4:1, 2: The Blessed One, Shri Krishna, explained: I instructed this immutable yoga system to the sun god Vivasvan. He taught it to Manu [the archetypal or first man, progenitor of humanity], and Manu taught it to Iksvaku [the first king of the Ikshvaku Solar dynasty, also known as the Suryavamsha. He was an ancestor of Rama, the hero of the epic Ramayana].
Through disciplic succession [paramparā], the royal sages understood this knowledge, but, with the passage of time, this great yoga system was lost to this world Arjuna [Chastiser of Enemies].
4:3: Today, I declare this ancient yoga system to you because you are My devotee and My friend. I will fully reveal this greatest of all mysteries.
4:4: Arjuna asked: You were born after Vivasvan [the sun god who first received these teachings]; how am I to understand that in the beginning You thus instructed him?
4:5: Shri Krishna the Blessed One said: Many, many births both you and I have passed through. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, Arjuna [O Chastiser of Enemies].
4:6: Although I [One God] am unborn, being the imperishable and supreme Lord of all those who are born, I manifest and establish Myself within nature by My illusory power.
4:7,8: Surely, whenever and at whatever time righteousness declines, Arjuna [O descendant of Bharata], and there occurs a predominance of unrighteousness, at that time I manifest Myself. I appear age after age to deliver saintly people, destroy the wicked, and firmly reestablish religious principles.
4:9: Those who accurately know the nature of My birth and divine activities, once the body is abandoned, are never born again but attain Me, O Arjuna.
4:10, 11: Freed from attachment, fear, and anger, always absorbed in thoughts of Me, taking refuge in Me, purified through the fires [or austerities] of knowledge, many have attained devotion to Me. To those who betake themselves of Me in the manner mentioned [i.e., bhakti or devotion yoga], I reward my path, but regardless, everyone follows Me in all ways, O Arjuna.
4:12: Desiring success through their fruits of their activities, people in this world perform sacrifices to the gods [devas: demigods] and quickly become successful in their endeavors.
4:13: The fourfold caste system was created by Me according to the divisions of qualities and works. Of that system know Me to be the author, even though I do nothing and am immutable.
The Varnashrama Dharma:
The Varnashrama Dharma, or Caste System, is the social and spiritual framework of Indian society. It organizes society into four social classes and four life stages. The dharma teaches people to work and live according to their natural tendencies. Originally, the system worked perfectly, but in time was corrupted into an essentially racist power structure. The influence of the system is still evident in rural India, even though it has been banned from practice.
Varna (social classes):
- Brahmana: Priests, scholars, and intellectuals
- Kshatriya: Warriors, rulers, police, and administration
- Vaishya: Merchants, artisans, farmers, and business people
- Shudra: Laborers, service providers, and workers
Ashrama (life stages)
- Brahmacharya: Student life
- Grihastha: Household life
- Vanaprastha: Retired life
- Sannyasa: Renounced life
4:14: Actions do not taint Me [One God], nor do I desire the fruit of any activities. Karmic reactions do not bind one who thus desires Me.
4:15: Knowing that the ancients, who also sought liberation, performed their actions in this way, follow their example and perform your activities.
4:16: Even the great sages are deluded about what action and what inaction are. I will explain ‘action’ to you. Knowing this, you will be liberated from all misfortune.
4:17: The nature of action should be discerned. One should understand right and wrong actions, as well as inaction, because the path of action [Karma Yoga] is obscure [without accurate knowledge or jnana].
4:18: One who sees action in inaction and inaction in action is intelligent among all beings. Such a soul is perfectly yoked [to the truth] in all activities.
4:19, 20: One whose endeavors are without desire and ulterior motives, whose actions have been purified by the fires of right-knowledge [Jnana Yoga], such a person is called a pundit or learned person by those who understand. Abandoning all attachment to the fruits of activities, such a person is always satisfied, depending on none, ever engaged in activities, yet doing nothing [that produces karma].
