Chapter 4- The Way of Knowledge

Chapter 4 - The Way of Knowledge

This chapter has 42 verses divided into seven main areas which are as described below:-
(a) The Tradition of Jnana Yoga
(b) The theory of Avatars
(c) The Desireless nature of God's work
(d) Action without Attachment Does not lead to Bondage
(e) Action and Inaction
(f) Sacrifice and its symbolic value
(g) Wisdom and Work

(a) The Tradition of Jnana Yoga. (Verse 1- Verse 4).The first three verses are an introduction given by the Lord  to the tradition of this Yoga which has been passed down generation after generation ( Vivaswan-> Manu-> Iksvaku) but has got lost to the world by lapse of ages. This yoga is a very old form of yoga which is being taught again to Arjuna by Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna is the symbol of the deep consciousness( conscience) within all of us and Arjuna is symbolic of a normal human being. In this entire scripture, we can understand the deep meaning of all the verses when we realise this truth and then observe the meaning of each verse. What is being essentially described is the tradition of "Jnana Yoga", which is the art of  performing certain actions towards seeking knowledge of the actual truth. This truth and path to the truth was discovered long long ago by great scientists of the internal being, whom we respect as  the great sages/ seers. Krishna is only trying to rekindle the lost  art / technique in the mind of Arjuna. Since Arjuna is ignorant and clouded by different feelings at this point of time expresses a doubt in verse 4 that how can Krishna know about this as Vivaswan was born much earlier than Krishna.  This question or doubt of Arjuna takes us to the next section of the chapter -"The theory of Avatars".

(b) The Theory of Avatars. ( Verse 5- Verse 12). Verse 5 talks about the various lives that Krishna has had which he knows about but Arjuna  knows not. Verse 6 brings out the knowledge of the self that is not this physical form or body which is only a carrier of this divine self. The self is the consciousness existing in different life forms which are an outcome of the force of Prakriti( nature). This verse has a very deep meaning and needs more explanation. Life forms manifest due to "maya" which is basically a collection of "karmas" , i.e. the habits formed due to actions of living beings being forced upon them by the five senses.  Based on the accumulation of these habit patterns and karmas, life forms evolve with varying levels of energised "self consciousness". Krishna is a fully conscious self which implies a completely enlightened living being who has achieved ultimate knowledge and truth and therefore can pass on this knowledge to other beings at lower levels of self consciousness. Avatars are basically some individuals who are at much higher levels/ highest level of self consciousness who are the trail blazers for the normal human being. Verses 7 and 8 bring out the essence of the balance in the universe to ensure that the levels of dharma and adharma are balanced by having some trail blazers like Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, Prophet Mohammed, Guru Nanak etc. who try to teach people to realise the ultimate truth. These people are the so called "avatars". The word "dharma" is emphasised here, which essentially means the "right" way of life. The trail blazers help people to understand the essence of dharma by becoming one of them and then facing difficulties and doubts, come out of the problems and lead as an example to be followed by others. The demons destroyed are these doubts and difficulties faced in life. Verse 9 brings out the fact that he who realises the absolute truth and achieves enlightenment, is released from the cycle of births and deaths. Verse 10 explains that this is achieved by getting rid of passion, fear and anger and when the person is totally absorbed in the self to observe the ultimate truth. Wisdom reveals itself only then and thus enlightenment is achieved. Verse 11 explains that once a person decides to become a seeker and commits to the process, the self or the divine accepts them and shows the path to them. In this process, even if the person seeks for material benefits with a true commitment, even that is achieved. Verse 12 elaborates this fact. Here devatas and Gods are all actually the one and only eternal truth and universal self which is omnipresent and existent in all living beings. A takeaway here is that if a person sincerely devotes and thinks of achieving something in this world, it is obtained easily. This is the secret of the universe and nature. However, such desires and achievements will not take a person to see the absolute truth. This takes us to the next section.

