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BG 4.42 — 4.42 Therefore with the sword of the knowledge (of the Self) cut asunder the doubt of the self born of ignorance, residing in thy heart, and take refuge in
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तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः |
छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ||४-४२||

tasmādajñānasambhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinātmanaḥ . chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata ||4-42||


4.42 Therefore with the sword of the knowledge (of the Self) cut asunder the doubt of the self born of ignorance, residing in thy heart, and take refuge in Yoga. Arise, O Arjuna.

Word-by-word meanings

4.42 तस्मात् therefore? अज्ञानसंभूतम् born out of ignorance? हृत्स्थम् residing in the heart? ज्ञानासिना by the sword of knowledge? आत्मनः of the Self? छित्त्वा having cut? एनम् this? संशयम् doubt? योगम् Yoga? आत्तिष्ठ take refuge? उत्तिष्ठ arise? भारत O Bharata.Commentary Doubt causes a great deal of mental torment. It is most sinful. It is born of ignorance. Kill it ruthlessly with the knowledge of the Self. Now stand up and fight? O Arjuna.(This chapter is known by the names Jnana Yoga? Abhya

Commentaries

Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.

Sri Shankaracharya

4.42 Tasmat, therefore, O scion of the Bharata dynasty; atistha, take recourse to, i.e. undertake; yogam, yoga -performance of actions, which is a means to full Illumination; and now, uttistha, rise up for battle; chittva, cutting asunder; jnanasina, with the sword of Knowledge-Knowledge is full Illumination, which is a destroyer of such defects as sorrows, delusion, etc.; that itself is the sword; with that sword of Knowledge-;enam, this; samsayam, doubt; atmanah, of your own, which is a source of one's own ruin and is most sinful; hrtstham, in the heart, residing in the intellect; ajnana-sambhutam, arising from ignorance, born of non-discrimination. The word atmanah is used because doubt concerns oneself. Indeed, another's doubt cannot be removed by someone else. Hence the word 'own' is used. So, although the doubt is with regard to the Self, it is really one's own.

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Swami Gambirananda

4.42 Therefore, O scion of the Bharata dyasty, take recourse to yoga and rise up, cutting asunder with the sword of Knowledge this doubt of your own in the heart, arising from ignorance.

This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

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