Bhagavad-gītā 4.42
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तस्मादज्ञानसंभूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनाऽऽत्मनः। छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत।।4.42।।
tasmād ajñāna-sambhūtaṁ hṛit-sthaṁ jñānāsinātmanaḥ chhittvainaṁ sanśhayaṁ yogam ātiṣhṭhottiṣhṭha bhārata
Therefore, cleave asunder with the sword of wisdom the doubts of the heart, which your own ignorance has engendered, and follow the path of wisdom and arise!
English rendering by Shri Purohit Swami. Each source voice remains named.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| tasmāt | therefore |
| ajñāna-sambhūtam | born of ignorance |
| hṛit-stham | situated in the heart |
| jñāna | of knowledge |
| asinā | with the sword |
| ātmanaḥ | of the self |
| chhittvā | cut asunder |
| enam | this |
| sanśhayam | doubt |
| yogam | in karm yog |
| ātiṣhṭha | take shelter |
| uttiṣhṭha | arise |
| bhārata | Arjun, descendant of Bharat |
Doubt causes a great deal of mental torment. Kill it ruthlessly with the knowledge of the Self.
Attributed explanatory witness: Swami Sivananda. Chapter lens: Follow the links among teaching lineage, divine appearance, action, knowledge, sacrifice and the teacher–student relationship.
Three named reading witnesses
Śaṅkara edition witness
Swami GambiranandaTherefore, O scion of the Bharata dynasty, take recourse to yoga and rise up, cutting asunder with the sword of knowledge this doubt in your heart, arising from ignorance.
Rāmānuja edition witness
Swami AdidevanandaTherefore, sever, with the sword of knowledge, this doubt present in your heart resulting from ignorance concerning the Self. Practice this Yoga, O Arjuna, and arise.
Sivananda commentary witness
Swami SivanandaDoubt causes a great deal of mental torment. Kill it ruthlessly with the knowledge of the Self.
These are concise, attributed reading witnesses from identified editions. They are presented for comparison and are not merged into one anonymous interpretation.
Meaning map
Follow the thought
- 1
Therefore, cleave asunder with the sword of wisdom the doubts of the heart, which your own ignorance has engendered
- 2
follow the path of wisdom and arise!
- 3
tasmāt: therefore
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