UB: ॐ तत्सदिति श्री मद्भगवद्गीतासु उपनिषद्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे ज्ञानकर्मसंयासयोग नाम चतुर्थोध्याय: ।

This is the line narrated at the end of 4th chapter by the अद्वैत संप्रदाय

UB: 1) ॐ तत्सदिति – Significant words the meaning of which will come in Chapter 17

2) श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासु उपनिषद्सु – these verses are from the text श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता which can be deemed as equivalent of an उपनिषद्

3) ब्रह्मविद्यायां – scope of the text is ब्रह्मविद्या. All wisdom given from the absolute perspective of ब्रह्म and not from any lower relative perspective.

4) योगशास्त्रे – the text does not limit itself to giving a theoretical framework of ब्रह्मविद्या but also gives practical guidance on how to achieve ब्रह्मविद्या

5) श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे – at a simple level, this is a conversation between श्रीकृष्ण & अर्जुन. At a universal level, this is a conversation between a जीव & परम् on how they engage with one another on a daily basis. The text thus is valid for all जीव like us.

6) ज्ञान कर्म संयास योग नाम – name of this chapter

7) चतुर्थोध्याय: – 4th Chapter

PA: That’s really nice, worth always remembering that it is a dialogue between the jeev and param with practical advice to the jeev on how to go constantly near the param instead of going away from it

UB: http://satchitanandareflections.blogspot.in/2016/09/question-answers-4-why-can-i-not-feel.html?m=1

A nice blog by a friend to understand the role of परम् within us using the Gita. Enjoy

PA: Wonderful blog! And beautifully explained. Thanks for sharing!

PK: GITA: Chapter 4 SUMMARY

4:2 The sacred knowledge of karmyoga is ebbing so now Krishna is teaching it again to Arjun – this ebb and rise of all sacred knowledge thru centuries persist to this day

4:3 Krishna says to Arjun: I will reveal to you the knowledge behind this profound secret ( rahasyaya uttamam) as you are my devotee and friend . I find the qualifier of friend interesting – reminded me of a relationship of peers vs. a shishya and a guru

4:7 4:8IMPORTANT: yada yada hi dharmasya…Krishna says he will assume a physical body in every yuga whenever required to preserve the cycle of dharmachakram and for destruction of evil when required.

4:10 Those who are free from longing/craving (raag), fear(bhay), anger(krodh) and while gaining knowledge (gyantapas) are totally resolved in ME and take refuge in ME ( upashritha mam),  many such have come back to ME.

I liked the emphasis of taking refuge both with knowledge and austerity( tapas) rather than just one or the other and the concept of all rivers leading to sea.

4:11,4:12  Those who worship ME in anyway ( that pleases them), I bless them in the way they recognize/identify. There are many paths to come to ME.

I take this as hope that any form of prayer pursued sincerely is fine-no absolute one right way of doing things (emphasis on puja rituals for my stubborn ego)- love the Sikh prayer PA quoted “Jo tees bhave so aarthi hove”

4:13,4:15  Krishna says: I created the 4 groupings for the people of the world based on qualities and duties/actions ( Gunakarm Vibhagashah), yet I am exempt from all  these i.e. I am a non-doer and am changeless in attribute ( Nirguna and Nirakaar).If you realize this ( ie perform your duties/actions with lack of longing or attachment to outcome of actions), then there is no karmabandhan. However, this selection of guna and karm selection are voluntary (i.e. free will) and not pre-determined (an important misconception that persists among many even today) and it is the pursuit of svadharma without kaambhav or kritatvathat is key.

4:17, 4:18 Action ( karmanah), forbidden/avoidable action(vikarmanah) and actionlessness ( akarmanah)  all need to be understood with clarity as the nature of karma is difficult. A wise man sees actionlessness ( akarmanah)  in action and  Action ( karmanah) in actionlessness i.e. there is nothing left for a yogi to do – everything that needs to be done has been done already  ( profound concept that is hard to completely wrap my mind around).

I think the point is to add the avoidance of forbidden/avoidable action(vikarmanah) to svadharma concept of karma yoga. i.e. avoid vikarmanah through gyan or vivekbuddhi. I loved PS’s description of Thermodynamic Principle of moving towards zero entropy while performing necessary actions ( done without a sense of the I-ness or ego), detached from desire of results  that then leaves us unaffected by the actions

4:19 4:20 4:21 A person whose actions are burnt in the fire (Agni) of knowledge (gyanagni dagd karmanam). the sages call such a person a pundit ( wise). A karmyogi renouncesattachment to results, always contented ( nityatripth) , not dependent ( nirashray) such that one is not really affected by one’s actions even though one appears to be fully engaged in karm. The person who is free of expectations ( nirashi), who has renounced sense of worldly possessions ( so hard J) and only does that karm that needs to be done does not incur karmbandhan- Abhav stithi

4:24 IMPORTANT Brahmarpanam brahmahavi,,,To a gyani ( wise person), BRAHM or PARAM  is the performer offering  BRAHM to the agni which is also BRAHM, invoking BRAHM and obtaining BRAHM as the ultimate salvation i.e. everything pervasive is BRAHM

4:25-4:30 Some folks offer rituals to invoke deities, some offer themselves to the Agni/fire, some offer their senses (chanting, praying ) in to the fire ( of self-mastery) and some offer the activities of the senses to the Agni /fire of self-mastery lit by knowledge. Various types of upasana karm and actions have been described by the LORD (pranayam/breathing, renunciation of wealth, performing rituals etc) as paths to achieve BRAHM. I think the point is that to obtain salvation, The desire to merge with BRAHM must be intense and constant and fueled by knowledge and dedication of one’s actions without expectations in a spirit of yagya.

