BG 4.10 — Jñāna-Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga

Bhagavad Gītā 4.10Chapter 4 · Jñāna-Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga · Krishna → Arjuna · anuṣṭubh

वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः ।

बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः ॥

vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ

bahavo jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ

spokensingle-voice recital; rendered via IndicF5 conditioned on a Sanskrit reference clip

meaning

Free of attachment, fear, and anger, absorbed in Me and taking shelter in Me, many have been purified by the austerity of knowledge and reached My state.

ekras · bhāṣya

Three conditions cleared from the practitioner's interior. Raga — attachment. Bhaya — fear. Krodha — anger. The same triad named in 2.56 as the marks of the sthita-prajna.

Madhusudana adds the precise diagnosis: bhaya here is not generic fear but specifically the renunciant's anxiety — how can I survive if I abandon all objects for the jnana-marga? That fear too is gone. The middle term is the chapter's own. Man-mayah — of-my-very-substance.

Ramanuja reads it not as identity but as being thoroughly saturated with Bhagavan as the inner controller; the soul as shesha to Krishna as sheshin.

Madhva preserves the non-identity precisely: mat-prachurah — suffused with Me, seeing nothing without Me present, yet never becoming Me. Either reading lands the same picture: the practitioner's interior is so filled with Krishna that nothing else is its content.

Vallabha radically expands who counts in this verse. Even the gopis, even Kamsa, even Shishupala — those apparently overpowered by raga, bhaya, krodha — are included among those who attained mad-bhava, because what they were filled with was Krishna, even if the affect they expressed looked like the opposite. The verse closes with the assurance: bahavah — many — have already done it. The path is not theoretical; many have walked it. Jnana-tapasa putah — purified by the austerity of knowing. The closing word mad-bhavam — my own state — is what those many reached.

Context

where

Chapter 4 · Jñāna-Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga · meter anuṣṭubh

who speaks

Krishna → Arjuna

preceded by — BG 4.9

Whoever truly knows my birth and actions to be divine leaves the body without returning to another birth and comes to me, Arjuna.

What's going on

Free of attachment, fear, and anger, absorbed in Me and taking shelter in Me, many have been purified by the austerity of knowledge and reached My state.

Sūtras through this verse (51)

ŚrīdharaclassicalB

The Lord descends out of compassionbetween

4.9His acts are willed only to bless others.───→here4.10───→11.1By high compassion He showed the world-form.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalA

Sorrow and delusion are the diseasebetween

2.69Ignorance is night, wisdom alone wakes.───→here4.10───→4.42Cut the heart's doubt with the sword of knowledge.

MadhvaclassicalT1

Hari is supreme — the running reading-rulebetween

2.18'Imperishable' is said to mark off the Lord.───→here4.10───→4.24Every word for ritual points back to Viṣṇu.

show all 51

Madhvaclassicalmadhva_pratibimba

Madhva Pratibimbabetween · other

2.18Image perishes, source endures───→here4.10───→4.13Creates yet uncreated

MadhvaclassicalT3

Ranking is real — and it never collapsesbetween

4.6Avatāras differ in their fullness of Hari.───→here4.10───→6.9Devas, asuras, mortals are three native kinds.

MadhvaclassicalT5

Mirror-and-image — how seeming-action worksbetween

2.18The image perishes, but the source endures.───→here4.10───→4.13He creates and yet is uncreated by it.

MadhvaclassicalT6

Citation is the spine — texts carry the loadbetween

4.8Ṛgveda khilas explain the descent as play.───→here4.10───→6.6Maitrāyaṇī defines the stilled mind.

MadhvaclassicalT10

The deluder is named — three goddesses, one Lordbetween

4.6Even the unborn descends through the deluder Durgā.───→here4.10───→7.4Eight elements name the inert side of nature.

MadhvaclassicalT12

Closure by gloss — the small repertoirebetween

2.55'Self' here means mind — a single word redirects.───→here4.10───→4.11'Me' is glossed by what the speaker is doing.

ŚrīdharaclassicalE

Inner cleansing reconciles work and knowingbetween

3.3One path, two grades: impure, then pure mind.───→here4.10───→4.39Faith earns knowing; work readies that faith.

ŚrīdharaclassicalC

Devotion is both the way and the homeapproach

───→here4.10───→6.47Be a devotee: that is the meaning.

