“Once there was a saint named Bharat, who lived on the bank of the Ganges. There the devoted Bharat daily recited the fourth chapter of the Bhagwat Gita.
Once, Bharat went on pilgrimage to the town of Tapodhana and saw a Deity of Lord Krishna. On his way to home he rested beneath two fruit trees, using the root of one as a pillow and the root of the other as a foot-rest. There, as usual, he recited the fourth chapter. When Bharat left that place, both trees dried up and died. The two souls living in those trees took their next births as daughters of a pious Brahmin.
When the girls reached seven years of age, they went on pilgrimage and happened to meet the great sage Bharat. Upon seeing him, they fell at his feet and said in sweet words, “O Maharaja Bharat, by your mercy we were freed from the forms of trees.” Bharat heard this with surprise. Then the girls narrated their story to Bharat.
“Dear Sir Bharat, in a previous life we were Apsaras, heavenly nymphs. Once, we were ordered by Lord Indra (King of heaven) to cause the fall down of the sage Satyatapa, who was performing difficult austerities on the bank of the river Godavari. Satyatapa had complete control over his senses and had become so advanced in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that Brahma the creator of the universe, daily visited him to inquire from him about devotional service.
But Lord Indra (King of heaven) was displeased to see Satyatapa’s purity and elevation. Lord Indra got worried that this powerful sage would one day want to usurp the position of king of heaven. To prevent this, Lord Indra sent us to the bank of the Godavari. There we danced provocatively to sexually agitate the sage and seduce him and Satyatapa cursed us, saying, ‘You both go and become fruit trees on the bank of the river Ganga.
Upon hearing his curse, we fell at his feet and begged forgiveness, for we had
acted merely as Lord Indra’s servants. When Satyatapa saw our repentant attitude, he became pleased and told us we would live as trees only until Maharaja Bharat came in contact with us. He also blessed us that we would be able to remember our previous lives.”
Reminding Bharat that he had rested between two fruit trees, the two girls said they had heard his recitation of the fourth chapter of the Bhagwat Gita, After being freed from that form of life, they said, they had been born in a family of devotees. Since then they had lost all desire to enjoy this world. They had carefully been reciting the fourth chapter of the Bhagwat Gita daily
and thus had attained devotion to the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu.”
Chapter Four of Bhagwat Gita is entitled "The Yoga of Knowledge ,as well as, the disciplines of Action & Knowledge."
On the battle field of Kurukshetra, when Arjuna, the disciple of Lord Krishna got infatuated & forgot his duty to fight, then Lord Krishna reminded Arjuna of his duty to fight a lawful, justful war & gave him the teachings of Bhagwad Gita. Arjuna after having been taught in the path of knowledge by Lord Krishna came back to his path of duty & fought a lawful battle against the Kauravas (his enemies) & won the battle with the grace of Lord Krishna.
Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Four (4) is entitled "The Yoga of Knowledge ,as well as, the disciplines of Action & Knowledge." This Chapter has a total of 42 verses.
Verses 1 to 18 are about the Glory of God (Lord Krishna) with attributes; Karmayoga, or selfless action, described herein.
Verses 19 to 23 are about the conduct of Yogis and Sages, its glory described herein.
Verses 24 to 32 are about the different forms of sacrifices and it's fruits described herein.
Verses 33 to 42 are about the glory of Knowledge described herein.
To read complete chapter Four (4) Verse by Verse in Original Sanskrit Language Text & its English Translation.......Click here to read...........Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Four (Chapter-4)
Below are some verses from Fourth chapter of Bhagwat Gita:
"yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Four verse 7)
"Sri Krishna said: Whenever and wherever there is a decline in virtue/religious practice, O Arjuna, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself, i.e. I manifest Myself as an embodied being."
"paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya cha duskritam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Four verse 8)
"Sri Krishna said: To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium."
Jai Shri Krishna
