In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4,Lord Krishna talks about the good and bad aspects of life. If one identifies the atman, one can overcome the turbulence in life. He asks Arjuna to seek the Atman that his ancestors sought. He wants him to know what ought to be done, what ought not to be done and the inactive principle that supports all action. He also imparts knowledge on how to worship God by performing Yagya or Homam. “All yajnas end in wisdom and self realisation. The collateral benefit is worldly success and happiness. Thus, even if you want material prosperity you need to work in a spirit of sacrifice. Spiritual growth is impossible without it,” he points out. This chapter also mentions the qualities of a good student and an ideal guru and concludes as the Lord advises Arjuna not to get distracted by the attractions of the world which are anityam (temporary) and asukham (sorrowful).
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
imaḿ vivasvate yogaḿ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave ‘bravīt
Translation
The Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan ...View More
evaḿ paramparā-prāptam
imaḿ rājarṣayo viduḥ
sa kāleneha mahatā
yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa
Translation
This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the su...View More
sa evāyaḿ mayā te ‘dya
yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ
bhakto ‘si me sakhā ceti
rahasyaḿ hy etad uttamam
Translation
That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can th...View More
arjuna uvāca
aparaṁ bhavato janma
paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ
katham etad vijānīyāṁ
tvam ādau proktavān iti
Translation
Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvān is senior by birth to You. How am I to understand that in the beginning You instructed this science to him?
View Moresri-bhagavan uvaca
bahuni me vyatitani
janmani tava carjuna
tany aham´ veda sarvan?i
na tvam´ vettha parantapa
Translation
The Personality of Godhead said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!
View Moreajo ’pi sann avyayatma
bhutanam isvaro ’pi san
prakritim svam adhisthaya
sambhavamy atma-mayaya
Translation
Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in My ori...View More
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaḿ sṛjāmy aham
Translation
Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.
View Moreparitrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saḿsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge
Translation
To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.
View Morejanma karma ca me divyam
evaḿ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaḿ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ‘rjuna
Translation
One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but ...View More
vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā
man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ
bahavo jñāna-tapasā
pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ
Translation
Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowle...View More
ye yathā māḿ prapadyante
tāḿs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ
Translation
As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pritha.
View Morekāńkṣantaḥ karmaṇāḿ siddhiḿ
yajanta iha devatāḥ
kṣipraḿ hi mānuṣe loke
siddhir bhavati karma-jā
Translation
Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from frui...View More
catur-varn?yam´ maya sr?s?t?am´
gun?a-karma-vibhagasah?
tasya kartaram api mam´
viddhy akartaram avyayam
Translation
According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am...View More
na māḿ karmāṇi limpanti
na me karma-phale spṛhā
iti māḿ yo ‘bhijānāti
karmabhir na sa badhyate
Translation
There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in th...View More
evaḿ jñātvā kṛtaḿ karma
pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ
kuru karmaiva tasmāt tvaḿ
pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraḿ kṛtam
Translation
All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding of My transcendental nature. Therefore you should perform your duty,...View More
kiḿ karma kim akarmeti
kavayo ‘py atra mohitāḥ
tat te karma pravakṣyāmi
yaj jñātvā mokṣyase ‘śubhāt
Translation
Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which...View More
karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaḿ
boddhavyaḿ ca vikarmaṇaḥ
akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyaḿ
gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ
Translation
The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is, and what inacti...View More
karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed
akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ
sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu
sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt
Translation
One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in ...View More
yasya sarve samarambha?
kama-sa?kalpa-varjita?
jñanagni-dagdha-karma?a?
tam ahu? pa??ita? budha?
Translation
One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions...View More
tyaktvā karma-phalāsańgaḿ
nitya-tṛpto nirāśrayaḥ
karmaṇy abhipravṛtto ’pi
naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ
Translation
Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in a...View More
nirāśīr yata-cittātmā
tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ
śārīraḿ kevalaḿ karma
kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
Translation
Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions, and acts only...View More
nirāśīr yata-cittātmā
tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ
śārīraḿ kevalaḿ karma
kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
Translation
He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is nev...View More
nirāśīr yata-cittātmā
tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ
śārīraḿ kevalaḿ karma
kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
Translation
The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcenden...View More
nirāśīr yata-cittātmā
tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ
śārīraḿ kevalaḿ karma
kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
Translation
A person who is fully absorbed in Krishna consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, ...View More
daivam evāpare yajñaḿ
yoginaḥ paryupāsate
brahmāgnāv apare yajñaḿ
yajñenaivopajuhvati
Translation
Some yogis perfectly worship the demigods by offering different sacrifices to them, and some of them offer sacrifices in the fire of the Supreme Brahman.
