it to Manu, and Manu taught it to Ikshvaku. |
| 4.2 एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः। स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप॥ evaṃ paramparāprāptamimaṃ rājarṣayo viduḥ | sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa || | Thus handed down in regular succession, the royal sages knew it. This yoga, by long lapse of time, declined in this world, O burner of foes. |
| 4.3 स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः। भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम्॥ sa evāyaṃ mayā te’dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ | bhakto’si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṃ hyetaduttamam || | I have this day told you that same ancient yoga, (for) you are My devotee, and My friend, and this secret is profound indeed. |
| 4.4 अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः। कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति॥ aparaṃ bhavato janma paraṃ janma vivasvataḥ | kathametadvijānīyāṃ tvamādau proktavāniti || | Later was Your birth, and that of Vivasvat prior; how then should I understand that You told this in the beginning? |
| 4.5 बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन। तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप॥ bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna | tānyahaṃ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṃ vettha parantapa || | Many are the births that have been passed by Me and you, O Arjuna. I know them all, whilst you know not, O subduer of foes. |
| 4.6 अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्। प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया॥ ajo’pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvaro’pi san | prakṛtiṃ svāmadhiṣṭhāya sambhavāmyātmamāyayā || | Though I am unborn, of changeless nature and Lord of beings, yet subjugating My prakriti, I come into being by My own maya. |
| 4.7 यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम्॥ yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata | abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham || | Whenever dharma declines and adharma rises, O Bharata, then I manifest Myself. |
| 4.8 परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्। धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे॥ paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām | dharmasaṃsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge || | For the protection of the good, the destruction of evildoers, and the establishment of dharma, I manifest age after age. |
| 4.9 जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः। त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन॥ janma karma ca me divyamevaṃ yo vetti tattvataḥ | tyaktvā dehaṃ punarjanma naiti māmeti so’rjuna || | One who thus knows, in true light, My divine birth and action, leaving the body, is not born again: he attains to Me, O Arjuna. |
| 4.10 वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः। बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः॥ vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ | bahavo jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ || | Freed from attachment, fear, and anger, absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many purified by knowledge have attained My state. |
| 4.11 ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्। मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः॥ ye yathā māṃ prapadyante tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham | mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ || | As people approach Me, so do I respond to them. In every way, O Partha, human beings follow My path. |
| 4.12 काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः। क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा॥ kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha devatāḥ | kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmajā || | People who desire success in action worship the gods in this world, for results born of action are quickly attained in the human realm. |
| 4.13 चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः। तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम्॥ cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ | tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam || | The fourfold order was created by Me according to distinctions of guṇa and action. Though I am its author, know Me as the changeless non-doer. |
| 4.14 न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा। इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते॥ na māṃ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā | iti māṃ yo’bhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate || | Actions do not stain Me, nor have I any thirst for the result of action. One who knows Me thus is not fettered by action. |
| 4.15 एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः। कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम्॥ evaṃ jñātvā kṛtaṃ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ | kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṃ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṃ kṛtam || | Knowing thus, the ancient seekers after freedom also performed action. Do you, therefore, perform action, as did the ancients in olden times. |
| 4.16 किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः। तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्॥ kiṃ karma kimakarmeti kavayo’pyatra mohitāḥ | tatte karma pravakṣyāmi yajjñātvā mokṣyase’śubhāt || | Even sages are bewildered, as to what is truly action and what is inaction. I shall therefore tell you what action is, by knowing which you will be freed from evil. |
| 4.17 कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः। अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः॥ karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ | akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ || | For (the true nature) even of action (enjoined by the Shastras) should be known, as also, (that) of forbidden action, and of inaction: the nature of karma is impenetrable. |
| 4.18 कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः। स बुद्धिमान् मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्॥ karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ | sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt || | One who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among human beings; that person is integrated and has accomplished all action. |
| 4.19 यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः। ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः॥ yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāmasaṅkalpavarjitāḥ | jñānāgnidagdhakarmāṇaṃ tamāhuḥ paṇḍitaṃ budhāḥ || | One whose undertakings are free from desire and self-centered intention, and whose actions are burned in the fire of knowledge, is known as wise by those who understand. |
| 4.20 त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः। कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः॥ tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ | karmaṇyabhipravṛtto’pi naiva kiñcitkaroti saḥ || | Forsaking the clinging to fruits of action, ever satisfied, depending on nothing, though engaged in action, he does truly not do anything. |
| 4.21 निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः। शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्॥ nirāśīryatacittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ | śārīraṃ kevalaṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam || | Free from expectation, with mind and self-controlled, having relinquished all possessiveness, one incurs no fault by performing only the bodily action required. |
| 4.22 यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः। समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते॥ yadṛcchālābhasantuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ | samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate || | Content with what comes to him without effort, unaffected by opposites, free from envy, even-minded in success and failure, though acting, he is not bound. |
| 4.23 गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः। यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते॥ gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacetasaḥ | yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṃ pravilīyate || | Devoid of attachment, liberated, with mind centred in knowledge, performing work for yajna alone, his whole karma dissolves away. |
