Chapter 4 Verse 1
Jñāna Karm Sanyās Yog
श्री भगवानुवाच इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्। विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत्।।4.1।।
śhrī bhagavān uvācha imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣhvākave ’bravīt
Word Meanings
| 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 |
Translation
The Blessed Lord said, "I taught this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan; he then told it to Manu; Manu proclaimed it to Ikshvaku.
Philosophical Significance
Core Meaning
Here Krishna says that the teaching he gives is not new but eternal. He taught it to the Sun-god, who passed it to Manu, and it reached the first king. The chain shows that this wisdom moves through time by being taught and lived.
Calling the teaching "imperishable" means its core is beyond fashions and death. The method—right action, inner knowledge, and surrender—works in any age because it changes how we act and see ourselves, not just what we believe.
The lineage also points to how spiritual truth is preserved: through teachers, practice, and example. Wisdom is meant to be practiced and passed on, not kept as mere information.
Life Application
- Learn from reliable sources and teachers, and test teachings by acting on them in small daily steps.
- Keep the practice alive by regular habits (quiet reflection, honest work, kind actions) rather than only intellectual study.
- Share what helps you with others through simple example and clear, kind words.
Reflection Question
What spiritual practice or lesson am I living now that I could pass on to someone else?