{"id":4676,"date":"2026-09-16T20:14:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T14:44:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/bhagavad-gita-chapter-4-jnana-karma-sannyasa-yoga-iast\/"},"modified":"2026-09-19T14:52:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T09:22:09","slug":"bhagavad-gita-chapter-4-jnana-karma-sannyasa-yoga-iast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/bhagavad-gita-chapter-4-jnana-karma-sannyasa-yoga-iast\/","title":{"rendered":"Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 in English IAST: J\u00f1\u0101na Karma Sa\u1e43ny\u0101sa Yoga"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u0cb2\u0cbf\u0caa\u0cbf \u00b7 \u0932\u093f\u092a\u093f\u0903 \u00b7 Script: \u0c95\u0ca8\u0ccd\u0ca8\u0ca1<\/a>  \u00b7  \u0938\u0902\u0938\u094d\u0915\u0943\u0924\u092e\u094d<\/a>  \u00b7  English IAST<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4: J\u00f1\u0101na Karma Sa\u1e43ny\u0101sa Yoga<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Forty-two verses. The purpose of the avatara, and the understanding that sees inaction in action, are here.
Tap any verse card to open its page with the word-by-word meaning. Pages are ready for every verse of this chapter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

All eighteen chapters are listed here: \u015ar\u012bmad Bhagavad G\u012bt\u0101<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1<\/span>\u015br\u012bbhagav\u0101nuv\u0101ca
ima\u1e43 vivasvate yoga\u1e43 proktav\u0101nahamavyayam|
vivasv\u0101nmanave pr\u0101ha manurik\u1e63v\u0101kave’brav\u012bt || 1 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.1 \u2192<\/span><\/a>2<\/span>eva\u1e43 parampar\u0101pr\u0101ptamima\u1e43 r\u0101jar\u1e63ayo vidu\u1e25|
sa k\u0101leneha mahat\u0101 yogo na\u1e63\u1e6da\u1e25 parantapa || 2 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.2 \u2192<\/span><\/a>3<\/span>sa ev\u0101ya\u1e43 may\u0101 te’dya yoga\u1e25 prokta\u1e25 pur\u0101tana\u1e25|
bhakto’si me sakh\u0101 ceti rahasya\u1e43 hyetaduttamam || 3 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.3 \u2192<\/span><\/a>4<\/span>arjuna uv\u0101ca
apara\u1e43 bhavato janma para\u1e43 janma vivasvata\u1e25|
kathametadvij\u0101n\u012by\u0101\u1e43 tvam\u0101dau proktav\u0101niti || 4 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.4 \u2192<\/span><\/a>5<\/span>\u015br\u012bbhagav\u0101nuv\u0101ca
bah\u016bni me vyat\u012bt\u0101ni janm\u0101ni tava c\u0101rjuna|
t\u0101nyaha\u1e43 veda sarv\u0101\u1e47i na tva\u1e43 vettha parantapa || 5 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.5 \u2192<\/span><\/a>6<\/span>ajo’pi sannavyay\u0101tm\u0101 bh\u016bt\u0101n\u0101m\u012b\u015bvaro’pi san|
prak\u1e5bti\u1e43 sv\u0101madhi\u1e63\u1e6dh\u0101ya sambhav\u0101my\u0101tmam\u0101yay\u0101 || 6 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.6 \u2192<\/span><\/a>7<\/span>yad\u0101 yad\u0101 hi dharmasya gl\u0101nirbhavati bh\u0101rata|
abhyutth\u0101namadharmasya tad\u0101tm\u0101na\u1e43 s\u1e5bj\u0101myaham || 7 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.7 \u2192<\/span><\/a>8<\/span>paritr\u0101\u1e47\u0101ya s\u0101dh\u016bn\u0101\u1e43 vin\u0101\u015b\u0101ya ca du\u1e63k\u1e5bt\u0101m|
dharmasa\u1e43sth\u0101pan\u0101rth\u0101ya sambhav\u0101mi yuge yuge || 8 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.8 \u2192<\/span><\/a>9<\/span>janma karma ca me divyameva\u1e43 yo vetti tattvata\u1e25|
tyaktv\u0101 deha\u1e43 punarjanma naiti m\u0101meti so’rjuna || 9 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.9 \u2192<\/span><\/a>10<\/span>v\u012btar\u0101gabhayakrodh\u0101 manmay\u0101 m\u0101mup\u0101\u015brit\u0101\u1e25|
bahavo j\u00f1\u0101natapas\u0101 p\u016bt\u0101 madbh\u0101vam\u0101gat\u0101\u1e25 || 10 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.10 \u2192<\/span><\/a>11<\/span>ye yath\u0101 m\u0101\u1e43 prapadyante t\u0101\u1e43stathaiva bhaj\u0101myaham|