ŚrīdharaclassicalD

The path that turns no one awayapproach

───→here4.10───→4.11However they come, I meet them so.

ŚrīdharaclassicalI

His evenness as ground for refugeapproach

───→here4.10───→4.11I meet each one as that one approaches.

ŚrīdharaclassicalJ

Insight given as a gift, not earned aloneapproach

───→here4.10───→4.34Knowers will pass it to you by teaching.

ŚrīdharaclassicalL

Chapter prefaces as the bhāṣya's spineapproach

───→here4.10───→5.1Settling the doubt: renounce or work?

ŚaṅkaraclassicalE

Ignorance is the only enemybetween

2.69Wisdom rises; ignorance fades like dawn-darkness.───→here4.10───→4.18See not-doing in doing, doing in not-doing.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalF

The Lord is born only as it werebetween

4.9My birth and acts are not of this world.───→here4.10───→7.14Divine illusion is hard to cross alone.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalG

After knowing, act only to hold the worldbetween

3.25The wise act as the unwise, but unattached.───→here4.10───→4.18The post-knowledge actor does no action at all.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalJ

Scripture stands behind every claimbetween

3.4Brāhmaṇas seek the Self by Veda, then by rite.───→here4.10───→4.13The four orders are the Puruṣa's own body.

RamsukhdasclassicalA

What binds you (and how to let go)between

2.47Hold no mine-ness on body or on fruit.───→here4.10───→4.23Clinging to anything is what binds you.

RamsukhdasclassicalE

Your own work as worshipbetween

3.35Your own flawed work beats another's perfect.───→here4.10───→4.13The four orders are His own creation.

RamsukhdasclassicalH

All paths arrive at the same roombetween

2.55Each path names its sage in its own words.───→here4.10───→4.23Action's flagship verse: it dissolves itself.

Ramsukhdasclassical

Sādhaka Sañjīvanī commentary at this versebetween

───→here4.10───→

ŚaṅkaraclassicalH

The Lord is friend of every beingapproach

───→here4.10───→5.29Friend of all beings, the witness of every act.

RamsukhdasclassicalI

The Lord already inside the heartapproach

───→here4.10───→6.30See Me everywhere, I am never lost.

Ekrasmodernkarma_yoga

Karma yoga — the apprentice pathbetween · v2

3.20Janaka, lokasangraha───→here4.10───→4.18Action in inaction

Ekrasmodernstress

Stress — panic to shelterbetween · v2

2.22Worn-out garments───→here4.10───→4.16Even the wise are confused

Gauravmodernsanatana_dharma_101

Sanatana Dharma 101between

4.8'Paritranaya sadhunam vinashaya cha dushkritam, dharma-samsthapana-arthaya sambh───→here4.10───→9.27Dharma-as-offering pillar. 'Yat karoshi yad ashnasi yaj juhoshi dadasi yat.' Gau

RāmānujaclassicalD

Karma-yoga as kainkarya (worship)between

3.30Surrender every act.───→here4.10───→4.24Brahman the offering, Brahman the offerer.

RāmānujaclassicalG

Māyā is real causal powerbetween

4.6Self-power, not self-illusion.───→here4.10───→7.14Māyā is real wonder, not unreality.

VallabhaclassicalD

Chapter-opening preludesbetween

4.1Four-verse prelude names avatāra-līlā.───→here4.10───→5.1Single-verse prelude sets sannyāsa-yoga eka.

VallabhaclassicalG

The Lord plays — calf-affection, not contractbetween

4.8A mother chastising her child is no cruelty.───→here4.10───→7.1The play-Person of every form opens chapter 7.

Ekrasmodernmeditation

Meditation — the dhyāna tourapproach · v2

───→here4.10───→6.10Solitary seat

Gauravmodernchaplaincy_kit_of_tools

Chaplaincy Kit Of Toolsapproach

───→here4.10───→4.34Paramparā / direct transmission. 'Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprashnena sevaya, u

Gauravmoderninterfaith_cosmology

Interfaith Cosmologyapproach

───→here4.10───→4.11'Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham.' As they approach me, so I

RāmānujaclassicalC

Three ṣaṭkas (1–6 / 7–12 / 13–18)approach

───→here4.10───→5.1A four-clause summary of all of 2 through 4.

RāmānujaclassicalH

Prapatti / śaraṇāgati — universal upāyaapproach

───→here4.10───→4.11As they approach Me, so do I receive them.