4:33-4:35 Gyan yagya is superior to yagya performed with materials alone ( in the absence of knowledge/gyan that EVERYTHING is BRAHM)- all action is ultimately resolved in knowledge i.e karma and gyan need to be closely interlinked – one without the other is redundant .Krishna advises us that finding a worthwhile wise guru/teacher and use vivekbuddhi to ensure that to such a wise person, we persist in repeatedly askingthe right questions ( pariprashnen) and  perform service . The wise guru can teach the TRUTH which is that all beings are in you and ME (Krishna) – moot for Arjuna as he is with the BEST GURU. Karm performed without I-sense or ego is Gyan- one that encompasses the world”jagat kutumbh” concept. I am beginning to believe that examples of this include folks who devote their whole lives to a cause bigger than themselves ( freedom fighters , firemen sacrificing their lives for the public good, feeling of FLOW experienced when one is absorbed in work and the passage of time is not noticeable)

4:36-4:38 Reiteration: Gyan is the highest aim- the fire of gyan burns all karm/actions and hence it is the highest purifier. With the possibility of gyan there is hope for everyone to obtain salvation including folks who have committed the worst sins amongst all sinners

4:39, 4:40 One who has shraddha ( convinction rather than faith which seems unquestioning),  is  committed and has mastered his senses attain gyan. Having obtained the gyanam one immediately gains absolute peace (param Shanthim) to gyan, who one who has no discrimination/ control over one’s senses (lack of vivekbuddhi) or who has no shraddha and one with a doubting mind (sanshayatma) perishes (vinashayti) because for the one with the doubting mind there is no happiness or peace of mind in this world nor in the worlds beyond. This was by far the most forbidding shloka in my opinion- I think it means that one should not question a renowned expert which makes sense (if you do not stand for anything, you will fall for everything concept) yet the finding of such a guru whom one trusts unquestioningly seems daunting in the modern worldand -) yet seems critical/integral for obtaining brahmgyan. I struggle with this – unquestioning submission is never easy for me and my stubborn egoJ and am comfortable with the concept of pariprashnen ( 4:34). I do agree with PA that our ability to develop  shraddha or faith exists , for example  in pursuing some of our goals ( mastery over a difficult task, higher studies etc.)- channeling it into a constant unrelenting desire of Brahmgyan is the conundrum.

4:41, 4:42 Actions do not bind a karmayogi who has renounced karm thru sanyaa/ yoga ( yogsannyastkarmanah) and centered within him/herself ( atmavantam) without doubts and with the serenity of knowledge and so Krishna urges Arjuna to slay all his doubts of the self , born out of delusion ( of not fighting the war)  with the sword of knowledge and get up and do the sanyasof his karm like a karmyogi

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS/ TAKEAWAY

Those who worship ME in anyway (that pleases them), I bless them in the way they recognize/identify. There are many paths to come to ME.( 4:11)

Concept of karmanah, vikarmanah and akarmanah (4;17, 4:18)- the “zero entropy doctrine” (quoted by  Puneet)

Expanding karmayogi definition:  who burns actions/karm are in the fire (Agni) of knowledge (gyanagni dagd karmanam); who is always contented ( nityatripth) , not dependent ( nirashray) and who is free of expectations ( nirashi)- abhav stithi  ( quoted by Parvinder)

To a gyani ( wise person), BRAHM or PARAM  is the performer offering  BRAHM to the agni which is also BRAHM, invoking BRAHM and obtaining BRAHM as the ultimate salvation i.e.  everything pervasive is BRAHM ( 4:24)

Gyan yagya is superior to yagya performed with materials alone . Karm performed without I-sense or ego is Gyan. Gyan is the highest aim- the fire of gyan burns all karm/actions and hence it is the highest purifier ( 4:33-4:38)

Slay all your doubts of the self , born out of delusion  with the sword of knowledge and get up and do the sanyas of his karmlike a karmyogi (yogsannyastkarmanah) ( 4:42)

PK: Here you go: just uploaded my summary of chapter 4. ALL : please correct / critique and educate 🙏🙏🙏… this is a enjoyable endeavor – hard but fun!

UB: Fantastic – very good summary. You have selected the verses you liked, you gave an opinion why you liked these, you have also stated your discomfort on certain aspects very clearly. I am sure by the end of chapter 18, PK will be doing intense Pujas daily 😀. But overall, this is an excellent summary. Now I await VB to beat this summary

PA: PK what a brilliant effort and summary! 👏🏻👏🏻👍👍. You have have so nicely clubbed the versed that are related to each other summarizing them together with key takeaways from this chapter.

I also agree with you that it’s hard to find a guru in physical form whom one can trust; in fact the friends like you who are on this path are my best guide, guru and companion; Also your true Guru is sitting right inside you who is bringing you day by day closer to the tat / sat / brahm

PA: Dear VG, I just read your post and it is so heart-warming to hear this magical and powerful happening. I took the liberty of posting it on my fb as I think it’s so beautiful and miraculous what’s happening. Thanks for sharing

PK: VG : read your FB- it’s amazing – way to go !🙏