mama vartm\u0101nuvartante manu\u1e63y\u0101\u1e25 p\u0101rtha sarva\u015ba\u1e25 || 11 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.11 \u2192<\/span><\/a>12<\/span>k\u0101\u1e45k\u1e63anta\u1e25 karma\u1e47\u0101\u1e43 siddhi\u1e43 yajanta iha devat\u0101\u1e25|
k\u1e63ipra\u1e43 hi m\u0101nu\u1e63e loke siddhirbhavati karmaj\u0101 || 12 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.12 \u2192<\/span><\/a>13<\/span>c\u0101turvar\u1e47ya\u1e43 may\u0101 s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6da\u1e43 gu\u1e47akarmavibh\u0101ga\u015ba\u1e25|
tasya kart\u0101ramapi m\u0101\u1e43 viddhyakart\u0101ramavyayam || 13 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.13 \u2192<\/span><\/a>14<\/span>na m\u0101\u1e43 karm\u0101\u1e47i limpanti na me karmaphale sp\u1e5bh\u0101|
iti m\u0101\u1e43 yo’bhij\u0101n\u0101ti karmabhirna sa badhyate || 14 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.14 \u2192<\/span><\/a>15<\/span>eva\u1e43 j\u00f1\u0101tv\u0101 k\u1e5bta\u1e43 karma p\u016brvairapi mumuk\u1e63ubhi\u1e25|
kuru karmaiva tasm\u0101ttva\u1e43 p\u016brvai\u1e25 p\u016brvatara\u1e43 k\u1e5btam || 15 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.15 \u2192<\/span><\/a>16<\/span>ki\u1e43 karma kimakarmeti kavayo’pyatra mohit\u0101\u1e25|
tatte karma pravak\u1e63y\u0101mi yajj\u00f1\u0101tv\u0101 mok\u1e63yase’\u015bubh\u0101t || 16 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.16 \u2192<\/span><\/a>17<\/span>karma\u1e47o hyapi boddhavya\u1e43 boddhavya\u1e43 ca vikarma\u1e47a\u1e25|
akarma\u1e47a\u015bca boddhavya\u1e43 gahan\u0101 karma\u1e47o gati\u1e25 || 17 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.17 \u2192<\/span><\/a>18<\/span>karma\u1e47yakarma ya\u1e25 pa\u015byedakarma\u1e47i ca karma ya\u1e25|
sa buddhim\u0101nmanu\u1e63ye\u1e63u sa yukta\u1e25 k\u1e5btsnakarmak\u1e5bt || 18 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.18 \u2192<\/span><\/a>19<\/span>yasya sarve sam\u0101rambh\u0101\u1e25 k\u0101masa\u1e45kalpavarjit\u0101\u1e25|
j\u00f1\u0101n\u0101gnidagdhakarm\u0101\u1e47a\u1e43 tam\u0101hu\u1e25 pa\u1e47\u1e0dita\u1e43 budh\u0101\u1e25 || 19 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.19 \u2192<\/span><\/a>20<\/span>tyaktv\u0101 karmaphal\u0101sa\u1e45ga\u1e43 nityat\u1e5bpto nir\u0101\u015braya\u1e25|
karma\u1e47yabhiprav\u1e5btto’pi naiva ki\u00f1citkaroti sa\u1e25 || 20 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.20 \u2192<\/span><\/a>21<\/span>nir\u0101\u015b\u012bryatacitt\u0101tm\u0101 tyaktasarvaparigraha\u1e25|
\u015b\u0101r\u012bra\u1e43 kevala\u1e43 karma kurvann\u0101pnoti kilbi\u1e63am || 21 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.21 \u2192<\/span><\/a>22<\/span>yad\u1e5bcch\u0101l\u0101bhasantu\u1e63\u1e6do dvandv\u0101t\u012bto vimatsara\u1e25|
sama\u1e25 siddh\u0101vasiddhau ca k\u1e5btv\u0101pi na nibadhyate || 22 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.22 \u2192<\/span><\/a>23<\/span>gatasa\u1e45gasya muktasya j\u00f1\u0101n\u0101vasthitacetasa\u1e25|
yaj\u00f1\u0101y\u0101carata\u1e25 karma samagra\u1e43 pravil\u012byate || 23 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.23 \u2192<\/span><\/a>24<\/span>brahm\u0101rpa\u1e47a\u1e43 brahmahavirbrahm\u0101gnau brahma\u1e47\u0101 hutam|
brahmaiva tena gantavya\u1e43 brahmakarmasam\u0101dhin\u0101 || 24 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.24 \u2192<\/span><\/a>25<\/span>daivamev\u0101pare yaj\u00f1a\u1e43 yogina\u1e25 paryup\u0101sate|
brahm\u0101gn\u0101vapare yaj\u00f1a\u1e43 yaj\u00f1enaivopajuhvati || 25 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.25 \u2192<\/span><\/a>26<\/span>\u015brotr\u0101d\u012bn\u012bndriy\u0101\u1e47yanye sa\u1e43yam\u0101gni\u1e63u juhvati|
\u015babd\u0101d\u012bnvi\u1e63ay\u0101nanya indriy\u0101gni\u1e63u juhvati || 26 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.26 \u2192<\/span><\/a>27<\/span>sarv\u0101\u1e47\u012bndriyakarm\u0101\u1e47i pr\u0101\u1e47akarm\u0101\u1e47i c\u0101pare|
\u0101tmasa\u1e43yamayog\u0101gnau juhvati j\u00f1\u0101nad\u012bpite || 27 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.27 \u2192<\/span><\/a>28<\/span>dravyayaj\u00f1\u0101stapoyaj\u00f1\u0101 yogayaj\u00f1\u0101stath\u0101pare|
