🕉️ Chapter 4 – Jnana Yoga: Avatar, Action & Inner Awakening (Shlokas 1–10)
📜 Shloka 1
इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् | विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ||
EN: I taught this imperishable yoga to the Sun-god, Vivasvan. He passed it to Manu, who passed it to Ikshvaku.
HI: मैंने यह अविनाशी योग पहले सूर्य (विवस्वान) को सिखाया; फिर वह मनु को और मनु ने इक्ष्वाकु को दिया।
Modern Insight: Spiritual knowledge is not new. It’s ancient and timeless, passed across generations — like truth embedded in the DNA of consciousness. We’re simply reconnecting to something we've forgotten.
📜 Shloka 2
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः | स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परंतप ||
EN: This wisdom was received by royal sages, but with time, it was lost.
HI: राजर्षियों ने इसे परंपरा से प्राप्त किया, लेकिन समय के साथ यह योग लुप्त हो गया।
Modern Insight: Just like today, when true purpose is buried under hustle culture, ancient wisdom fades when it isn’t practiced. Rediscovering it is an act of rebellion against unconscious living.
📜 Shloka 3
स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः | भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ||
EN: Today I reveal to you this ancient secret because you are My devotee and friend.
HI: आज मैं तुम्हें वही प्राचीन योग दे रहा हूँ, क्योंकि तुम मेरे भक्त और मित्र हो।
Modern Insight: Inner wisdom isn't just for monks or gurus. It’s for anyone sincere. Friendship and trust create the space where the divine speaks to us — even in times of doubt.
📜 Shloka 4
अर्जुन उवाच | अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः | कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ||
EN: Arjuna asked: How can I understand that You taught this at the beginning? You were born recently, but the Sun was born long ago.
HI: अर्जुन ने पूछा: आपने यह कैसे पहले सिखाया, जब आपका जन्म तो अभी हुआ है और विवस्वान का पहले?
Modern Insight: This is our skepticism speaking. We ask: “How can eternal truth come from someone standing right in front of me?” Doubt is valid — but it must lead to inquiry, not paralysis.
📜 Shloka 5
श्रीभगवानुवाच | बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन | तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परंतप ||
EN: Krishna replied: You and I have had many births. I remember them all — you do not.
HI: तुम और मैंने कई जन्म लिए हैं; मैं उन्हें जानता हूँ, लेकिन तुम नहीं।
Modern Insight: Consciousness is eternal. We are more than this body, this story. Remembering this shifts how we face challenges — from panic to perspective.
📜 Shloka 6
अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् | प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय संभवाम्यात्ममायया ||
EN: Though I am unborn and eternal, I manifest by My own power (maya) to restore balance.
HI: मैं अजन्मा और शाश्वत होते हुए भी, अपनी शक्ति से जन्म लेता हूँ।
Modern Insight: The divine doesn’t need to be born — but chooses to step into the world when imbalance arises. Even in our lives, our higher self shows up when the lower self collapses.
📜 Shloka 7
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत | अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदाऽऽत्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ||
EN: Whenever righteousness declines and unrighteousness rises, I manifest Myself.
HI: जब-जब धर्म की हानि होती है और अधर्म बढ़ता है, तब-तब मैं अवतार लेता हूँ।
Modern Insight: Avatar isn’t just myth — it’s a metaphor. When our values collapse, our truest self arises to restore alignment. This happens within each of us too — not just in mythological epics.
📜 Shloka 8
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् | धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युगे युगे ||
EN: I appear age after age to protect the good, destroy evil, and re-establish dharma.
HI: सज्जनों की रक्षा, दुष्टों के विनाश और धर्म की स्थापना के लिए मैं हर युग में आता हूँ।
Modern Insight: In every era — even today — we are being called to be avatars of clarity, courage, and dharma. The world changes when individuals embody higher truth.
📜 Shloka 9
जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः | त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ||
EN: One who understands My divine birth and action is not born again — they come to Me.
HI: जो मेरे जन्म और कर्म को दिव्य जानता है, वह मृत्यु के बाद पुनर्जन्म नहीं लेता, बल्कि मुझमें लीन हो जाता है।
Modern Insight: When we truly see the sacredness of selfless action, we transcend the cycle of reacting and repeating. This is liberation — in thought, emotion, and rebirth.
📜 Shloka 10
वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः | बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः ||
EN: Many, free from attachment, fear, and anger, have purified themselves through wisdom and reached Me.
HI: राग, भय और क्रोध से रहित होकर, ज्ञान और तप से शुद्ध होकर, कई लोग मेरे स्वरूप को प्राप्त हुए हैं।
Modern Insight: Liberation isn’t abstract. It’s when you act without fear, love without clinging, and live with awareness. The Gita isn’t about escape — it’s about showing up pure and powerful.
---🌱 Ancient Verse – Modern Wisdom Table
| Gita Insight | Modern Life Lesson |
|---|---|
| “Leaders act to inspire” | People follow who you are, not just what you say |
| “Krishna acts though He needs nothing” | Purposeful living is bigger than personal gain |
| “Wise don’t confuse the unready” | Guide with compassion, not pressure |
| “Let go of ego, surrender actions” | Peace comes when you stop thinking you control everything |
🧘 Message to Gen Z: Be the Example
You don’t need a million followers to be a leader. Just one pure action done consciously can light the way for someone lost in darkness.
- 🌱 Don’t preach. Practice.
- 🛠️ Do the work, not for fame — but to build a better world.
- 🔥 Your purpose is not popularity. It’s presence + intention.
Lead not to be followed. Lead because your soul says it’s time.
🧠 Modern Reflections: How to Live Shlokas 1–10 Today
- ✨ **Every action is spiritual** — when done with awareness, not ego.
- 🌀 **You’ve lived before** — the soul’s memory is deeper than this life. Honor your higher potential.
- 📿 **Doubt is natural**, but don’t let it delay your dharma.
- ⚖️ **True leadership** means stepping up when things fall apart — not for power, but for balance.
- 💡 **Gita is not old** — it’s timeless. When you read it with sincerity, it reads you back.
🧘 Final Thought
Krishna’s first 10 verses of Chapter 4 aren’t just stories — they’re maps. They show us how to respond when the world (or our mind) loses balance: not by retreating, but by rising. The Avatar is in you too.