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Bhagwad Gita (English) | Chapter 4 | Verse 23

Chapter 4, Verse 23

Transcendental Knowledge

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 transcendence.

Verse

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः।
यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते।।4.23।।


gata-saṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthita-chetasaḥ
yajñāyācharataḥ karma samagraṁ pravilīyate

Meaning of each word

gata-saṅgasya — free from material attachments;
muktasya — of the liberated;
jñāna-avasthita — established in divine knowledge;
chetasaḥ — whose intellect;
yajñāya — as a sacrifice (to God);
ācharataḥ — performing;
karma — action;
samagram — completely;
pravilīyate — are freed

Interpretation

This verse explains how a person can achieve true freedom and peace through understanding and focusing on a higher spiritual reality. Let's break it down step by step.

1. **Free from Material Attachments**: The verse starts by talking about someone who is 'free from material attachments'. In simpler terms, this means that a person is not overly attached to things in this world, like money, fame, or possessions. They understand that these things are temporary and do not define their happiness. For example, if someone gets a new car and is excited about it, that’s normal. But if they believe their happiness completely depends on that car, they are attached. When someone is free from these attachments, they can look at life from a broader perspective.

2. **Fully Situated in Transcendental Knowledge**: This part refers to someone who understands deeper spiritual truths. It means they are aware of and focus on a higher purpose in life beyond just everyday activities or struggles. For instance, they practice kindness, honesty, and love, recognizing these as more important than just working for a paycheck. When a person knows about spiritual things, their thinking becomes clearer and more peaceful.

3. **Merging into Transcendence**: The phrase 'merges entirely into transcendence' means that when someone lives this way, their actions and life become part of a higher spiritual truth or reality. They no longer get bogged down by everyday problems or reactions that most people face. Instead, they flow into this higher existence, kind of like how a river flows into the ocean and becomes part of something much larger.

4. **Actions as Sacrifices**: When a person lives in awareness of this higher truth, everything they do can be seen as a form of offering or sacrifice to that greater reality, which, in this context, refers to God or Krsna. This doesn't mean giving up everything they have; instead, it means doing their work and daily activities with love and intention to please this higher power. For example, if someone cooks dinner with love and care, they can view that cooking as a 'sacrifice’ to a greater purpose, rather than just a chore.

5. **No Experience of Material Consequences**: Finally, this verse suggests that someone who lives in this way will not suffer from the negative outcomes that usually come with actions driven by selfish desires. When you do things for yourself or for material gain, you often face stress or disappointment when things don’t go your way. However, if you act selflessly and have a higher goal, like serving others or practicing compassion, the usual worries fade away.

In summary, this verse teaches us that by stepping away from selfish desires and focusing on a higher purpose, our actions can become clearer, lighter, and ultimately meaningful. It invites us to see our choices as part of a greater journey towards spiritual understanding and peace.

Other Verses of Chapter 4
Verse 1
The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Iksvaku.
Verse 2
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 succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.
Verse 3
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; therefore you can understand the transcendental mystery of this science.
Verse 4
Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvan is senior by birth to You. How am I to understand that in the beginning You instructed this science to him?
Verse 5
The Blessed Lord said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!
Verse 6
Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all sentient beings, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.
Verse 7
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.
Verse 8
In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.
Verse 9
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 attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.
Verse 10
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 knowledge of Me—and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.
Verse 11
All of them—as they surrender unto Me—I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha.
Verse 12
Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world.
Verse 13
According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.
Verse 14
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 the fruitive reactions of work.
Verse 15
All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding and so attained liberation. Therefore, as the ancients, you should perform your duty in this divine consciousness.
Verse 16
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 you shall be liberated from all sins.
Verse 17
The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is, and what inaction is.
Verse 18
One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.
Verse 19
One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every act is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker whose fruitive action is burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.
Verse 20
Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.
Verse 21
Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reactions.
Verse 22
He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady both in success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.
Verse 24
A person who is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.
Verse 25
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.
Verse 26
Some of them sacrifice the hearing process and the senses in the fire of the controlled mind, and others sacrifice the objects of the senses, such as sound, in the fire of sacrifice.
Verse 27
Those who are interested in self-realization, in terms of mind and sense control, offer the functions of all the senses, as well as the vital force [breath], as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind.
Verse 28
There are others who, enlightened by sacrificing their material possessions in severe austerities, take strict vows and practice the yoga of eightfold mysticism, and others study the Vedas for the advancement of transcendental knowledge.
Verse 29
And there are even others who are inclined to the process of breath restraint to remain in trance, and they practice stopping the movement of the outgoing breath into the incoming, and incoming breath into the outgoing, and thus at last remain in trance, stopping all breathing. Some of them, curtailing the eating process, offer the outgoing breath into itself, as a sacrifice.
Verse 30
All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become cleansed of sinful reaction, and, having tasted the nectar of the remnants of such sacrifice, they go to the supreme eternal atmosphere.
Verse 31
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?
Verse 32
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 become liberated.
Verse 33
The sacrifice of knowledge is better than the sacrifice of material possessions. All actions ultimately lead to gaining knowledge.
Verse 34
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.
Verse 35
And when you have thus learned the truth, you will know that all living beings are but part of Me—and that they are in Me, and are Mine.
Verse 36
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 cross over the ocean of miseries.
Verse 37
As the blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.
Verse 38
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 achieved this enjoys the self within himself in due course of time.
Verse 39
A faithful man who is absorbed in transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace.
Verse 40
But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.
Verse 41
Therefore, one who has renounced the fruits of his action, whose doubts are destroyed by transcendental knowledge, and who is situated firmly in the self, is not bound by works, O conqueror of riches.
Verse 42
Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of ignorance should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed with yoga, O Bharata, stand and fight.
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