sv\u0101dhy\u0101yaj\u00f1\u0101nayaj\u00f1\u0101\u015bca yataya\u1e25 sa\u1e43\u015bitavrat\u0101\u1e25 || 28 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.28 \u2192<\/span><\/a>29<\/span>ap\u0101ne juhvati pr\u0101\u1e47a\u1e43 pr\u0101\u1e47e’p\u0101na\u1e43 tath\u0101pare|
pr\u0101\u1e47\u0101p\u0101nagat\u012b ruddhv\u0101 pr\u0101\u1e47\u0101y\u0101mapar\u0101ya\u1e47\u0101\u1e25 || 29 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.29 \u2192<\/span><\/a>30<\/span>apare niyat\u0101h\u0101r\u0101\u1e25 pr\u0101\u1e47\u0101npr\u0101\u1e47e\u1e63u juhvati|
sarve’pyete yaj\u00f1avido yaj\u00f1ak\u1e63apitakalma\u1e63\u0101\u1e25 || 30 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.30 \u2192<\/span><\/a>31<\/span>yaj\u00f1a\u015bi\u1e63\u1e6d\u0101m\u1e5btabhujo y\u0101nti brahma san\u0101tanam|
n\u0101ya\u1e43 loko’styayaj\u00f1asya kuto’nya\u1e25 kurusattama || 31 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.31 \u2192<\/span><\/a>32<\/span>eva\u1e43 bahuvidh\u0101 yaj\u00f1\u0101 vitat\u0101 brahma\u1e47o mukhe|
karmaj\u0101nviddhi t\u0101nsarv\u0101neva\u1e43 j\u00f1\u0101tv\u0101 vimok\u1e63yase || 32 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.32 \u2192<\/span><\/a>33<\/span>\u015brey\u0101ndravyamay\u0101dyaj\u00f1\u0101jj\u00f1\u0101nayaj\u00f1a\u1e25 parantapa|
sarva\u1e43 karm\u0101khila\u1e43 p\u0101rtha j\u00f1\u0101ne parisam\u0101pyate || 33 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.33 \u2192<\/span><\/a>34<\/span>tadviddhi pra\u1e47ip\u0101tena paripra\u015bnena sevay\u0101|
upadek\u1e63yanti te j\u00f1\u0101na\u1e43 j\u00f1\u0101ninastattvadar\u015bina\u1e25 || 34 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.34 \u2192<\/span><\/a>35<\/span>yajj\u00f1\u0101tv\u0101 na punarmohameva\u1e43 y\u0101syasi p\u0101\u1e47\u1e0dava|
yena bh\u016bt\u0101nya\u015be\u1e63e\u1e47a drak\u1e63yasy\u0101tmanyatho mayi || 35 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.35 \u2192<\/span><\/a>36<\/span>api cedasi p\u0101pebhya\u1e25 sarvebhya\u1e25 p\u0101pak\u1e5bttama\u1e25|
sarva\u1e43 j\u00f1\u0101naplavenaiva v\u1e5bjina\u1e43 santari\u1e63yasi || 36 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.36 \u2192<\/span><\/a>37<\/span>yathaidh\u0101\u1e43si samiddho’gnirbhasmas\u0101tkurute’rjuna|
j\u00f1\u0101n\u0101gni\u1e25 sarvakarm\u0101\u1e47i bhasmas\u0101tkurute tath\u0101 || 37 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.37 \u2192<\/span><\/a>38<\/span>na hi j\u00f1\u0101nena sad\u1e5b\u015ba\u1e43 pavitramiha vidyate|
tatsvaya\u1e43 yogasa\u1e43siddha\u1e25 k\u0101len\u0101tmani vindati || 38 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.38 \u2192<\/span><\/a>39<\/span>\u015braddh\u0101v\u0101m\u0310llabhate j\u00f1\u0101na\u1e43 tatpara\u1e25 sa\u1e43yatendriya\u1e25|
j\u00f1\u0101na\u1e43 labdhv\u0101 par\u0101\u1e43 \u015b\u0101ntimacire\u1e47\u0101dhigacchati || 39 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.39 \u2192<\/span><\/a>40<\/span>aj\u00f1a\u015bc\u0101\u015braddadh\u0101na\u015bca sa\u1e43\u015bay\u0101tm\u0101 vina\u015byati|
n\u0101ya\u1e43 loko’sti na paro na sukha\u1e43 sa\u1e43\u015bay\u0101tmana\u1e25 || 40 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.40 \u2192<\/span><\/a>41<\/span>yogasa\u1e43nyastakarm\u0101\u1e47a\u1e43 j\u00f1\u0101nasa\u00f1chinnasa\u1e43\u015bayam|
\u0101tmavanta\u1e43 na karm\u0101\u1e47i nibadhnanti dhana\u00f1jaya || 41 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.41 \u2192<\/span><\/a>42<\/span>tasm\u0101daj\u00f1\u0101nasambh\u016bta\u1e43 h\u1e5btstha\u1e43 j\u00f1\u0101n\u0101sin\u0101tmana\u1e25|
chittvaina\u1e43 sa\u1e43\u015baya\u1e43 yogam\u0101ti\u1e63\u1e6dhotti\u1e63\u1e6dha bh\u0101rata || 42 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 4.42 \u2192<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

