Chapter 4 · Verse 15 · Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 4.15
Sanskrit
एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः। कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम्।।4.15।।
Transliteration
evaṁ jñātvā kṛitaṁ karma pūrvair api mumukṣhubhiḥ kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṁ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṁ kṛitam
In plain words
You may feel paralyzed right now—unsure what to do, afraid that nothing you do will matter, or believing that understanding the truth means you can finally stop trying. Krishna says: the wisest people who ever lived didn't withdraw from life when they found peace; they kept working, kept showing up, kept loving, but without the crushing weight of needing it to turn out a certain way. Your action—whether it's saving your marriage, showing up for your child, doing your job, or simply getting out of bed—doesn't need to earn you the result you want. It just needs to be done with an honest heart.
Word by Word
The ancient seers who longed for liberation did not abandon their duties when they realized the supreme truth—instead, they performed their actions with perfect understanding, free from the bondage of ego and result-seeking. This is the paradox Krishna reveals: knowledge does not exempt you from action, but transforms how you act.
When you know that the Self is untouched by what the body does, you become free to serve fully, without the paralysis of doubt or the poison of personal ambition.
Listen
Bhagavad Gita 4.15 — BG 4.15
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