(c) The Desireless nature of God's Work.    (Verse 13-Verse 22) : Verse 13 talks about the four castes in the caste system. The specific terms used are "guna" and "karma" , which means that the castes were created based on the aptitude ('guna') and function ('karma') and not birth. This fourfold order was designed for human evolution and conduct was the only determining feature of caste. The present system of defining castes by birth is against the whole fundamental knowledge of BhagwadGita.  Verse 14 talks about not having any desires of the fruits of labour/work and therefore there is no bondage of work. Verse 15 says that in former times, men used to do work in the true spirit without thinking of the results for themselves and thus not having any bondage with the work. All work was directed towards improvement of the world. Verse 16 and 17 brings out a question of the difference between "action" and "inaction" and how to differentiate between the two and also try and identify a wrong action. Verse 18 explains the concept of seeing action in inaction, meaning that inaction describes a method of doing work without any attachment to the desires that are there in our mind. Inaction does not mean refraining from action but refraining from any action that is resulting from attachment to our own desires. Inaction here also means selfless and desire-less action. Turning away from action and calling it renunciation is actually an action performed by fools and ignorant people. Sitting down quietly and meditating is an action as you are doing an action to quieten your mind and body. This does not imply that one should abstain from performing his/her duties, in fact, all duties and responsibilities are to be performed without any desire for result for self. Verse 19 describes a Buddha as a person who has freedom from selfish desire and has an outlook based out of wisdom. Verse 20 explains that such a Buddha abandons the attachment to the fruit of work and works without any kind of dependence. Verse 21 is about the nature of work done by a Buddha who having no desires, with the heart and self under control, giving up all possessions, performs work for the maintenance of the body and therefore does no wrong. Verse 22 explains the concept of equanimous state of mind in pleasure and pain, in success and failure, freedom from jealousy and satisfaction with whatever is the result.

(d) Sacrifice and Its Symbolic value.   (Verse 23-Verse 32):Verses 23 - Verse 30 bring out the essence of sacrifice and its symbolic value. It is explained that any work performed as a sacrifice which here essentially means "self-control" especially of sense objects. An apt example in practical life would be when we feel very hungry/ desirous whenever we see/ smell any of our "favourite" dish. Even when someone speaks about it, a desire arises to have it as if it is there in front of us. Similarly when we do not get the deserved promotion, we get this feeling of anger and jealousy on the others who have been luckier. These are all sense objects and the context of sacrifice here is to give up on the reaction to these stimuli. When we offer food and articles to God during a yajna, it is symbolic of sacrificing something that you deeply desire. The concept of sacrificing breath by restraining the breath is explained in verse 29. Actually, observing one’s sensations in times of stimuli from external sources such as described above is very difficult, so the breath is used as a medium to observe. Actually, the body is giving signals all the time with the breath, moment a desire/ anger/ jealousy/ greed/ anxiety arises, the breath changes and if one is observant on the breath( inhalation & exhalation), the pace would change drastically. So restraining this change in breath would also be a sacrifice as it may suppress the feeling that is trying to evoke a reaction. Verse 31 brings out the importance of sacrifice by stating that one must eat only the remnants of food after the sacrifice to attain the insights of the enlightened one, basically the verse is trying to bring out that the intention of sacrifice in human being ensures that one gives first and then only has anything for himself/ herself. Any such human being who follows this strictly in life is sure to attain enlightenment very soon. Verse 32 explains that there are various means of sacrifice and all/ any of these would enable human beings to reach the state of enlightenment.

(e) Wisdom and Work . (Verse 33- Verse 42): Knowledge as a sacrifice is superior to any material sacrifice. What is essentially meant here is that the yearning to gain knowledge by reasoning and inquiry is critical and important. Accepting something blindly is not knowledge, inquiry and satisfying the reasoning by own intellect is the first step towards gaining knowledge. One must seek a teacher and then inquire and read and reason for oneself with own intellect to develop an understanding and personal knowledge. But that alone is not sufficient, as the next step the person has to tread the path of  introspection inwards and experience the knowledge and realize the spirit which would lead to wisdom. Reading Scriptures- Pranipata Sravana, Intellectual Reasoning- Pariprasna-Manana; Realization by meditation and service- Seva-Nididhyasana are the three steps described for gaining knowledge and wisdom. In other words, faith comes first, then Knowledge and then experience leads to wisdom. When one follows this path, the sense of difference is destroyed and actions do not bind. Nature is great and does not differentiate, any one who starts following this path starts getting immediate results, even if a thousand sins were committed earlier by the person. Verse 37 amplifies this by saying that the fire of wisdom burns to ashes all work which includes any crime/ sin that has been committed by the person or any binding work which was done for selfish motives. Verse 38 brings out the purity of the wisdom and states that one who practices this path finds the purity for himself/ herself in due course of time. Verse 39-42 emphasises on the importance of faith in terms of the commitment required and the hard work needed to be put in to subdue one's senses to gain wisdom. Once the wisdom is gained, supreme peace is attained. Sense data and logical inferences will only lead to doubts and scepticism whereas unwavering faith and actions of sacrifice and service and efforts in introspection and learning about the inner aspects of life would lead one to wisdom and supreme peace.Verse 41 states that a doubting person or a person with wavering faith will never be able to reach the sate of supreme peace and therefore is on a path of degradation and will be clouded by ignorance as life passes, this cloud will keep becoming thicker and thicker and eventually lead to misery and unhappiness. Therefore the path described above needs to be followed by one and all with complete faith and devotion and commitment of consistent practice of sacrifice and service to attain the supreme state of peace and move upwards in this path of life.