श्री भगवानुवाच
इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्।
विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत्।।4.1।।
4.1 The Blessed Lord said I imparted this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan, Vivasvan taught this to Manu, and Manu transmitted this to Iksavaku.
4.1 The Blessed Lord said I taught this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan; he told it to Manu; Manu proclaimed it to Ikshvaku.
4.1. The Bhagavat said This changeless Yoga I had properly taught thus to Vivasvat; Vivasvat correctly told it ot Manu; and Manu declared to Iksvaku.
4.1 इमम् this? विवस्वते to Vivasvan? योगम् Yoga? प्रोक्तवान् taught? अहम् I? अव्ययम् imperishable? विवस्वान् Vivasvan? मनवे to Manu? प्राह taught? मनुः Manu? इक्ष्वाकवे to Ikshvaku? अब्रवीत् taught.Commentary Vivasvan means the sun. Ikshvaku was the son of Manu. Ikshvaku was the reputed ancestor of the solar dynasty of Kshatriyas.This Yoga is said to be imperishable because the result or fruit? i.e.? Moksha? that can be attained through it is imperishable.If the rulers of dominions possess a knowledge of the Yoga taught by Me in the preceding two discourses? they can protect the Brahmanas and rule their kingdom with justice. So I taught this Yoga to the Sungod in the beginning of evolution.
4.1 In the beginning of creation, with a veiw to infusing vigour into the Ksatriyas who are the protectors of the world, aham, I; proktavan, imparted; imam, this; avyayam, imperishable; yogam, Yoga, presented in the (preceding) two chapters; vivasvate, to Vivasvan, the Sun. Being endowed with this power of Yoga, they would be able to protect the Brahmana caste. The protection of the world becomes ensured when the Brahmanas and the Ksatriyas are protected. It (this Yoga) is avyayam, imperishable, because its result is undecaying. For, the result-called Liberation-of this (Yoga), which is characterized by steadfastness in perfect Illumination, does not decay. And he, Vivasvan, praha, taught (this); manave, to Manu. Manu abravit, transmitted (this); iksvakave, to Iksvaku, his own son who was the first king. [First king of the Iksvaku dynasty, otherwise known as the Solar dynasty.]
4.1 See Comment under 4.3
4.1 - 4.2 The Lord said This Karma Yoga declared to you should not be considered as having been taught now merely, for creating encouragement in you for war. I Myself had taught this Yoga to Vivasvan at the commencement of Manus age as a means for all beings to attain release, which is mans supreme end. Vivasvan taught it to Manu, and Manu to Iksvaku. The royal sages of old knew this Yoga transmitted by tradition. Because of long lapse of time and because of the dullness of the intellect of those who heard it, it has been almost lost.
In the fourth chapter, the Lord speaks of the reasons for his appearance, the eternal nature of his appearance and activities, and also speaks of the excellence of jnana in such things as the brahma yajna. In this chapter, the Lord praises jnana yoga (imam yogam), the goal of niskama karma, which he had already mentioned in the two previous chapters.
Here Lord Krishna is praising karma yoga or the performance of Vedic activities by explaining that He, Himself previously had instructed the eternal knowledge of yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the Ultimate Consciousness. The Supreme Lord did this in order to illustrate the appearance and disappearance of an avatar or incarnation and to discern between Thou referring to the individual consciousness and That referring to the Ultimate Consciousness, following the great Vedic dictum of Thou art That. In chapter two and three the path of jnana yoga or the cultivation of Vedic knowledge through the medium of karma yoga has been established as the means to moksa or liberation from the cycle of birth and death in the material existence. In order to elaborate further by the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures which give a vision for the mind to imagine when performing yagna or Vedic worship like Brahman is the ladle to pour the ghee and Agni is the fire to receive it. The Supreme Lord is praising this yoga and explaining in this first verse how He instructed it and in the next two he shows that that it is confidentially instructed under the auspices of parampara or authorised disciplic succession.
There is no commentary for this verse.
In the third chapter Lord Krishna explained that only karma yoga or the performance of prescribed Vedic activities was suitable for the materialistic person aspiring for moksa or liberation from the cycle of birth and death and that such an aspirant was not competent to follow the path of jnana yoga or the cultivation of Vedic knowledge. It was also shown that even for jnana yoga practitioners that karma yoga when performed as a matter of duty without attachment was preferable. It was further illustrated that for leaders of prominence in society it is an important necessity to perform karma yoga in order that the public is guided and inspired in a righteous manner. The objective of this fourth chapter is to further emphasise the worthiness of karma yoga by giving evidence that it was taught to great personalities at the beginning of this Manavatar or cyclic appearance of one type of divine incarnations as verified in Vedic scriptures over a period of time comprising approximately every 350 million years. Also it will be shown in this chapter how karma yoga partakes of the nature of jnana yoga by reason of spiritual intentions underlying all prescribed Vedic activities. Chapter four finishes up by explaining the nature and varieties of karma yoga and the importance of spiritual awareness connected to performing every action.
In the third chapter Lord Krishna explained that only karma yoga or the performance of prescribed Vedic activities was suitable for the materialistic person aspiring for moksa or liberation from the cycle of birth and death and that such an aspirant was not competent to follow the path of jnana yoga or the cultivation of Vedic knowledge. It was also shown that even for jnana yoga practitioners that karma yoga when performed as a matter of duty without attachment was preferable. It was further illustrated that for leaders of prominence in society it is an important necessity to perform karma yoga in order that the public is guided and inspired in a righteous manner. The objective of this fourth chapter is to further emphasise the worthiness of karma yoga by giving evidence that it was taught to great personalities at the beginning of this Manavatar or cyclic appearance of one type of divine incarnations as verified in Vedic scriptures over a period of time comprising approximately every 350 million years. Also it will be shown in this chapter how karma yoga partakes of the nature of jnana yoga by reason of spiritual intentions underlying all prescribed Vedic activities. Chapter four finishes up by explaining the nature and varieties of karma yoga and the importance of spiritual awareness connected to performing every action.
Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha: Imam vivaswate yogam proktavaan aham avyayam; Vivaswaan manave praaha manur ikshwaakave’braveet.
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Lord Shree Krishna said; imam—this; vivasvate—to the Sun-god; yogam—the science of Yog; proktavān—taught; aham—I; avyayam—eternal; vivasvān—Sun-god; manave—to Manu, the original progenitor of humankind; prāha—told; manuḥ—Manu; ikṣhvākave—to Ikshvaku, first king of the Solar dynasty; abravīt—instructed
