BHAGAVAD-GITA 4:42

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 4:42

 

tasmad ajnana-sambhutam

hrt-stham jnanasinatmanah

chittvainam samsayam yogam

atisthottistha bharata

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

tasmat--therefore; ajnana-sambhutam--born of ignorance;

hrt-stham--situated in the heart; jnana--of knowledge; asina--by the

weapon; atmanah--of the self; chittva--cutting off; enam--this;

samsayam--doubt; yogam--in yoga; atistha--be situated; uttistha--stand

up to fight; bharata--O descendant of Bharata.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of ignorance

should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed with yoga, O

Bharata, stand and fight.

 

PURPORT

 

The yoga system instructed in this chapter is called sanatana-yoga, or

eternal activities performed by the living entity. This yoga has two

divisions of sacrificial actions: one is called sacrifice of one's

material possessions, and the other is called knowledge of self, which

is pure spiritual activity. If sacrifice of one's material possessions

is not dovetailed for spiritual realization, then such sacrifice

becomes material. But one who performs such sacrifices with a

spiritual objective, or in devotional service, makes a perfect

sacrifice. When we come to spiritual activities, we find that these

are also divided into two: namely, understanding of one's own self (or

one's constitutional position), and the truth regarding the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. One who follows the path of Bhagavad-gita as

it is can very easily understand these two important divisions of

spiritual knowledge. For him there is no difficulty in obtaining

perfect knowledge of the self as part and parcel of the Lord. And such

understanding is beneficial, for such a person can easily understand

the transcendental activities of the Lord. In the beginning of this

chapter, the transcendental activities of the Lord were discussed by

the Supreme Lord Himself. One who does not understand the instructions

of the Gita is faithless, and is to be considered to be misusing the

fragmental independence awarded to him by the Lord. In spite of such

instructions, one who does not understand the real nature of the Lord

as the eternal, blissful, all-knowing Personality of Godhead is

certainly fool number one. Ignorance can be removed by gradual

acceptance of the principles of Krsna consciousness. Krsna

consciousness is awakened by different types of sacrifices to the

demigods, sacrifice to Brahman, sacrifice in celibacy, in household

life, in controlling the senses, in practicing mystic yoga, in

penance, in forgoing material possessions, in studying the Vedas, and

in partaking of the social institution called varnasrama-dharma. All

of these are known as sacrifice, and all of them are based on

regulated action. But within all these activities, the important

factor is self-realization. One who seeks that objective is the real

student of Bhagavad-gita, but one who doubts the authority of Krsna

falls back. One is therefore advised to study Bhagavad-gita, or any

other scripture, under a bona fide spiritual master, with service and

surrender. A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession

from time eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the

instructions of the Supreme Lord as they were imparted millions of

years ago to the sun-god, from whom the instructions of Bhagavad-gita

have come down to the earthly kingdom. One should, therefore, follow

the path of Bhagavad-gita as it is expressed in the Gita itself and

beware of self-interested people after personal aggrandizement who

deviate others from the actual path. The Lord is definitely the

supreme person, and His activities are transcendental. One who

understands this is a liberated person from the very beginning of his

study of Bhagavad-gita.

 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fourth Chapter of the

Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Transcendental Knowledge.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.