Verse 4.1

The Blessed Lord spoke, words clear and bright,

"This Yoga imperishable, I gave to Sun's light,

Vivasvat told Manu, with wisdom's embrace,

Manu to Ikshvaku revealed its sacred space."

Verse 4.2

Thus passed it down, through ages in line,

The royal sages knew truths divine,

But time's relentless flow, O Arjuna bold,

This Yoga in the world grew faint and cold.

Verse 4.3

That ancient Yoga, I now impart to thee,

My devotee and friend, so close to Me,

This highest secret, I reveal with care,

A bond of love, a treasure we share.

Verse 4.4

Then Arjuna questioned, with curious mind,

"Your birth is later, Vivasvat's we find,

Was long before, the ancient texts declare,

How could you speak it first, beyond compare?"

Verse 4.5

The Blessed Lord replied, with gentle tone,

"Many births have passed, of yours and My own,

All of them I know, the cycles they span,

But you, O scorcher of foes, forget life's plan."

Verse 4.6

Though unborn am I, with nature unbent,

And Lord of all beings, divinely sent,

My own material nature I embrace,

And manifest Myself through Maya's grace.

Verse 4.7

Whenever righteousness starts to wane,

And evil forces rise with might and main,

Then I arise, O Bharata's son so true,

My presence to this earthly realm renew.

Verse 4.8

To guard the virtuous, and quell the wicked's sway,

For Dharma's firm foundation, come what may,

In every age, in cycles ever turning,

My manifestations, for righteousness burning.

Verse 4.9

Who knows My birth and actions, as truth they are,

Divine and wondrous, reaching near and far,

Leaving this body, no rebirth they find,

But come to Me, with heart and soul aligned.

Verse 4.10

From passion, fear, and anger they are free,

Absorbed in Me, their only sanctuary,

By knowledge purified, a penance grand,

Many have reached My being, hand in hand.

Verse 4.11

In whatsoever way, men seek My light,

In that same way, I grant them My might,

Men follow My path, in every single part,

O Partha, such is the yearning of the heart.

Verse 4.12

Desiring fruits of action, swift and plain,

To deities they offer their domain,

For in this human world, it's quickly seen,

The fruits of work, how rapidly they convene.

Verse 4.13

The fourfold order, by Me was made,

By qualities and actions, clearly laid,

Though I am its creator, understand this art,

The non.doer, imperishable, I am at heart.

Verse 4.14

No action taints Me, pure and ever bright,

Nor for its fruits, I hold the slightest plight,

Who knows Me thus, in wisdom's gentle gaze,

By actions' bonds, will never know life's maze.

Verse 4.15

Knowing this truth, the ancients sought release,

Performing actions, finding inner peace,

Therefore, do action, as they did of yore,

On paths of wisdom, walk forevermore.

Verse 4.16

What is true action? What inaction's guise?

Even the wise are lost, behind these lies,

But I shall teach you, action's secret deep,

By knowing which, from evil you shall leap.

Verse 4.17

Of action, you must learn the subtle way,

And also of forbidden deeds that stray,

And of inaction too, its essence find,

For action's nature, is inscrutable to mind.

Verse 4.18

Who sees inaction, in the midst of deed,

And action in stillness, plants a wisdom seed,

That one is wise, among all humankind,

A Yogi true, all actions well defined.

Verse 4.19

Whose every endeavor, from desire is free,

No willful thought his spirit holds, you see,

Whose actions are burnt, by knowledge's fire,

The wise declare him, a sage held ever higher.

Verse 4.20

Attachment to fruits of action cast aside,

Ever content, in nothing to confide,

Though engaged in action, with purpose keen,

Yet truly, he does nothing, it would seem.

Verse 4.21

Without expectation, mind and body tamed,

All possessions renounced, his spirit framed,

Doing bodily action, just what needs to be,

He gathers no sin, his conscience ever free.

Verse 4.22

Content with chance, whatever fate may send,

Beyond dualities, where pleasures blend

With pains that pierce, from envy far away,

In success and failure, he holds an equal sway,

Though acting ever, no binding chains he'll find.

Verse 4.23

From all attachments freed, liberated quite,

Whose mind in knowledge stands, a steady light,

For sacrifice he acts, with heart so pure,

His every deed, dissolves and will endure.

