Summery of Chapter 1

Chapter one begins with Dhritarashtra asking Samjaya what the sons of the warring clans are doing. Samjaya replies by narrating what Duryodhana, Dhritarashtra’s eldest son, said to his teacher. Duryodhana praises the warriors of his clan and the adversarial clan. He claims his clan is more sufficient in power than the adversarial clan and implores his clansmen to protect the Bhīṣma (Duryodhana’s top army Commander) phalanx. Then a bit of philosophy is interjected in verse 12: “But indeed, never was I not, were you not, nor these rulers of people were not, and indeed nor we all will not be, henceforth.” After this a narration of blowing of named conch shells and the clamoring of other battlefield instruments ensues creating a tumultuous sound that caused the earth to reverberate with sound.

From this, the subject of narration switches to Arjuna, the third son of the opposing clan, with his response to the previous events, just narrated. Arjuna lifting his bow asks Krisha, his charioteer, to position his war-chariot holding him and Krishna between both armies. Arjuna stares at the the Kaurava warriors and wonders who wants to fight him in this battle among the Kaurava warriors.  Arjuna also gazed at all the kin and friends that he grew up with in both armies and “was filled with extreme compassion.” From this Arjuna became physically and mentally became despondent stating he has seen adverse omens and foresees no good in killing a kinsman in battle. Arjuna takes a position of asceticism ready to give up possible earthly boons from a victory in this battle seeing that many warriors in this battle will abandon life and wealth. Arjuna becomes a pacifist and tells Krishna all the reasons why he should not fight.

From here turns to the last part of the chapter that starts out very agnostic, but quickly becomes a quite incendiary passage, even in current India. Interpretations can range from “good fences make good neighbors” to outright class warfare that the caste system often incites, even today. Arjuna states, “greed corrupts a family”. Arjuna goes on to state that the corruption of the family destroys family virtues and lawlessness pervades the entire family, which corrupts the women of the family. Then the corrupted women mix with other social groups (castes). When this intermixing of social groups occurs, torment arises in the family, ancestors are dishonored, and family rituals cease. This all results in an abode of chaos. Arjuna then speaks of the immorality of this battle and sides with surrender dropping his bow and sitting down in his chariot “with his mind agitated with grief”.

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 4/Verse 15

एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः ।
कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ॥४-१५॥

evaṃ jñātvā kṛtaṃ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ ।
kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṃ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṃ kṛtam ॥4-15॥

Thus, having known, even action was done by the ancients desirous of release. Therefore, indeed, you must engage in action, as done previously by the ancients.


Word-for-word translations

evam (adverb) (indeclinable) = thus

jñātvā (gerund) (indeclinable) = having known

kṛtam (past passive participle, neuter, accusative, singular) = was done

karma (neuter, accusative, singular) = action

pūrvais (masculine, instrumental, plural) = by the ancients

api (adverb) (indeclinable) = even 

mumukṣubhis (adjective) (masculine, instrumental, plural) = by desirous of release

kuru (imperative, 2nd person, singular) = you must engage!

karma (neuter, accusative, singular) = action

eva (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed

tasmāt (masculine, ablative, singular) = therefore

tvam (pronoun, 2nd person, nominative, singular) = you

pūrvais (masculine, instrumental, plural) = by the ancients

pūrvataram (comparative) = previously

kṛtam (past passive participle, neuter, accusative, singular) = as done

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 4/Verse 14

न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा ।

इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥४-१४॥

na māṃ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā ।

iti māṃ yo'bhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate ॥4-14॥

Actions do not stain me. My desire is not in the fruit of action. Thus, one who understands me, that one is not bound by actions. 


Word-for-word translations

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

mām (pronoun, 1st person, accusative, singular) = me

karmāṇi (neuter, nominative, plural) = actions

limpanti (present tense, 3rd person, plural) = they stain

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

me (pronoun, 1st person, genitive, singular) = my

karmaphale (neuter, locative, singular) = in the fruit of action

spṛhā (feminine, nominative, singular) = desire



iti (adverb) (indeclinable) = thus

mām (pronoun, 1st person, accusative, singular) = me

yas (pronoun, masculine, nominative, singular) = one who

abhijānāti (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = one understands 

karmabhis (neuter, instrumental, plural) = by actions

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

sas (masculine, nominative, singular) = that one

badhyate (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = one is bound

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 4/Verse 13

Chapter 4/Verse 13

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥४-१३॥

cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ ।
tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam ॥4-13॥

According to the distribution of the guṇas with their actions related to the four castes created by me, although the creator of that, you must know me as the imperishable, non-doer.