4:21: Hoping for nothing, controlling the mind and self, the wise renounce all material possessions. Their only actions are those demanded by the body. Thus, no guilt [or negative reactions] is gained.
4:22: Satisfied with whatever comes of its own accord, one is free from all dualities and envy; is equipoise in success or failure, and although acting, remains unfettered.
4:23: One who is liberated and devoid of attachment, whose mind is established in knowledge and who sacrifices all actions [to God], has all reactions to melt away.
4:24: Brahman [or Ultimate Reality] is the oblation. Brahman is the clarified butter. Brahman is the fire of sacrifice. All offerings are performed by Brahman to reach Brahman through completely concentrated actions [of devotion].
In other words, one whose consciousness is fully absorbed in One God through devotion or bhakti, attains everything material and spiritual because everything such a person does is performed as an offering to God. This purified consciousness is the essence of who we are as eternal lovers of One God. This is Self-realization as such a person lives in and for the Beloved alone, which is our highest constitutional marga or path.
4:25 - 30: Some yogis sacrifice to the demigods [devas] while others perform sacrifices in the fire of Brahman [i.e., through deep meditation]. Thus, they also offer sacrifice.
Others offer the senses of hearing, etc., into the fire of restraint while others offer sound vibrations and various objects of the senses into the fire of the senses.
Still others sacrifice all the functions of their senses and the breath/energy of life [kundalini] into the fire of the yoga of self-restraint. Such sacrifices are all sparked by knowledge.
Others sacrifice their possessions or offer the sacrifice of austerities and thus observe yogic stringencies. Others offer the sacrifice of Vedic study and the sacrifice of knowledge, while still others become ascetics and take upon themselves rigid vows.
Yet others sacrifice the incoming breath into the outgoing breath and the outgoing into the incoming, thus by restraining the movements of the outgoing and incoming breaths, they are intent on restricting the life breath.
Others regulate eating by sacrificing the life air into the life air. All those who understand the goal of sacrifice have their sins burned up in the fire of sacrifice.
4:31: Those who have tasted the nectar of such sacrifices go to the Supreme Abode [called by various names, including Akshar]. O best among the Kurus, this world [the Earth plane] is not eternal; for one who does not sacrifice, how can the other [Akshar] be attained?
4:32: Thus, there are many types of sacrifices promulgated in Vedas. They are all born of actions conducted in the ‘mouth of Brahman’ [or they are revealed by One God, Ultimate Reality]. By understanding and applying them, you will be liberated.
4:33: But superior to the sacrifice of material objects is the sacrifice of knowledge, O Arjuna (chastiser of the enemy] because all action [karma] culminates in knowledge [jnana].
4:34, 35: To learn that knowledge, prostrate before, submissively question, and render service to those who know the truth, and those realized saints will instruct you in knowledge. [Realizing that knowledge], you will never again be deluded, O Arjuna [son of Pandu], but will see all living entities within yourself and in Me [One God].
4:36: Even if you are the most sinful of all sinners, still by this boat of knowledge, you will cross over the great sea of sin and material rebirth.
4:37: Just as a blazing fire reduces wood to ashes, O Arjuna, so too does the fire of knowledge reduce all activities to ashes.
4:38: Indeed, nothing comparable to pure knowledge exists here in this world. One who is advanced in yoga finds this knowledge within himself in due time.
4:39: One who has faith and is determined to control the senses achieves this knowledge. Having achieved this, such a soul soon attains the highest peace.
4:40: Those who are devoid of knowledge and who doubt the scriptural conclusions perish. For one who is filled with doubts, there is no happiness in this world or the next.
4:41: One who has renounced the fruits of activities by yoga, whose doubts are cut asunder by knowledge, who has mastered the self, is not bound by actions, O Arjuna [Dhananjaya: you are have become rich by taking gold from your enemies, in other words, successful warrior].
4:42: Therefore, cut off the ignorance which is abiding in your heart with the sword of knowledge. Taking refuge in yoga, O Arjuna [descendant of Bharata], stand and fight [or do your duty].
Here Ends Chapter Four