Bhagavad Gita - Daily - II CHAPTER 4 - INTRODUCTION II

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II Shri Hari II

Fourth Chapter

INTRODUCTION

The Lord, in the thirty-ninth verse of the second chapter said to Arjuna, "This is the wisdom of Sankhya given to you to attain equanimity, O Arjuna. Now listen about equanimity and how it can be attained through the Discipline of Action. In this, a person attains equanimity by performing actions without any selfish motive, only for the welfare of others." Thus according to the context, in response to Arjuna's question, Lord Krishna having described the marks of a man of steady wisdom completes this topic.

At the beginning of the third chapter, Arjuna asked Lord Krishna, "If You think that knowledge is superior to action, why do You urge me to do this savage deed (war)?" In response to his question, the Lord, from the fourth to the twenty-ninth verses, lays emphasis on the performance of actions, by which a man attains equanimity. In the thirtieth verse, He says that surrendering all actions to Him, with a discriminative insight, free from desire and egoism he should perform actions without mental agitation. In the thirty-first and thirty-second verses, He declares the sweet fruit of following His teachings (explained in the previous verse) and the harm in not following it. In the thirty-fifth verse, He declares, "Better is death in one's own duty." In the thirty-sixth verse Arjuna asks, "By what is a man impelled to commit sin?" The Lord replies, "It is desire, all devouring and most sinful, which is the enemy," and ordered Arjuna to slay this enemy.

Though, the Lord's teaching continues from the thirty-seventh verse, yet in the forty-third verse, when the answer to Arjuna's question is over, sage Veda Vyâsa concludes the third chapter, and begins the fourth chapter. It shows that the Lord having answered Arjuna's question, takes a pause and then starts again, the Discipline of Action, which was being described in the forty-seventh and forty-eighth verses of the second chapter, by the term `Imam' (This) in the first verse of the fourth chapter. Therefore, the fourth chapter is regarded, as an appendix to the third chapter.

There are two important factors pertaining to the Discipline of Action — (1) Performance of actions and, (2) special knowledge about action. Arjuna wants to renounce the performance of action, so he says to Lord Krishna, "Why do You ask me to be engaged in this savage deed?" Therefore, the Lord, lays special emphasis on the performance of duty, especially in the third chapter. While in the fourth chapter, He imparts knowledge about actions. He declares, "I shall teach you such action, (the nature of action and inaction), after knowing which, you shall be liberated from evil (the wheel of birth and death) (4/16).

This Karmayoga, in spite of being without beginning was lost to the world through a long lapse of time, because of the absence of scholarly teachers (sages) that could impart it. In the first three verses, The Lord, describing how Karmayoga was handed down from ancient times, proves how it existed from times immemorial.

 

From "The Bhagavadgita - Sadhak Sanjivani" in English by Swami Ramsukhdasji