Word-for-word translations

cāturvarṇyam (neuter, nominative, singular) = related to the four castes 

mayā (pronoun, 1st person, instrumental, singular) = by me

sṛṣṭam (past passive participle, neuter, nominative, singular) = created

guṇakarmavibhāgaśas (guṇa + karma + vibhāga + śas) (adverbial compound)  = according to the distribution of the guṇas with their actions

tasya (masculine, genitive, singular) = of that

kartāram (masculine, accusative, singular) = creator 

api (adverb) (indeclinable) = although

mām (pronoun, 1st person, accusative, singular) = me

viddhi (imperative, 2nd person, singular) = you must know

akartāram (masculine, accusative, singular) = non-doer 

avyayam (masculine, accusative, singular) = imperishable 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 4/Verse 12

Chapter 4/Verse 12

काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः ।
क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥४-१२॥

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha devatāḥ ।
kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmajā ॥4-12॥

Here, desiring divine powers, they sacrifice accomplishment of actions. Indeed, quickly, in the human world, success is born from such actions. 


Word-for-word translations

kāṅkṣantas (present participle, masculine, nominative, plural) = desiring 

karmaṇām (neuter, genitive, plural) = of actions

siddhim (feminine, accusative, singular) = accomplishment 

yajanta (present tense, 3rd person, plural) = they sacrifice  

iha (adverb) (indeclinable) = here

devatās (feminine, accusative, plural) = divine powers


kṣipram (adverb) (indeclinable) = quickly

hi (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed

mānuṣe (masculine, locative, singular) = in human 

loke (masculine, locative, singular) = in the world

siddhis (feminine, nominative, singular) = success

bhavati (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = it is 

karmajā (feminine, nominative, singular) = born from such actions

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 4/Verse 11

Chapter 4/Verse 11

ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् ।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥४-११॥

ye yathā māṃ prapadyante tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham ।
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ॥4-11॥

The manner in which they take refuge in me, indeed, in that way, I accept them. Everywhere, human beings follow my path, O Son of Pritha. 


Word-for-word translations

ye (masculine, nominative, plural) = who

yathā = the manner in which

mām (pronoun, 1st person, accusative, singular) = me

prapadyante (present tense, 3rd person, plural) = they take refuge in

tām (masculine, accusative, plural) = them 

tathā = in that way

eva (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed 

bhajāmi (present tense, 1st person, singular) = I accept

aham (pronoun, 1st person, nominative, singular) = I

mama (pronoun, 1st person, genitive, singular) = my

vartma (neuter, accusative, singular) = path

anuvartante (present tense, 3rd person, plural) = they follow

manuṣyās (masculine, nominative, plural) = human beings

pārtha (masculine, vocative, singular) = O Son of Pritha (epithet of Arjuna)

sarvaśas (adverb) (indeclinable) = everywhere

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 4/Verse 10

Chapter 4/Verse 10 

वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः ।
बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः ॥४-१०॥

vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ ।
bahavo jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ ॥4-10॥

Free of passion, danger, and anger, absorbed in me, taking refuge in me, many purified by austerity in knowledge return to my state of being. 


Word-for-word translations

vītarāgabhayakrodhās (vīta + rāga + bhaya + krodhās) (compound) (masculine, nominative, plural) = free of passion, danger, and anger

manmayās (masculine, nominative, plural) = absorbed in me

mām (pronoun, 1st, accusative, singular) = me 

upāśritās (past passive participle, masculine, nominative, plural) = taking refuge 

bahavas (masculine, nominative, plural) = many

jñānatapasā (neuter, instrumental, singular) = by austerity in knowledge

pūtās (past passive participle, masculine, nominative, plural) = purified

madbhāvam (masculine, accusative, singular) = my state of being

āgatās (past passive participle, masculine, nominative, plural) = return