VallabhaclassicalA

Two paths — rule-bound and grace-onlyapproach

───→here4.10───→4.11Each soul takes the path Krishna assigns to it.

VallabhaclassicalK

Aphorism, gloss, full commentaryapproach

───→here4.10───→6.47Six chapters of aphorism close at this verse.

Ekrasmodernfamily_conflict

Family Conflictexit · other

2.8No grief-remover I see───→here4.10───→

Gauravmoderneminem_dsm_arjuna

Eminem Dsm Arjunaexit

2.11'Ashochyan anvashochas tvam prajna-vadamsh cha bhashase.' You grieve those not t───→here4.10───→

JayatīrthaclassicalD

Saṅgati declared at the head of every adhyāyabetween

4.1Three blocks named at the chapter head.───→here4.10───→6.1Karma-yoga is outer; samādhi-yoga inner.

JayatīrthaclassicalE

Vishnu-sarvottamatva read into apparently neutral wordsbetween

3.15Brahmodbhavam — born of parabrahman.───→here4.10───→4.11Mām is Viṣṇu, not generic absolute.

JayatīrthaclassicalF

Bhakti-tāratamya: gradation among devotees, gradation in fruitapproach

───→here4.10───→4.11Fruit proportional to the service offered.

ĀnandagiriclassicalF

Which karma? — fourfold typologybetween

3.3Vaidika action sorted by life-stage rule.───→here4.10───→4.18Action-in-inaction needs the typology.

ĀnandagiriclassicalH

Phala-saṃkalpa is the only upādhibetween

3.4No mokṣa from mere non-starting.───→here4.10───→4.18Action-in-inaction: the upādhi seen. Anchor.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalD

Avatāra: appearance without departurebetween

4.6Creator and non-doer held both at once.───→here4.10───→4.13Four orders made by the one who stays equal.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalG

Three yogas — three angles on one configurationbetween

3.30Karma offered to the indweller becomes worship.───→here4.10───→4.33Knowledge-rite outranks mere material rites.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalB

Recognition, not additionapproach

───→here4.10───→4.14Recognize, do not learn — the verb shifts.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalD

Adhikāra — eligibility as architecture, not exceptionapproach

───→here4.10───→4.11'Yathā' is open; the verb is the gate.

MadhusūdanaclassicalG

Knowing and acting cannot run togetherbetween

3.1The grand architecture cannot mix the two.───→here4.10───→4.34Approach a knower; knowing is not earned by action.

Śabda · lemmas (13 unique · 15 occurrences)

उपाश्रिताः √upāśri — to take refuge in, resort to (upa- + ā- + √śri) · nominative masculine plural participle noun
तपसा tapas — austerity, ascetic heat, spiritual discipline · instrumental neuter singular noun
आगताः √āgam — to come, arrive (ā- + √gam) · nominative masculine plural participle noun

show all 13

मद्·माम् mad ×3 — I, me (1st person pronoun stem); also: to rejoice (verbal root) · compound / accusative singular noun
वीत √vī — to go, lead (verbal root) · compound participle (compound member)
राग rāga — passion, attachment, color · compound
भय bhaya — fear · compound
क्रोधाः krodha — anger, wrath · nominative masculine plural noun
मयाः maya — consisting of (suffix); also: Maya the asura architect · nominative masculine plural noun
बहवः bahu — many, much, abundant · nominative masculine plural noun
ज्ञान jñāna — knowledge, wisdom, cognition · compound · also at 1.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.26, 3.32 +70
पूताः √pū — to purify (verbal root) · nominative masculine plural participle noun
भावम् bhāva — being, state, mood, emotion, condition · accusative masculine singular noun

Praśna · so what (7)

01Śaṅkara says jñāna-tapas alone suffices and makes all other tapas irrelevant — does this mean a scholar without devotion is closer to liberation than a devotee without learning?
02Vallabha includes Kaṃsa and Śiśupāla among those who attained mad-bhāvam: if even those in hostile bhāva (dispositional states) toward Kṛṣṇa attained it, what distinguishes this from saying all beings are already liberated?

