Gita 04.15 – Follow the successful to be successful

Audio Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-04-15-follow-the-successful-to-be-successful/

evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma
pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ
kuru karmaiva tasmāt tvaṁ
pūrvaiḥ pūrva-taraṁ kṛtam (Bg 4.15)

Word-for-word:
evam — thus; jñātvā — knowing well; kṛtam — was performed; karma — work; pūrvaiḥ — by past authorities; api — indeed; mumukṣubhiḥ — who attained liberation; kuru — just perform; karma — prescribed duty; eva — certainly; tasmāt — therefore; tvam — you; pūrvaiḥ — by the predecessors; pūrva-taram — in ancient times; kṛtam — as performed.

Translation:
All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding of My transcendental nature. Therefore you should perform your duty, following in their footsteps.

Explanation:
evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma: Thus knowing, actions were performed
pūrvaiḥ api mumukṣubhiḥ: even by the seekers of liberation in the past
kuru karma eva tasmāt tvam: therefore, you should perform your duty
pūrvaiḥ pūrva-taraṁ kṛtam: as those in the past have acted.

Kṛṣṇa advises Arjuna to follow the footsteps of those who have acted wisely in the past. At first glance, the verse may appear tautological—as though repeating the same idea—but a closer examination reveals an important distinction. The first half of the verse states that in the past, seekers of liberation acted with this understanding: evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma—having realized this knowledge, they engaged in action. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa urges Arjuna to similarly perform his duty: kuru karma eva tasmāt tvam—you should act, just as those enlightened individuals of the past did—pūrvaiḥ pūrva-taraṁ kṛtam.

The important point to note here is Kṛṣṇa’s emphasis on following the footsteps of predecessors. His reference to those predecessors could point to various earlier statements: imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam, vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave ’bravīt (Bg 4.1), indicating the ancient transmission of this imperishable knowledge; or evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (Bg 4.2), which speaks of how saintly kings understood this wisdom through disciplic succession; or even bahavo jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ (Bg 4.10), which highlights that many in the past, purified by the austerity of knowledge, have attained Him.

Of course, pūrvaiḥ api mumukṣubhiḥ could also refer to what was stated in the third chapter—karmaṇaiva hi saṁsiddhim āsthitā janakādayaḥ loka-saṅgraham evāpi sampaśyan kartum arhasi (Bg 3.20)—where Kṛṣṇa explained that King Janaka and others attained perfection simply by performing their duties with detachment.

Hence, Kṛṣṇa emphasizes that this is a time-tested process, and therefore, follow the successful to be successful. One of Arjuna’s primary concerns was that engaging in warfare would lead to bondage, particularly sinful reactions, and he did not want to become entangled in such karma.

However, Kṛṣṇa is essentially telling Arjuna that he need not renounce action itself, but rather renounce attachment to action—and perform his duties with detachment. This is how seekers in the past have acted. The word ‘evaṁ’ here means ‘thus.’ It typically functions as a connective expression, summarizing what has been stated earlier and linking it to what is to follow. In the preceding verse, Kṛṣṇa has declared:
na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti
na me karma-phale spṛhā
iti māṁ yo ’bhijānāti
karmabhir na sa badhyate
Those who understand My transcendental nature and act in that understanding are not bound by karma.

We observe a significant difference between what Kṛṣṇa has stated in 3.19, 4.12, and here in 4.15. The phrase “evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma” refers to a specific kind of knowledge—not merely the understanding that we are different from the body and therefore should not be entangled in bodily activities. Rather, the knowledge emphasized here is the realization of Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental position and our connection with that transcendence. To the extent that we align ourselves with Kṛṣṇa, we will be able to transcend material consciousness.

The key point in this discussion is that Kṛṣṇa emphasizes how knowledge both purifies and liberates. Not only has it disentangled people in the past—it has also delivered them. In verse 4.10, Kṛṣṇa says, bahavo jñāna-tapasā—many have become purified through knowledge about Me—and pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ—they have attained My nature. Since Kṛṣṇa is spiritual, transcendental, and liberated, those who realize Him through such knowledge also become liberated in the same way.

Kṛṣṇa is reiterating that point here for emphasis. In the intervening verses—from 4.11 to 4.14—He has spoken about His transcendental position and His reciprocal disposition, highlighting that, unlike those influenced by material consciousness, He is not driven by any selfish motives.

When people recognize that Kṛṣṇa is transcendental and cultivate a devotional mood while performing their duties as an offering to Him, that devotional intent elevates them in transcendence. The section from 4.5 to 4.14, where Kṛṣṇa speaks about Himself, serves as a preview of the middle chapters of the Bhagavad-gītā (Chapters 7–12), the bhakti section that focuses primarily on Kṛṣṇa. Here, Kṛṣṇa elaborates on His identity mainly because Arjuna had asked a question in 4.4:
aparaṁ bhavato janma
paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ
katham etad vijānīyāṁ
tvam ādau proktavān itiArjuna asked, “The sun-god is senior to You—how could You have instructed him?” In response, Kṛṣṇa explained His eternal, transcendental, supreme position, and now He connects that explanation back to the topic of karma-yoga in verse 4.15. Karma-yoga, when practiced sincerely, leads gradually to liberation, which ultimately culminates in bhakti. Bhakti-yoga, however, leads to liberation far more swiftly and effortlessly.

Bhakti-yoga is not the focus at this point—that will become the central theme in the middle six chapters. However, since Kṛṣṇa, in response to Arjuna’s question, has spoken about His own position, He also emphasizes that understanding His transcendental nature is the means for attaining liberation, and that many have achieved liberation in this way. After stating this, Kṛṣṇa returns to the topic of karma-yoga from verse 4.16 onwards.

Verse 3.19 primarily talks about liberation through karma-yoga, 4.10 describes liberation through bhakti-yoga, and 4.15, by reiterating the role of knowledge, emphasizes its importance. The word “evaṁ” can serve either as a summary of the preceding five verses or as a reference to the general philosophical understanding of detached action discussed throughout the Gītā so far. In either case, Kṛṣṇa affirms that acting with knowledge—of the soul’s transcendental nature and ultimately of Kṛṣṇa’s own transcendental position—is the time-honored, time-tested path to liberation.

Thank you.