Chapter 4 Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga

In this chapter, Lord Krishna explains in detail all about Dhyāna. The word Dhyāna loosely translates to “Meditation” in English. While meditation is generally used to describe deep contemplation, Dhyāna, on the other hand, is a well-defined process aimed at experiencing the divine truth — the truth of our existence and the true source of bliss.
One who seeks this experience of truth is called a Yogi. The Lord begins by explaining who qualifies to be a Yogi — one who has given up desires for the fruits of action, yet remains relentlessly engaged in performing those actions. Such a person is a Yogi, not someone who sits idle. The Lord states that Sannyāsa and Yoga mean the same - a state where one is free from desires of self-gratification.

Concept of Avatāra
While Arjuna is unaware of his past and future births, the Lord is aware of all. The how and why of this mystical concept will be explored in subsequent chapters. The Lord declares that whenever there is a decline in Dharma (righteous living) and a rise in Adharma (unrighteousness), He manifests in some form to set things right - to restore Dharma and eliminate the cause of Adharma.

The manifestation of the Lord - Avatāra - is indeed a fascinating concept. While we are familiar with stories of Nṛsiṁha, Rāma, and Krishna - some of His well-known incarnations - the concept is not confined to those. As the Lord says, He continues to manifest whenever and wherever Adharma rises. Depending on the scale of imbalance, His manifestation may be grand or subtle.

Good and evil always coexist in the universe. When the concentration of evil exceeds tolerable limits, there arises a natural course correction through divine intervention. The timing and form of such rebalancing vary, and hence, our ability to recognize the divine nature of these events is often limited.

Consider this: a person on the street is hungry but does not beg. A passer-by notices and offers him food without being asked. That is divine intervention - a subtle manifestation of the Lord through that compassionate individual. Such moments are plentiful; it is our awareness that determines whether we recognize them. Whenever you see such beings engaged in divine acts, do not miss the chance to bow to the Lord within them!

The Lord rarely appears with four hands and weapons as in the illustrations we are accustomed to. He is present in everything and everyone around us, sometimes expressing Himself explicitly. Learn to see Him in all!

We have all experienced moments we call “being saved in the nick of time.” Some may call it luck, while those who understand life’s deeper philosophy call it divine intervention. At times, that divinity may even manifest through us. Yet, we must not get carried away thinking, “I am God.” While the divine essence resides within all, that does not make us the Lord Himself. The goal, rather, is to engage more often in divine acts so we stay close to that divinity.
Ultimately, it is the attitude - the Yajña spirit - with which we perform actions that makes them divine. One who learns to recognize the divinity within and around all beings is truly enlightened.

Recognizing the Divine All Around
Those who are free from desires, unaffected by anxiety or frustration, and constantly engaged in spiritual seeking, certainly attain this state of wisdom. To reach this wisdom, the Lord elaborates on various forms of Yajña (sacrifice).
(For an introduction to the concept of Yajña, see Karma Yoga.)
Before describing the types of Yajñas, the Lord briefly reiterates the essence of Karma Yoga: one should know what actions must be performed and what should not. Non-performance of duty is never an option. Awareness of Dharma (right living) and constant engagement in rightful action are essential.
There is a beautiful shloka that illustrates the mindset needed to perceive divinity everywhere:
“One who is inactive while performing actions, and one who is active even while not performing action — such a person is truly wise.”

Meaning: while engaged in action, they believe it is the Lord who performs through them — their ego is inactive. In that state, divinity flows through the individual. Similarly, even when outwardly inactive, their mind remains absorbed in the contemplation of the Supreme.

When we begin to live this way, every action becomes a Yajña. We realize and experience that it is the same divinity that inspires an action, uses our body as the instrument, and arranges the offering itself. Truly, it is divinity at play all around. This truth can only be experienced — intellectual understanding alone cannot grant that experience.

The Inward Journey
Since the divine element resides within us, the quickest way to experience the Lord should ideally be by turning inward, not outward. But the mind, conditioned to engage with the external world, must first be trained to subdue these outward distractions.

The Lord describes different types of Yajñas that aid this inward journey. In essence, what is sacrificed are the sources of distraction — material possessions or sensory indulgences.

The next phase involves mastery over the senses — learning to disengage from unnecessary sensory perceptions. This Yajña involves “offering” the senses themselves — giving up attachment to sight, sound, or touch. Is that even possible? Of course. For instance, do you hear someone whisper when you are deeply asleep? Or notice a knock at the door while binge-watching a web series? The idea is not to destroy the sense organs but to rise above the distractions they create.

Another form of Yajña is Svādhyāya-Yajña — the pursuit of self-study and acquisition of true knowledge. We all know what it takes to excel in any field — staying away from distractions and immersing completely in the subject. Here, the subject is the ultimate truth itself! Continuous contemplation and absorption in it is Svādhyāya-Yajña.

Then there are Prāṇāyāma-Yajña and Yoga-Yajña. Prāṇāyāma-Yajña is about gaining control over breath and thereby mastering the life force (Prāṇa Shakti) within. Yoga-Yajña represents the ultimate offering — where one surrenders the ego itself, the very identity tied to the body, in complete devotion to the Divine.

These concepts may sound complex, but the Lord advises learning them under the guidance of a Guru — an enlightened teacher. Though they may seem difficult at first, taking even a single step with faith reveals the beauty of the journey ahead. Practicing them with conviction leads to absolute knowledge — the direct experience of the Divine.

This is the Path of Knowledge (Jñāna Mārga), traversed through the Path of Action (Karma Mārga).

DISCLAIMER: 

This is our humble attempt to summarize the Gitopadesha through a series of short blogs. This is not a complete translation or commentary on the divine scripture. We seek forgiveness from the reader and the Lord for any omissions made to keep the blog concise. The write-up includes both the writer’s personal reflections and summaries of several shlokas from the Bhagavad Gita. The intent is not to provide a commentary but to inspire readers to study the Bhagavad Gita in its entirety. The writer is neither a scholar nor a hermit, but someone who firmly believes that it is the Lord who enables all actions. Being human, he still errs. Kindly forgive him for all such mistakes.

Sarvam Krishnarpanamasthu!