BG 4.15
Bhagavad Gītā · Jñāna YogaAnuṣṭubh (śloka)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||
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एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः | कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ||४-१५||
Anuṣṭubh (śloka) · 16+16 syllables
scansion (laghu/guru)
Facts come from Vidyut (deterministic), never the model. Gaps are shown, not guessed.
Having known this, the ancient seekers after freedom also performed action; therefore do thou also perform action, as did the ancients in days of yore.
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English commentary2
4.15 एवं thus? ज्ञात्वा having known? कृतम् (was) done? कर्म action? पूर्वैः by ancients? अपि also? मुमुक्षुभिः seekers after freedom? कुरु perform? कर्म action? एव even? तस्मात् therefore? त्वम् thou? पूर्वैः by ancients?,पूर्वतरम् in the olden time? कृतम् done.Commentary Knowing thus that the Self can have no desire for the fruits of actions and cannot be tainted by them? and knowing that no one can be tainted if he works without egoism? attachment and expectation of fruits? do thou perform your duty.If your heart is impure? perform actions for its purification. If you have attained AtmaJnana or the knowledge of the Self? work for the wellbeing of the world. The ancients such as Janaka and others performed actions in the days of yore. So do thou also perform action.
— vedicscriptures · exposition · source ↗
There are two classes of men. Some of them are full of polluted material things within their hearts, and some of them are materially free. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is equally beneficial for both of these persons. Those who are full of dirty things can take to the line of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for a gradual cleansing process, following the regulative principles of devotional service. Those who are already cleansed of the impurities may continue to act in the same Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that others may follow their exemplary activities and thereby be benefited. Foolish persons or neophytes in Kṛṣṇa consciousness often want to retire from activities without having knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Arjuna’s desire to retire from activities on the battlefield was not approved by the Lord. One need only know how to act. To retire from the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to sit aloof making a show of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is less important than actually engaging in the field of activities for the sake of Kṛṣṇa. Arjuna is here advised to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, following in the footsteps of the Lord’s previous disciples, such as the sun-god Vivasvān, as mentioned hereinbefore. The Supreme Lord knows all His past activities, as well as those of persons who acted in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the past. Therefore He recommends the acts of the sun-god, who learned this art from the Lord some millions of years before. All such students of Lord Kṛṣṇa are mentioned here as past liberated persons, engaged in the discharge of duties allotted by Kṛṣṇa.
— vedicscriptures · exposition · source ↗