Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 | Verse 1-3

In the beginning of Holy Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 from Verse 1-3, God Kaal (in the body of Shri Krishna) says to Arjun that I had imparted this ‘eternal way of worship‘ to Sun God (Surya). Sun God narrated it to his son Manu, and Manu passed this on to his son Ikshwaku. In this way, this tradition was being carried on. The great knowledge had then disappeared for a long time. As you are my dear friend, I have therefore imparted the same knowledge to you. God says that this should be kept a secret.

Why did Kaal say in Holy Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 that this knowledge should be kept a secret?

The answer is very simple. Kaal (the master of the universe that we are residing in) doesn’t want an ordinary man to know about this knowledge because if one does, one will become aware of the Kaal’s trap and strive to escape from it. In doing so Kaal lok (universe) will become empty which Kaal doesn’t want to happen.

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 4, Arjun questions Shri Krishna that your birth is of the current time whereas God Surya’s birth is of earlier times. How is this possible that you only imparted this knowledge to Surya?

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 | Verse 5-9

The Knowledge Giver of Holy Bhagavad Gita is in Birth & Death

God Kaal in The Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 5 to 9 clarifies to Arjun that you and I have had several births. You do not know all of them; I know. I, being the immortal soul that does not take birth like a human being and also being the God of all living beings (of the 21 brahmands), by subjugating my Prakriti (Sheranwali) give rise to Sri Brahma, Sri Vishnu, Sri Shiv. Then from them only, create Sri Krishna, Sri Ram, Sri Parshuram etc-etc as incarnations and then secretively appear in them. Whenever there is a decline of Dharm (religion / righteousness) and an uprising of Adharm (irreligion / unrighteousness), I create my incarnations and those incarnations appear to protect sadhus (virtuous people) and destroy the non-sadhus (wicked people).

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 - Important 

• Brahm (Kaal), the narrator of Holy Bhagavad Gita, is saying that Arjun, even I have birth and death. You do not know this; I know. This proves that the narrator of The Bhagavad Gita is in birth and death.
• Kaal further clarifies that O Arjun! My births and actions are divine. He who understands the truth about me, that completely knowledgeable person does not have a rebirth.

The Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 | Verse 10-15

God Kaal says that those whose love-hatred have died down, who have understood in essence that I am the doer of all the actions and the master, they have become Matavlambi i.e. of the nature of doing worship according to the scriptures.

{Note: These are attributes of Kabir hans (souls), the worshippers of the three mantras, who by chanting Satnaam and Saarnaam, get liberated (go to Satlok)}.

Like, in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Verse 17, God Kaal says that I like the knowledgeable persons and I am dear to them because they instead of worshipping the three gunas (Rajgun Brahma, Satgun Vishnu, tamgun Shiv) worship me. Likewise, here in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 11, it is said that those who worship me, I worship them i.e. they are dear to me because they, at some point, on finding a Tatvadarshi saint immediately start doing the true worship. Its evidence is given in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 and 17.

Then Kaal has said that one who becomes fully acquainted with me, does not get caught in my trap, and those who worship the gods (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiv), the gods soon appear before them and give them some relief but cannot liberate them completely. Therefore you follow the scripture-based acts of worship like your ancestors.

The Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 | Verse 16 - 22

Actions (Karma) - Bondage & Liberation

Bhagavad Gita chapter 4, Verses 16 to 22 give an account on actions (karmas). It is said that whosoever does any action should not bring ‘doership’ in it and should say, “O Master, I am doing this act being dependent on you.” This petty living being is ignorant of action-inaction (karm-akarm). One who performs actions without any desires is a pandit (a learned person), and does not get bound in the bondage of actions.

• Therefore in this very Bhagavad Gita Chapter in Verse 34 it is stated that the knowledge of all the actions is only possible through Tatvagyan (the true knowledge) that which God is worthy of being worshipped and who is not. Then the devotee instead of being bound to the bondage of actions, inflicted by Brahm (Kaal), will go to Satlok (eternal place), and then becomes free from the bondage of actions forever.

