Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 2 (4.2)
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 2 (4.2)
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः । स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप | | ४-२ | |
evaṁ paramparāprāptamimaṁ rājarṣhayo viduḥ sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣhṭaḥ parantapa
Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
- एवम्
(evam)— परंपरा से प्राप्त(received through tradition) - परम्पराप्राप्तम्
(parampara-praptam)— परंपरा से प्राप्त(received through tradition) - इमम्
(imam)— राजर्षियों ने इसे जाना(the royal sages knew this) -
rajarjoined in rājarṣhayo - सः
(sah)— वह योग(that Yoga) - यः
(yah)— जो(who) - विदुः
(viduh)— राजर्षियों ने इसे जाना(the royal sages knew this)
Line 2:
- सः
(sah)— वह योग(that Yoga) - कः
(kah)— कौन(who) -
lejoined in kāleneha - न इह
(neha)— यहाँ नहीं(not here) - महता
(mahata)— लंबे(by a long passage of time) - ओग
(yogah)— वह योग(that Yoga) - नष्टः
(nashtah)— नष्ट(was lost here) - परन्तप
(Parantapa)— हे शत्रु-तापक(scorcher of enemies, Arjuna)
English: The Divine Kings knew it, for it was their tradition. Then, after a long time, at last it was forgotten. <figure style="margin: 20px 0; text-align: center;"> <img src="/images/chapter-04/matsya-manu.png" alt="Matsya avatar guiding Manu through the flood" style="width: min(100%, 620px); border-radius: 10px;" /> </figure>
Learnings from Shloka 2:
- Krishna begins with lineage:: This teaching is not presented as a new opinion. Krishna says it was passed from Him to Vivasvan, then to Manu, then to Ikshvaku.
- Wisdom needs preservation:: Even sacred knowledge can become unclear over time if people stop living it and passing it on carefully.
- History and spirituality meet:: The mention of Vivasvan, Manu, and Ikshvaku connects the Gita's teaching to a much older tradition of divine knowledge and royal responsibility.
- The first hint of Krishna's divinity:: Krishna speaks as one who existed before the present moment, before Arjuna knew Him only as friend and cousin.
Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz
Practice this shloka vocabularyMatch Sanskrit words from shloka 4.2 with their Hindi and English meanings.
Practice vocabulary
Krishna explains that this yoga was preserved through a lineage of wise rulers, but over time it became forgotten. Even valuable teachings can fade when people stop practicing and transmitting them sincerely.
The verse reminds us that wisdom needs living continuity. A tradition survives not only in books, but through people who understand it, live it, and pass it on responsibly.