o\u1e43 tatsaditi \u015br\u012bmadbhagavadg\u012bt\u0101s\u016bpani\u1e63atsu brahmavidy\u0101y\u0101\u1e43 yoga\u015b\u0101stre \u015br\u012bk\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47\u0101rjunasa\u1e43v\u0101de j\u00f1\u0101nakarmasa\u1e43ny\u0101sayogo n\u0101ma caturtho’dhy\u0101ya\u1e25 ||<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

About Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The third chapter ended by saying that action must not be abandoned. The fourth takes up the same point at a deeper level: how can one act without action becoming bondage? The answer is knowledge. So the chapter’s name brings together knowledge, action and renunciation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chapter opens with an unexpected claim. Krishna says he taught this yoga long ago to the Sun. Arjuna’s question in response draws out the Gita’s clearest words on the avatara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the chapter moves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Verses 1 to 3: The lineage of the yoga, its loss, and its retelling to Arjuna, devotee and friend.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Verses 4 to 10: Arjuna’s question and the mystery of the avatara: how, when, for what purpose, and what comes of knowing it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Verses 11 to 15: As people approach, so they are received; the division by quality and work; the Lord who is maker yet non-doer; and the example of the ancients.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Verses 16 to 23: The deep question of what is action and what is inaction, and the state of one who does nothing even while working.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Verses 24 to 33: The vision of brahmarpanam and the many forms of sacrifice. Of all of them, the sacrifice of knowledge is highest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Verses 34 to 42: How to learn at a teacher’s feet, knowledge as fire and as boat, faith, and the call to cut doubt with the sword of knowledge and stand up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Three readings of the avatara<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The sixth verse answers how the unborn can be born, and the acharyas read that answer differently. For Shankara he appears as if born, by his own maya, and is not born in the ultimate sense. For Ramanuja his birth is real, but it does not come from karma; he comes by his own will, in his own form. For Madhva even his body is imperishable, and he seems to be born only to the deluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    These pages do not decide between the readings. Wherever the acharyas part, each position is recorded in its own terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Inaction in action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The eighteenth verse is among the most riddling in the Gita: one who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is wise. To work outwardly without the burden of doership within, and to recognise the ‘I’ still at work within while sitting outwardly still. The rest of the chapter unpacks this one formula from many sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sources:<\/strong> several.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The forty-two verses of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 in English IAST transliteration, each linked to its page with word-by-word meaning, Kannada and English.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4744,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"_manohara_link_phrases":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[156],"tags":[187,188],"class_list":["post-4676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bhagavad-gita","tag-krishna","tag-shlokada-artha"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4676"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4676\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4775,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4676\/revisions\/4775"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}