Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 2 — Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga
Sanskrit
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः | स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप ||४-२||
Transliteration
evaṃ paramparāprāptamimaṃ rājarṣayo viduḥ . sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa ||4-2||
Hindi Meaning
।।4.2।। इस प्रकार परम्परा से प्राप्त हुये इस योग को राजर्षियों ने जाना, (परन्तु) हे परन्तप ! वह योग बहुत काल (के अन्तराल) से यहाँ (इस लोक में) नष्टप्राय हो गया।।
English Meaning
This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.
Commentary
It is clearly stated that the Gītā was especially meant for the saintly kings because they were to execute its purpose in ruling over the citizens. Certainly Bhagavad-gītā was never meant for the demonic persons, who would dissipate its value for no one’s benefit and would devise all types of interpretations according to personal whims. As soon as the original purpose was scattered by the motives of the unscrupulous commentators, there arose the need to reestablish the disciplic succession. Five thousand years ago it was detected by the Lord Himself that the disciplic succession was broken, and therefore He declared that the purpose of the Gītā appeared to be lost. In the same way, at the present moment also there are so many editions of the Gītā (especially in English), but almost all of them are not according to authorized disciplic succession. There are innumerable interpretations rendered by different mundane scholars, but almost all of them do not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, although they make a good business on the words of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This spirit is demonic, because demons do not believe in God but simply enjoy the property of the Supreme. Since there is a great need of an edition of the Gītā in English, as it is received by the paramparā (disciplic succession) system, an attempt is made herewith to fulfill this great want. Bhagavad-gītā – accepted as it is – is a great boon to humanity; but if it is accepted as a treatise of philosophical speculations, it is simply a waste of time.
Hinglish Commentary
Bhagavad Gītā ka yeh baat saaf hai ki yeh khaas taur par saintly kings ke liye hai, kyunki unhe apne praja par sahi tarike se raj karna tha. Yeh kabhi bhi un logon ke liye nahi thi jo demon hain, jo iski asli value ko khud ke faayde ke liye khatam kar denge aur apne man ki marzi se iski alag-alag vyakhya karenge. Jab bhi asli maqsad khudgarz commentators ke motives se bhatak gaya, tab disciplic succession ko dobara sthapit karne ki zarurat mehsoos hui. Paanch hazaar saal pehle, Bhagwan ne khud dekha ki yeh succession tooti hui thi, isliye unhone ghoshna ki ki Gītā ka maqsad khoya hua lagta hai. Aaj bhi, bahut saari Gītā ki editions hain (khaas taur par English mein), lekin inmein se lagbhag sab authorized disciplic succession ke anusar nahi hain. Alag-alag mundane scholars ne anek interpretations diye hain, lekin inmein se zyada tar Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, ko nahi maante, jabki yeh log Śrī Kṛṣṇa ke shabdon par accha business karte hain. Yeh soch demonic hai, kyunki demons Bhagwan par vishwas nahi karte, bas Supreme ki sampatti ka aanand lete hain. Isliye, English mein Gītā ka ek edition jo paramparā ke anusar ho, uski bahut zarurat hai, aur yahan is zarurat ko pura karne ki koshish ki gayi hai. Bhagavad Gītā – jise jaise hai waise maana jaye – insaniyat ke liye ek bada vardaan hai; par agar ise sirf philosophical speculations ke roop mein dekha jaye, toh yeh sirf samay ki barbaadi hai.
Chinmaya Commentary
वेदों में प्रवृत्ति और निवृत्ति मार्गों का उपदेश है। इस योग का परम्परागत रूप से राजर्षियों को ज्ञान था परन्तु लगता है इस योग का भी अपना दुर्भाग्य और सौभाग्य है इतिहास के किसी काल में मानव मात्र की सेवा के लिये यह ज्ञान उपलब्ध होता है और किसी अन्य समय अनुपयोगी सा बनकर निरर्थक हो जाता है तब अध्यात्म का स्वर्ण युग समाप्त होकर भोगप्रधान आसुरी जीवन का अन्धा युग प्रारम्भ होता है किन्तु आसुरी भौतिकवाद से ग्रस्त काल में भी वह पीढ़ी अपने ही अवगुणों से पीड़ित होने के लिये उपेक्षित नहीं रखी जाती। क्योंकि उस समय कोई महान् गुरु अध्यात्म क्षितिज पर अवतीर्ण होकर तत्कालीन पीढ़ी को प्रेरणा साहस उत्स्ााह और आवश्यक नेतृत्व प्रदान करके दुख पूर्ण पगडंडी से बाहर सांस्कृतिक पुनरुत्थान के राजमार्ग पर ले आता है।महाभारत काल का उचित मूल्यांकन करते हुए श्रीकृष्ण भगवान् ठीक ही कहते हैं कि दीर्घकाल के अन्तराल से वह योग यहाँ नष्ट हो गया है।यह देखकर कि इन्द्रिय संयम से रहित दुर्बल व्यक्तियों के हाथों में जाकर यह योग नष्टप्राय हो गया जिसके बिना जीवन का परम् पुरुषार्थ प्राप्त नहीं किया जा सकता। भगवान् आगे कहते हैं