Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 1 (BG 4.1) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

# BG 4.1 As mentioned in the preamble to this chapter, the Lord here clarifies that the teaching He has imparted thus far is not new, but rather a restatement of the eternal knowledge expounded in the Vedas. Awakened by the remembrance of His own nature, the Lord proclaims that He Himself imparted this knowledge at the beginning of creation to Vivasvan, the solar deity. Vivasvan taught this knowledge to his son Manu, the ancient lawgiver of Bharat. Manu in turn instructed King Ikshvaku, the ancestor of the solar dynasty, whose kings ruled Ayodhya for ages. The word Veda is derived from the Sanskrit root vid, meaning "to know." Thus Veda signifies knowledge, or the means of knowledge. The subject matter of the Vedas is the understanding of the pure, conscious nature of the individual soul and the means of its manifestation. Just as we may call electricity eternal, for it existed before its first discovery by us, and will continue to exist even if we forget it—similarly, the imperishable, divine, conscious Self is not destroyed by our ignorance of it. The knowledge of this indestructible atman is truly imperishable. Modern science too acknowledges that the creation of the universe should begin with the sun. As the source of energy, the sun came into being first, and with its emergence, this supreme knowledge of the Self was given to the world. Since the subject of the Vedas is direct experience of the atman, words are utterly inadequate to describe it. No profound experience can be fully expressed through language. Therefore, studying the scriptures through one's own intellect alone leads not to true understanding, but rather to the likelihood of misunderstanding. Thus, in Bharat, there has been an ancient tradition that spiritual knowledge is received through the words of a guru established in direct experience of the Self. This knowledge has been transmitted through the guru-disciple lineage. Here, we are introduced to the students of this Brahmavidya from ancient times.