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Chapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge · 42 verses

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Remember who is speaking. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Take the verse as He directs.
  2. 2Say the verse and its words. Read the Sanskrit, then each word with its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation as it is. Let the translation say what it says, without adding your own meaning.
  4. 4Read the purport. Hear the verse through the disciplic succession.
  5. 5Bring your own question. Ask: where does this verse meet my life, my trouble, my doubt?
  6. 6Act on it, remembering Kṛṣṇa. Carry one instruction into your work today.
Read the full guide: how to read the Bhagavad-gītā ›
Soul & knowledgeChapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge
4.394.41

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 4.40

Spiritual master, knowledge and removal of doubt

Jīva · The soul

अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति ।

नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥ ४० ॥

ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca

saṁśayātmā vinaśyati

nāyaṁ loko ’sti na paro

na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ

Translation

But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

3 study points

Faith in Scripture and Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Those who doubt revealed scriptures and lack faith do not attain God consciousness and find happiness neither in this world nor the next.

  2. 2

    Prabhupāda explains that knowing scripture is not enough: one must have faith in its words and believe in and worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

  3. 3

    Follow scriptural principles with faith and follow the great teachers in disciplic succession to gain spiritual understanding and success.

Key points from the purport

Faithless cannot attain the perfection of God consciousness

a

Best of all standard and authoritative revealed scriptures — “Bhagavad-gita”

b

Different categories of disqualified people

Persons who are almost like animals have no faith or knowledge of standard revealed scriptures

Even if they have knowledge, or can sight passages from, the revealed scriptures, have actually no faith

Even if they may have faith in scriptures, they do not believe in, or worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead

c

Who is the worst — Those who have no faith and is always doubtful, make no progress at all

d

Solution to success

Follow the principles of revealed scriptures with faith and rise to the platform of knowledge

Only this knowledge will promote one to the transcendental platform of spiritual understanding

Follow in the footsteps of great acharyas who are in the parampara and attain success

Further reading

Conclusion

Acting on ‘transcendental knowledge’ received by disciplic succession destroys the sinful reactions to all work

Therefore one should do his duty fixed in transcendental knowledge

Chapter 4, section V: Conclusion
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ajñaḥa fool who has no knowledge in standard scriptures
  2. caand
  3. aśraddadhānaḥwithout faith in revealed scriptures
  4. caalso
  5. saṁśayaof doubts
  6. ātmāa person
  7. vinaśyatifalls back
  8. nanever
3

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: ātmā, jñāna.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 4.40 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to soul & knowledge?

Practice

Spend five minutes reflecting on what in you does not change.

5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 4.34The humility of real inquiryBG 4.35Spiritual master, knowledge and removal of doubtBG 2.13The self endures bodily changeBG 15.7The living being belongs to Krishna
Live this todayKnowledge Through Devotional ServiceA practice from BG 4.38, close to this verse

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

  1. Learn
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  3. Lead
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