| 4.24 ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्महविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्। ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना॥ brahmārpaṇaṃ brahmahavirbrahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam | brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahmakarmasamādhinā || | The offering is Brahman; the oblation is Brahman, offered by Brahman into the fire of Brahman. Brahman alone is reached by one absorbed in action as Brahman. |
| 4.25 दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते। ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति॥ daivamevāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate | brahmāgnāvapare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuhvati || | Some Yogis perform sacrifices to devas alone, while others offer the self as sacrifice by the self in the fire of Brahman alone. |
| 4.26 श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति। शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति॥ śrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye saṃyamāgniṣu juhvati | śabdādīnviṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati || | Others offer hearing and other senses as sacrifice in the fire of control, while others offer sound and other sense-objects as sacrifice in the fire of the senses. |
| 4.27 सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे। आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते॥ sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi cāpare | ātmasaṃyamayogāgnau juhvati jñānadīpite || | Others offer all the actions of the senses and the functions of the vital energy, as sacrifice in the fire of control in self, kindled by knowledge. |
| 4.28 द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे। स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः॥ dravyayajñāstapoyajñā yogayajñāstathāpare | svādhyāyajñānayajñāśca yatayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ || | Others again offer wealth, austerity, and yoga, as sacrifice, while still others, of self-restraint and rigid vows, offer study of the scriptures and knowledge, as sacrifice. |
| 4.29 अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे। प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः॥ apāne juhvati prāṇaṃ prāṇe’pānaṃ tathāpare | prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ || | Yet some offer as sacrifice the outgoing into the incoming breath, and the incoming into the outgoing, stopping the courses of the incoming and outgoing breaths and constantly practicing the regulation of the vital energy. |
| 4.30 अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति। सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः॥ apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇānprāṇeṣu juhvati | sarve’pyete yajñavido yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ || | While others, of regulated food, offer in the Pranas the functions thereof. All of these are knowers of yajna, having their sins consumed by yajna. |
| 4.31 यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम्। नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम॥ yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam | nāyaṃ loko’styayajñasya kuto’nyaḥ kurusattama || | People who partake of the nectar left from sacrifice attain eternal Brahman. If even this world is not for one who performs no sacrifice, how could any other world be, O best of the Kurus? |
| 4.32 एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे। कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे॥ evaṃ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe | karmajānviddhi tānsarvānevaṃ jñātvā vimokṣyase || | Various Yajnas, like the above, are strewn in the store-house of the Veda. Know them all to be born of action, and thus knowing, you will be free. |
| 4.33 श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप। सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते॥ śreyāndravyamayādyajñājjñānayajñaḥ parantapa | sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate || | Knowledge-sacrifice, O subduer of foes, is superior to sacrifice (performed) with (material) objects. All action in its entirety, O Partha, attains its consummation in knowledge. |
| 4.34 तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया। उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः॥ tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā | upadekṣyanti te jñānaṃ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ || | Learn this through reverence, sincere inquiry, and service. The wise who see the truth will instruct you in knowledge. |
| 4.35 यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव। येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि॥ yajjñātvā na punarmohamevaṃ yāsyasi pāṇḍava | yena bhūtānyaśeṣeṇa drakṣyasyātmanyatho mayi || | Knowing which, you will not, O Pandava, again get deluded like this, and by which you will see the whole of creation in (your) Self and in Me. |
| 4.36 अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः। सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि॥ api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ | sarvaṃ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṃ santariṣyasi || | Even if you be the most sinful among all the sinful, yet by the raft of knowledge alone you will go across all sin. |
| 4.37 यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन। ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा॥ yathaidhāṃsi samiddho’gnirbhasmasātkurute’rjuna | jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurute tathā || | As blazing fire reduces wood into ashes, so, O Arjuna, does the fire of knowledge reduce all karma to ashes. |
| 4.38 न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते। तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति॥ na hi jñānena sadṛśaṃ pavitramiha vidyate | tatsvayaṃ yogasaṃsiddhaḥ kālenātmani vindati || | Nothing here is as purifying as knowledge. In time, one perfected in yoga discovers that knowledge within the Self. |
| 4.39 श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः। ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति॥ śraddhāvām̐llabhate jñānaṃ tatparaḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ | jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati || | One who has faith, is intent on knowledge, and has mastered the senses gains knowledge. Having gained knowledge, that person soon attains supreme peace. |
| 4.40 अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति। नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः॥ ajñaścāśraddadhānaśca saṃśayātmā vinaśyati | nāyaṃ loko’sti na paro na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ || | The ignorant, the person without Shraddha, the doubting self, goes to destruction. The doubting self has neither this world, nor the next, nor happiness. |
| 4.41 योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम्। आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय॥ yogasaṃnyastakarmāṇaṃ jñānasañchinnasaṃśayam | ātmavantaṃ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya || | With work renounced by yoga and doubts rent asunder by knowledge, O Dhananjaya, actions do not bind one who is poised in the Self. |
| 4.42 तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः। छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत॥ tasmādajñānasambhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinātmanaḥ | chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata || | Therefore, cutting with the sword of knowledge, this doubt about the Self, born of ignorance, residing in your heart, take refuge in yoga. Arise, O Bharata,. |
You can read all 18 chapters in Diya. To see where chapter 4 sits in the whole text, start with the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, or read how to start the Bhagavad Gita as a beginner.
Previous chapter: Chapter 3: The Yoga of Action. Next chapter: Chapter 5: Renunciation and Action.
Related reading
Questions people ask
How many verses are in Bhagavad Gita chapter 4?
Chapter 4 has 42 verses.
What is chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita called?
Its traditional title is The Yoga of Knowledge and Renunciation of Action. Diya calls it Wisdom in Action.
What is Bhagavad Gita chapter 4 about?
In Diya's summary: Krishna reveals ancient wisdom, divine descent, and action transformed by knowledge.
Research notes
Sources
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- Bhagavad Gita chapter 4 (Diya Gita library)
DiyaPublished by Houdini Apps, LLC
- Bhagavad Gita chapter titles (Diya Gita library)
DiyaPublished by Houdini Apps, LLC
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