Krishna begins the fourth chapter by referring
to the above aspect so that Arjuna will have reverence for Gita. The Lord points out that He initiated the lineage of Vivasvan (Lord Sun), Manu, Ikṣvaku, and others in the
beginning of the creation (through the Vedas).
Now, Arjuna wonders how Krishna, who is his
contemporary, can be the initiator of the ancient vedic wisdom!
As an answer to this question, Krishna
introduces the topic of avatar.
In the case of the Lord, His own karma is not there. Thus the karma of the world becomes the cause for
the birth of the Lord.
The evil actions of the wicked and the noble
worship of the saints necessitates the manifestation of the Lord to punish the
former and bless the latter.
Though the Lord seems to be active, He is free
from all activities and their results. He is akarta and abhokta.
One who recognizes this nature of the Lord also
becomes liberated i.e., becomes free from actions and their results.
Lord gives the knowledge of the nature of
action and inaction and the characteristics of the person of such a
knowledge.
Lord defines a wise man as one who sees action-less-ness (of the Self) amidst the activities (of the body) as well as (the
potential) action in the seemingly inactive body.
In fact, the wise man never sees anything other
than Brahman, that being the truth of
all
Various sadhanas
are compared to yajnas.
All sādhanas
lead one to liberation by preparing the mind. But, being the direct means to
liberation, Brahmajana-yajna is
superior to all.
To get this knowledge one should approach a guru who is established in the Truth (Tattva-darsi) and who has the necessary
language to communicate it (jnani).
Such a teacher must be approached with humility, faith, and reverence and asked
for this knowledge. Instructed by them through the scriptures, one gains knowledge;
not otherwise.
By this boat of knowledge, one crosses over the
ocean of sin however vast it may be.
Like a blazing fire, this knowledge reduces to
ashes (renders inoperative) all the karmas. Hence,
knowledge is the greatest purifier.
One who has faith in the guru and the sastra,
sense-control, and a sincere desire for knowledge will gain the knowledge.
On the other hand, one who is ignorant,
faithless, and doubting is doomed. He cannot enjoy anything in the here or in
the hereafter.
In the fourth chapter, Lord Kṛṣṇa
talked about knowledge and renunciation.
He referred to the wise man as one whose karmas are burnt by the fire of
knowledge.
At the same time, Lord concludes the
chapter by advising Arjuna to take to action. Naturally, Arjuna is not able to
reconcile lord’s various statements.
So, in this chapter, Krishna introduces the two
lifestyles once again and says that either of the lifestyles can help a person
in getting mokṣa
(through knowledge).
What is necessary in both lifestyles is a
relative freedom from raga and dvesha which is an important condition
for Self-knowledge.
Of these two, Lord recommends active life as
ideal for a common man.
A karmayogi
dedicates all his physical and mental actions to the Lord without concern for
the result. Because of this attitude, the results do not cause any
reactions in his mind.
Gradually, he develops self-control and
ultimately discovers his true nature which is the same in all beings.
Since he has discovered his identity with the
pure Self, his nature is the same as that of the Self.
Being spontaneously established in Brahman through the pursuit of sravanam, mananam, and nididhyasanam, these wise men revel only
in Brahman. Thus, freed from all
impurities, they attain videhamukti
from where there is no return.
The sage who has realized Brahman and is always absorbed in It does not have any rebirth.
Such a sage sees Brahman within and without—within as the static and transcendent Brahman, and without as the entire
universe. He sees the one Self in all beings and creatures—in a cow, an
elephant, and even in a dog and an outcaste. He is ever free from joy and grief
and enjoys eternal peace and happiness. He does not depend upon the senses for
his satisfaction. On the other hand the enjoyments of the senses are generators
of pain. They are impermanent.
Sri Krishna reminds Arjuna that desire is the
main cause of pain and suffering. It is the cause of anger. Therefore, the
aspirant should try to eradicate desire and anger if he is to reach the
Supreme.
Sri Krishna emphasizes once again that the Yogi or Sannyasin is one who has renounced the fruits of actions, not the
actions themselves.
The performance of actions without an eye on
their fruits brings about the purification of the mind. Only a purified mind, a
mind free from desires, can engage itself in constant meditation on the Atman.
Desire gives rise to imagination or Sankalpa, which drives the soul into the
field of action.
Therefore, none can realize permanent freedom
and tranquility of mind without renouncing desires.
The lower self must be controlled by the higher
Self. All the lower impulses of the body, mind and senses must be controlled by
the power of the higher Self. Then the higher Self becomes one’s friend. He who
has perfect control of the body, mind and senses and is united with God, sees
God in all objects and beings.
Sri Krishna proceeds to give various practical
hints as to the practice of meditation. The aspirant should select a secluded
spot where there is no likelihood of disturbance. He should arrange his
meditation seat properly and sit in a comfortable posture, with the head, neck
and spine erect but not tensed. He should fix his purified mind on the Atman by concentrating between the
eyebrows or on the tip of the nose.
The aspirant is advised to practise moderation
in his daily habits—in eating, sleeping, recreation, etc. Extremes are to be
avoided as they hinder the practice of meditation.
Living a life of such moderation, and gathering
up all his forces and directing them towards meditation upon the Atman, the
aspirant gradually transcends the senses and intellect and merges himself in
the blissful Atman.
He finds that the bliss of the Atman is
incomparable, that there is no gain greater than the Self. Having thus attained
perfect union with the Self, the Yogi
no more descends into ignorance or delusion. He does not relish any more the
pleasures of the senses.
Arjuna wishes to know the fate of the aspirant
who fails to realize the Supreme in spite of his faith and sincerity. Krishna
tells him that the accumulated power of his Yogic practices will assure him a
better birth in the future, with more favorable conditions for Sadhana. The aspirant will then be
compelled to carry on his Yogic practices with greater vigor and faith and will
finally achieve God-realization.
Upon realization, he enjoys an ever-abiding mind
which is completely satisfied with the discovery of the Atman.
The infinite Ananda such a yogi enjoys will
never be lost because this was never gained. It was veiled by the false notion
that “I am sorrowful”. Once this is removed, the inner ānanda becomes evident.
Krishna concludes that the Yogi—one who has
attained union with the Supreme Lord—is superior to the ascetics, to the men of
book knowledge and the men of action, as the latter have not transcended
ignorance and merged in the Self.
Love.