Verse 4.24

Brahman the offering, Brahman the flame,

By Brahman offered, in Brahman's holy name,

To Brahman alone, his journey takes its flight,

Absorbed in action, bathed in Brahman's light.

Verse 4.25

Some Yogis offer sacrifice with devotion deep,

To celestial beings, secrets they do keep,

While others offer in Brahman's fiery core,

The self as offering, forevermore.

Verse 4.26

Some offer hearing, senses keen and bright,

Into the fires of restraint, with all their might,

While others offer sound, and touch, and sight,

Into the senses' flames, burning ever light.

Verse 4.27

All functions of the senses, they surrender whole,

And vital energies, under self control,

Into the Yoga's fire, by knowledge made so bright,

They offer all, in wisdom's guiding light.

Verse 4.28

Some wealth as sacrifice, with open hand,

Some austerity's penance, across the land,

And Yoga's practice, some do consecrate,

While firm in vows, the scriptures they relate,

And knowledge they offer, to elevate.

Verse 4.29

Some offer breath that inwards starts to flow,

Into the outward breath, a rhythmic show,

And outward breath, into the inward tide,

Restraining currents, where Prana does reside,

Intent on Pranayama, nowhere else to hide.

Verse 4.30

While others, food in measured ways they take,

Life energies they offer, for goodness sake,

All these are knowers of sacrifice so true,

And through that sacred act, their sins subdue.

Verse 4.31

Who taste the nectar, after rites are done,

The residue of sacrifice, beneath the sun,

To eternal Brahman, they surely wend their way,

This world's not for the non sacrificing, they say,

How then the next, O Kurus' best, can light the day?

Verse 4.32

Thus many kinds of sacrifice unfold,

From Brahman's face, as scriptures have it told,

Know them all as born of action's seed,

And knowing this, you shall be freed indeed.

Verse 4.33

Superior the sacrifice of knowledge stands,

To offerings of objects, held in hands,

For every action, whole and truly vast,

O Partha, in knowledge finds its end at last.

Verse 4.34

Learn that through humble prostration's grace,

By earnest questioning, in time and space,

And by devoted service, freely given,

The wise, the seers of Truth, by wisdom driven,

Will knowledge teach, your inner sight will leaven.

Verse 4.35

Knowing which truth, no more shall you be swayed,

By doubt's illusions, in darkness to have strayed,

For in your Self, all beings you shall see,

Without exception, and also in Me.

Verse 4.36

Even if you are the most sinful one,

Whose deeds of darkness, like shadows run,

By knowledge's raft, you shall surely glide,

Across the ocean of sin, on wisdom's tide.

Verse 4.37

As blazing fire, consumes the fuel's might,

Reducing all to ashes, in its burning light,

So too the fire of knowledge, pure and grand,

Reduces all actions, in this mortal land.

Verse 4.38

Verily, nothing in this world can claim,

A purity like knowledge, its sacred name,

That, one perfected in Yoga's art,

In time, within his own Self, will impart.

Verse 4.39

The faithful man, to wisdom's call inclined,

Devoted, senses mastered, you will find,

Obtains that knowledge, shining bright and bold,

And having gained it, peace will soon unfold.

Verse 4.40

The ignorant, the faithless heart that doubts,

The doubting self, to ruin surely sprouts,

No joy in this world, nor the world to come,

Nor happiness awaits, for the doubting bum.

Verse 4.41

Who renounced actions, through Yoga's sacred way,

Whose doubts by knowledge, have lost their cruel sway,

Self possessed is he, with spirit bright,

No actions bind him, O Dhananjaya's might.

Verse 4.42

Therefore, with wisdom's sword, so sharp and keen,

Cut through the doubt, that in your heart has been,

Born of ignorance, a shadow in your soul,

Resort to Yoga, make yourself whole,

Arise, O Bharata, and reach your destined goal.

Ending

Om Tat Sat, the truth revealed and told,

In Bhagavad Gita's Upanishads of old,

In Brahman's science, Yoga's holy lore,

Krishna and Arjuna, forevermore,

The Fourth Chapter ends, "Knowledge, Action, and Renunciation" its core.