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03Madhva insists man-mayāḥ means 'suffused with Me, seeing nothing without Me' — not identity. How does one practically distinguish the Dvaitin's 'seeing Hari everywhere' from the Advaitin's 'seeing only Brahman everywhere'?
04All six schools treat rāga-bhaya-krodha (desire-fear-anger) as obstructions, yet Vallabha says intense rāga toward Kṛṣṇa is itself the path. Where is the line between liberating and entrapping emotional intensity?
05Madhusūdana identifies bhaya specifically as the renunciant's anxiety about survival on jñāna-mārga — is this fear an obstacle to be overcome or is it a legitimate signal that the path needs reconfiguration?
06Rāmānuja anchors jñāna-tapas in knowledge of Bhagavān's divine birth (janma-karma-tattva) — a doctrinal content, not just a practice quality. Does this mean the uninstructed meditator who knows no theology cannot be purified by jñāna-tapas?
07Kṛṣṇa's claim that 'many have attained mad-bhāvam' in the past grounds this as a verified path, not a promise — what is the epistemological weight of this historical claim for each school, and does it require a lineage of realized teachers to be credible?

Vyavahāra · try it in your life

Advaita

When irritation arises toward a colleague, examine whether the trigger is an implied threat to your self-concept (ahaṃkāra). Śaṅkara's model predicts that each such examination — not suppression, but clear seeing — is jñāna-tapas in real time, incrementally dissolving the rāga-bhaya-krodha cluster. You do not need a meditation retreat; the clarity you bring to the next difficult conversation is the austerity.

Viśiṣṭādvaita

Rāmānuja's verse turns on recognition of Bhagavān's parama-kāruṇikatva (supreme compassion). Practically: when you feel unsupported or abandoned, recall that this compassion was active through every avatāra — it is not withheld from you now. This recognition is the janma-karma-tattva-jñāna that begins to dissolve fear. Begin each day by naming one specific way this care has operated in your life.

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Dvaita

Madhva's man-mayāḥ — seeing nothing anywhere without Hari — is a perceptual discipline, not a metaphysical claim. Practice: when you encounter any person or situation that triggers krodha (anger), pause and ask 'where is Hari in this?' This is not naive reframing; it is training the perceptual system to track the prasāda (grace) operating through what appears as obstruction.

Śuddhādvaita

Vallabha's inclusion of the gopīs and even Kaṃsa dissolves the requirement for 'clean' emotion. If your dominant engagement with a creative project, a relationship, or your work is intense — even anxious, even obsessive — Puṣṭi-mārga says: do not sanitize it, deepen it. Pour that intensity toward Kṛṣṇa's svarūpa in whatever form you find compelling, and the kīṭa-bhṛṅga-nyāya (wasp-and-caterpillar transformation) will do the rest.

Bhakti

Śrīdhara's dvandva-ekavat (two-as-one) framing of jñāna and svadharma as a single austerity is directly actionable: do not separate your spiritual practice from your professional responsibility. The svadharma you perform with mad-eka-citta (single-pointed mind on Bhagavān) is itself the tapas that matures self-knowledge. There is no 'spiritual life' separated from the particular calling you are already in.

Advaita-Bhakti

Madhusūdana names the renunciant's existential anxiety precisely: 'if I abandon all objects for jñāna, how will I live?' This is a real fear, not a spiritual failure. His synthesis says: take shelter through ekānta-prema (exclusive love) — the bhakti path does not require you to resolve the survival anxiety first. The love itself reorganizes the emotional field. Begin with whatever bhāva (affective disposition) is most alive in you toward Kṛṣṇa, even if it coexists with fear.

Adhiṣṭhāna · substrate signature

substratev2.6-frozen

parserByT5-Sanskrit-multitask (Nehrdich/Hellwig/Keutzer EMNLP 2024)

mūlaBelvalkar critical edition (BORI 1947), via Ambuda multi-witness

show all metadata

weightsa=1 · b=0.01 · e_v=0.005 · z=0.2 · h=0 · th=0.01

anchorfit on Ramsukhdas's Sādhak Sañjīvanī (1980), frozen across the eight-commentator panel; cross-validated R@4 = 71.6% on Śaṅkara

extracted2026-04-21

methodPaper 1, Section II.B

↓ view raw per-verse object (JSON)↗ per-verse-object schema ↗ substrate code (MIT) + data (CC-BY 4.0)

The schema generalizes to any bounded-polysemy corpus with discrete primary text units, attested witness traditions, identifiable schools, and formal substrate. Port the per-verse object; refit weights on a domain-appropriate Layer-3 anchor; ship.

Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 4, Verse 10: Krishna to Arjuna — Jñāna-Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga