Chapter-4

TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE

Connection between Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 :

  • In Chapter 3 Krishna explained that lust covers knowledge and that ignorance binds us to the material world. Dutiful detached work, or karma-yoga is the means given to attain transcendental knowledge.
  • Chapter 3 thus glorifies transcendental knowledge as
    ⇒ Being able to elevate us from sakama karma-yoga to niskama karma-yoga.
    ⇒ Being able to award our intelligence the strength to overcome all lusty desires
  • Having the power to purify our consciousness from passion to goodness.
  • Now Chapter 4 emphasizes on what is transcendental knowledge and how it is received.
  • Also Bg. 3.30 mentions that, to perform the highest level of karma-yoga – surrendering all works to Krishna – one must know who Krishna is. Chapter 4 provides this knowledge.
BREAKDOWN OF CHAPTER-4
  • (4.1 – 4.10) — TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT KRISHNA
  • Transcendental knowledge about Krishna should be received by disciplic succession.
  • This reveals the truth about Krishna’s form, His birth and His activities.
  • Knowing these truths, one who takes shelter of Krishna becomes purified and attains Krishna.
  • (4.11 – 4.15) — APPLYING TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE
  • Krishna is neutral and sanctions the awarding of fruits of everyone’s work
  • Awards the fruits according to the living entity’s desire and past deeds
  • Understanding Krishna in this way, keeps one free from material bondage
  • One can perform detached actions in Krishna’s service by applying ‘transcendental knowledge’ They are called akarma.
  • Akarma refers to actions without reactions and such actions are on the absolute platform.
  • Krishna explains how in this way karma can be seen as jnana.
  • (4.25 – 4.33) — SACRIFICES LEAD TO TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE
  • Fruit of all kinds of Vedic sacrifices is ‘transcendental knowledge’.
  • This leads to liberation and ultimately to pure devotional service.
  • (4.34 – 4.42) — CONCLUSION
  • Acting on ‘transcendental knowledge’ received by disciplic succession destroys the sinful reactions to all work.
  • Therefore one should do his duty fixed in transcendental knowledge.
Summary of Chapter-4
TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT KRISHNA
(4.1 – 4.10)

Text (4.1 – 4.3)

Ancient origins of Bhagavad-gita and qualifications to receive

  • The Lord explains that science of work, explained in Chapters 2 and 3, is very old and authorized; and He gave this knowledge to Vivasvan and then the Supreme science was received through ‘disciplic succession’ (Answer to how it was received) but in the course of time the succession was broken.
  • Who is qualified to receive the transcendental mystery of this science?
    ⇒ Devotee
    ⇒ Friend (Devotee can be in one of the five primary rasas,e.g. Arjuna is a friend)
    ⇒ Other references on Qualifications Ref. 4.34, 4.39, 9.1, 18.67-68

Text (4.4)

Arjuna’s doubt : How can Krishna, born as son of Devaki, instruct Vivasvan who is millions of years older.

Text (4.5 – 4.10)

1. Text 4.5 and 4.6 talks about ‘His appearance and disappearance’

  • Text 4.5: My birth and death are not like yours
  • Text 4.6: I appear in My original transcendental form which is unborn and never dies , I appear by My own will

2. Texts 4.7 – 4.8 talks about ‘His activities.’ It explains when and why Krishna appears – reasons of descent:

  • When
    o Decline in religion
    o Predominant rise in irreligion
  • Why
    o To annihilate the demons
    o To deliver the devotees (from anxiety to see the Lord)
    o To re-establish the principles of religion

3. Text 4.9 – 4.10 talks about the result of understanding the knowledge of ‘transcendental birth’ (Texts 4.5 & 4.6) and ‘activities’ (Texts 4.7 & 4.8)

  • To be absorbed in Krishna
  • Become purified
  • Freed from attachment, fear and anger
  • Attain love for Krishna
  • Go back to Krishna (Transcendental abode)
  • No re-birth in material world
APPLYING TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE
(4.11 – 4.15)

Text (4.11)

By hearing about Krishna many, many persons in the past became purified and attained love for Krishna. They attained love for Krishna because this was their desire and Krishna fulfilled it. What if someone takes shelter of Krishna with something other than a desire to achieve transcendental love for Him? Text 4.11 explains Krishna’s reciprocation with such category of souls.

Text (4.12)

They worship demigods or some powerful man of this world because they want quick results in their fruitive acts

  • One who worships Krishna for material benefit, does obtain his desire, but first Krishna purifies his heart. Purification may take some time. Also when reward is achieved devotee no longer wants it e.g. Dhurva Maharaja.
  • Analogy: Boons of demigods are like bubbles in Cosmic Ocean.

Text (4.13)

Krishna creates Varnashrama dharma so that people could purify themselves by regulating desires

  • Varnashrama system is the process of purification for one whose material desire inhibits him from directly approaching Krishna.

Text (4.14)

Since Krishna is free from all fruitive attachments:

  • He has no personal interest in Varnasrama dharma
  • He creates it only to help the living entity fulfill their desires and get purified

Text (4.15)

Previous liberated souls perform their Varnasrama dharma for Krishna’s pleasure, knowing Him to be the transcendental creator of Varnasrama. Krishna advises Arjuna to do the same.

UNDERSTANDING KARMA ON THE PLATFORM OF JNANA
(4.16 – 4.24)

Text (4.16)

Must follow liberated souls – Without following liberated souls one is sure to be bewildered in discovering karma, vikarma and akarma

  • This verse mentions the need to avoid independent work – Action has to be executed in accordance with the example of previous bona-fide devotees
  • Therefore Lord offers to explain karma, vikarma and akarma.

Text (4.17)

Intricacies of karma are difficult to understand

  • Distinguish very carefully between the three subjects of karma, vikarma and akarma
  • This verse explains “Why such actions should not be independent” – because they are very intricate

Text (4.18)

Seeing ‘action in inaction’ and ‘inaction in action’ – Freedom from reaction can result from proper action and sinful reaction can result from improper renunciation.

Text (4.19 – 4.24) 

Common Theme- “Akarma in Karma” (inaction in action)

SYMPTOMS / QUALITIES OF ONE “WORKING IN TRANSCENDENCE” – For ease of memorization the points below are given a pneumonic with 4 D’s, 4 F’s and 4 S’s

1. Main characteristic – Works without attachment (Detached) to sense gratification (4.19)
2. Detached from fruits – Acts without fruitive attachment, although engaged in all undertakings (4.20)
3. Ever-Satisfied and independent (4.20*)
4. Self-control – Mind and intelligence fully controlled (4.21)
5. Freedom from sense of proprietorship (4.21)
6. Desires only bare necessities (4.21)
7. Self-satisfaction – Satisfied with whatever comes by providence with no over-endeavor (4.22*)
8. Freedom from duality – nothing can hamper his service (4.22*)
9. Steadiness – Steady in success and failure (4.22*)
10. Freedom from envy (4.22*)
11. Detached from the modes (4.23*)
12. Fully situated in transcendental knowledge (4.23*)
13. Such kind of work merges into transcendence (4.23*)
14. Absolute quality of a sacrifice performed in Krishna consciousness has no reaction (4.24)

SACRIFICES LEAD TO TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE
(4.25 – 4.33)

Text (4.25 – 4.29)

Varieties of sacrifices which lead to transcendental knowledge, are explained:

1. Demigod worship (4.25)
2. Sacrifices into Brahman (4.25)
3. Hearing process and senses in the fire of mental control – The unadulterated brahmacaris (4.26)
4. Objects of senses in the fire of the senses – Regulated grhastas (4.26)
5. Astanga-yoga → ‘Patanjali’ yoga system (4.27)

  • Offers the function of all the senses and of the life breath, as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind
  • Goal: Merging into existence of Absolute

6. Charity – Dravyamaya-yajna (study examples) (4.28)

  • Charitable institutions, old-age homes etc.

7. Austerity – Tapomaya-yajna (e.g. Caturmasya and Chandrayana) (4.28)
8. Yoga-yajna – Sacrifice for a certain perfection in material world (4.28)

  • E.g. Patanjali system – For merging into the existence into the Absolute
  • Hatha-yoga or Astanga-yoga – For particular perfections
  • Holy pilgrimage

9. Study of scriptures – Svadhyaya yajna – Upanisads and Vedanta Sutras, or the Sankhya philosophy (4.28)
10. Hatha-yoga and Pranayama (4.29)

Text (4.30 – 4.31)

  • Summarizes the purpose of all sacrifices (4.30)
  • Sacrifice is essential – Without that, no happiness in this life or next (4.31)

Text (4.32 – 4.33)

Why variety of sacrifices are recommended – As different medicines are prescribed for different diseases; different varieties of sacrifices are prescribed to suit different types of workers

  • Principle: Because the conditioned soul is in deep bodily concept – Work with body, mind or intelligence, in the form of different sacrifices, is recommended to ultimately get liberation (4.32 purport)

Sacrifice must be performed with the knowledge of their purpose and goal

  • Sacrifice performed in knowledge is better than mere sacrifice of material possessions
  • All sacrifices of work culminate in transcendental knowledge (4.33)
CONCLUSION
(4.34 – 4.42)

Text (4.34)

Approach bona-fide spiritual master – Acquire transcendental knowledge by enquiry, submission and service.

Text (4.35 – 4.38)

Rewards/Glories of transcendental knowledge thus attained from spiritual master

  • One will obtain knowledge and realization that all living entities are a part of Brahman. With such vision one will never fall into illusion (4.35)
  • By that knowledge you will cross over the ocean of miseries, even if you are the most sinful of all sinners (4.36)
  • By that knowledge of self and Supersoul and their relationship, one burns all sinful reactions (4.37)
  • One achieves self-realization as the mature fruit of all mysticism and finally gets devotional service (4.38)

Text (4.39 – 4.42)

  • Who can acquire transcendental knowledge – The faithful, with dedication and sense control (4.39)
  • Faithless cannot attain the perfection of God consciousness (4.40)
  • No sinful reactions can affect one who performs his duties with transcendental knowledge (4.41)
  • Armed with yoga, O Arjuna, stand and fight! (4.42)
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