View Moreśrotrādīnīndriyāṇy anye
saḿyamāgniṣu juhvati
śabdādīn viṣayān anya
indriyāgniṣu juhvati
Translation
Some [the unadulterated brahmacaris] sacrifice the hearing process and the senses in the fire of mental control, and others [the regulated householders] s...View More
sarvāṇīndriya-karmāṇi
prāṇa-karmāṇi cāpare
ātma-saḿyama-yogāgnau
juhvati jñāna-dīpite
Translation
Others, who are interested in achieving self-realization through control of the mind and senses, offer the functions of all the senses, and of the life brea...View More
dravya-yajñās tapo-yajñā
yoga-yajñās tathāpare
svādhyāya-jñāna-yajñāś ca
yatayaḥ saḿśita-vratāḥ
Translation
Having accepted strict vows, some become enlightened by sacrificing their possessions, and others by performing severe austerities, by practicing...View More
apāne juhvati prāṇaḿ
prāṇe ’pānaḿ tathāpare
prāṇāpāna-gatī ruddhvā
prāṇāyāma-parāyaṇāḥ
apare niyatāhārāḥ
prāṇān prāṇeṣu juhvati
Translation
Still others, who are inclined to the process of breath restraint to remain in trance, pra...View More
sarve ’py ete yajña-vido
yajña-kṣapita-kalmaṣāḥ
yajña-śiṣṭāmṛta-bhujo
yānti brahma sanātanam
Translation
All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become cleansed of sinful reactions, and, having tasted the nectar of the results of sacrific...View More
nāyaḿ loko ’sty ayajñasya
kuto ’nyaḥ kuru-sattama
Translation
O best of the Kuru dynasty, without sacrifice one can never live happily on this planet or in this life: what then of the next?
View Moreevaḿ bahu-vidhā yajñā
vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe
karma-jān viddhi tān sarvān
evaḿ jñātvā vimokṣyase
Translation
All these different types of sacrifice are approved by the Vedas, and all of them are born of different types of work. Knowing them as such, you will ...View More
śreyān dravya-mayād yajñāj
jñāna-yajñaḥ paran-tapa
sarvaḿ karmākhilaḿ pārtha
jñāne parisamāpyate
Translation
O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice performed in knowledge is better than the mere sacrifice of material possessions. After all, O son of Prith...View More
tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaḿ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
Translation
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart ...View More
yaj jñātvā na punar moham
evaḿ yāsyasi pāṇḍava
yena bhūtāny aśeṣāṇi
drakṣyasy ātmany atho mayi
Translation
Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for by this knowledge you will see that al...View More
api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ
sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛt-tamaḥ
sarvaḿ jñāna-plavenaiva
vṛjinaḿ santariṣyasi
Translation
Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge you will be able to cros...View More
yathaidhāḿsi samiddho ’gnir
bhasma-sāt kurute ’rjuna
jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi
bhasma-sāt kurute tathā
Translation
As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.
View Morena hi jñānena sadṛśaḿ
pavitram iha vidyate
tat svayaḿ yoga-saḿsiddhaḥ
kālenātmani vindati
Translation
In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become a...View More
śraddhāvāḻ labhate jñānaḿ
tat-paraḥ saḿyatendriyaḥ
jñānaḿ labdhvā parāḿ śāntim
acireṇādhigacchati
Translation
A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having...View More
ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca
saḿśayātmā vinaśyati
nāyaḿ loko ’sti na paro
na sukhaḿ saḿśayātmanaḥ
Translation
But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul there...View More
yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaḿ
jñāna-sañchinna-saḿśayam
ātmavantaḿ na karmāṇi
nibadhnanti dhanañ-jaya
Translation
One who acts in devotional service, renouncing the fruits of his actions, and whose doubts have been destroyed by transcendental knowledge, is situate...View More
tasmād ajñāna-sambhūtaḿ
hṛt-sthaḿ jñānāsinātmanaḥ
chittvainaḿ saḿśayaḿ yogam
ātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata
Translation
Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of ignorance should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed with yog...View More