One does not get released from the bondage of actions by the knowledge upto Brahm; they (actions) have to be borne.

Even God Vishnu is bound to the Bondage of Actions

• Please ponder, who can be a greater learned person than God Vishnu? He also had a birth as Sri Ramchandra on being bound to bondage of actions. This happened because he gave Maharishi Narad Ji a monkey’s face, based on which Narad Ji cursed God Vishnu Ji. Based on the bondage of that action Vishnu Ji therefore took birth in King Dashrath’s house, went to exile and killed Bali. Being bound to bondage of the action of killing Bali, that soul of Vishnu took birth in the form of Sri Krishna in Dwapar Yug. Then Bali’s soul, who was a hunter at that time, took revenge for that action by shooting an arrow in Sri Krishna’s foot. So God Vishnu had to take birth in Krishna form because of being bound to the bondage of this very action.

Who can Liberate from the Bondage of Actions

• Only God Kabir can liberate one from the bondage of actions. Therefore he is called Bandichhor (the Liberator). It is also evident in Holy Yajurveda Chapter 5 Mantra 32 and Yajurveda Chapter 8 Mantra 13 that (Kaviranghaari asi) Kabir Parmeshwar (God) is the enemy of sins i.e. is the destroyer of sins; (Bambhaariasi) that God Kabir is the enemy of bondages i.e. is Bandichhor, the Liberator from the prison of Kaal’s bondage of actions.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 | Verse 23 - 24

The essence of Chapter 4 Verse 23-24 is that a devotee who performs all actions by observing God as the witness, his all actions are like Brahm’s (God’s). Because that Tatvagyani (the knower of the truth) devotee does not practice arbitrary behaviour opposed to the ordinances of the scriptures, therefore his words and actions are engaged in praising God, and is engrossed in the thoughts of God all the time. He performs actions after a thorough consideration.

The Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 | Verse 25 - 30

Types of Acts of Worship

• In Gita chapter 4 Verse 25 to 30 different types of acts of worship have been described.
• Notion - Worshippers are performing these acts of worship believing that all these acts of worship are destroyers of sins. 

It has been said that some devotees are doing karmyog by doing hawan yagya, some are engaged in sadhna (restraining) of senses, and some have engaged their senses of actions and senses of knowledge in yagya of knowledge. Some are doing charity (wealth), some are following ascetic practices. Some are fasting intensely; some, considering action to be greater than other practices and study of scriptures, are engrossed in spiritual actions and others are performing the act of worship by following the method of Pranayam (in Yoga, Breathing exercise of restraining breath) and are believing that all these acts of worship are destroyers of sins. 

• Fact - The fact is that sins are not destroyed by the way of worship mentioned in Vedas and Gita, they have to be borne. Other accomplishments like attainment of supernatural powers and attainment of heaven-great heaven are certainly achieved, but sinful deeds are not eliminated.
• Fact - A devotee who does sumiran (recitation) of Satnam and Saarnaam attains the ‘Sanatan Brahm’ (Supreme God) and his/her birth-death ends permanently.

The worshipper of the Supreme God does more of 'Gyan Yagya' along with the other four yagyas. That devotee’s sins get destroyed and he/she attains eternal liberation.

• Gyan yagya – study of religious texts morning, evening and afternoon, listening to spiritual discourse and reading religious books, and simultaneously also does recitation of Guru Mantra through breaths.

What are the five Yagyas

1. Dharm Yagya - The act of performing meritorious acts
2. Dhyan Yagya - The act of concentration (concentrating or remembering the Supreme God)
3. Hawan Yagya - sacrificial fire
4. Pranaam Yagya - prostrating body in submission
5. Gyan Yagya - Knowledge i.e. study of religious texts, listening to spiritual discourse of a supreme saint etc.

The Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 | Verse 31 - 32

The following has been said in Holy Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 31-32

• Apart from yagya, those who experience the joy (nectar) of the jaap (chanting) of Satnam and Saarnaam, they attain the Supreme God (Sanatan Brahm).
• Describing yagya also as essential, Kaal has said that along with chanting of naam mantra, five yagyas (dharm-meritorious acts, dhyaan-concentration, hawan-sacrificial fire, pranaam-prostrating body in submission, gyaan-knowledge i.e. study of religious texts) are also essential.
• These yagyas work as manure to nurture the plant of worship. If only recitation of naam mantra is done and no yagya is performed then just as with the shortage of water and manure the plants dries up, likewise, by not doing yagya, a devotee becomes arrogant, ruthless and faithless.
• Without the jaap of actual mantra, just doing yagya is also fruitless.
• Those who have not taken initiation from a complete Saint, or after taking initiation (True Mantra), do not perform the five yagyas, they will not attain any benefit in this lok (world), then how can they attain any in Parlok (the other lok / world)?
• Arjun, one who performs yagya by considering the Supreme God situated in yagyas as his deity, he, by doing sumiran of the actual mantras along with the yagyas, attains the nectar of complete liberation i.e. attains the Supreme God.
• There is a detailed description of all the yagyas in the Suksham Ved by the Supreme God from his lotus mouth which are accomplished by physical acts of bhakti. On knowing this one becomes liberated. Even I (God who is narrating Gita) do not know that Tatvagyan (the True Knowledge).
• For the description of the path of complete liberation of the Supreme God, find the saints who know the Tatvagyan.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 | Verse 33 - 42 |

Complete Liberation is Possible after Taking Naam from Tatvadarshi Saints

Important – The purport is that O Arjun! Go to the Tatvadarshi (one who has the complete knowledge) saints who have the complete knowledge and the solution of the Supreme God. Submissively and respectfully prostrate before them; with love and courtesy ask the path to that God. Then those saints will tell the way of achieving Supreme God, knowing which you will not be deluded by ignorance. Then you, on the basis of this knowledge only, will first of all know yourself that find out how you got caught in Kaal’s trap and then will see me (in Kaal form); then you will try your best to get out of here.

Read more about the identity of a Tatvadarshi Saint in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Verse 1 to 4.

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 33 to 42, Kaal God, the narrator of Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita, said that

• Knowledge yagya is superior to wealth yagya (charity).
• I (speaker of Bhagavad Gita) am unaware of that Supreme God’s tatvagyan i.e. I do not know. Therefore go to a knowledgeable (Dheeranam) saint who has complete knowledge about the Supreme God and gather full information (the path to Supreme God); first of all, prostrate before those Purna Saints (complete saints), then serve them, and then with great submissiveness and courteously ask them the way to attain Supreme God. Then becoming pleased they will explain the entire tatvagyan to you and will do your good by giving naam updesh (initiation). Then you will be able to understand me that I am actually Kaal. First of all you will understand yourself that who are you and how did you get caught in my (Kaal’s) trap. Then you will look at me (considering me Kaal) with a different perspective (not with the previous disposition).
• When you will come to know about the Supreme God, then you will search for the Complete Guru who will give you Satnam and Saarnaam. Then after taking jaap of three mantras {in which one is Om+ Tat+ Sat, these two (tat and sat) are indicative mantras which only that Complete Saint can tell} from that Tatvadarshi sant you will become free from all the sins.
• When you will acquire full knowledge about me (Kaal), then you will do naam jaap and worship with full interest. The intense interest in Satnaam and Saarnaam will destroy the sins like fire i.e. that God has this power that He can end all the sins of a living being; whereas, Brahm (Kaal) can not do so.
• One who has gained complete information will attain supreme peace i.e by doing worship of Supreme God will become completely liberated.

A devotee, whose all doubts have been dispelled, has surrendered himself to the Supreme God. That knowledgeable person severs the demon of doubt with the sword of Tatvagyan. Therefore get up i.e become alert, listen to the Tatvagyan from the Tatvadarshi sant and become firm on the scripture-based acts of bhakti.

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