Chapter 4 · Verse 15

Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action

एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः। कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम्

evaṁ jñātvā kṛitaṁ karma pūrvair api mumukṣhubhiḥ kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṁ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṁ kṛitam

Word Meanings

evam — thus; jñātvā — knowing; kṛitam — performed; karma — actions; pūrvaiḥ — of ancient times; api — indeed; mumukṣhubhiḥ — seekers of liberation; kuru — should perform; karma — duty; eva — certainly; tasmāt — therefore; tvam — you; pūrvaiḥ — of those ancient sages; pūrva-taram — in ancient times; kṛitam — performed

Language:

Translation

Knowing this, even the ancient seekers of liberation performed their duties; therefore, you too should act, just as the ancients did in times of old.

Commentary

एवं thus? ज्ञात्वा having known? कृतम् (was) done? कर्म action? पूर्वैः by ancients? अपि also? मुमुक्षुभिः seekers after freedom? कुरु perform? कर्म action? एव even? तस्मात् therefore? त्वम् thou? पूर्वैः by ancients?,पूर्वतरम् in the olden time? कृतम् done.Commentary Knowing thus that the Self can have no desire for the fruits of actions and cannot be tainted by them? and knowing that no one can be tainted if he works without egoism? attachment and expectation of fruits? do thou perform your duty.If your heart is impure? perform actions for its purification. If you have attained AtmaJnana or the knowledge of the Self? work for the wellbeing of the world. The ancients such as Janaka and others performed actions in the days of yore. So do thou also perform action.