Bhagavad Gita BG 4.15
Chapter 4, Verse 15 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः । कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ॥
evam jnatva krtam karma purvair api mumukshubhih kuru karmaiva tasmad dhvam purvaih purvataram krtam
Meaning
Knowing this, action was performed even by the ancient seekers of liberation. Therefore, do perform action as the ancients did before.
Understanding
The historical argument for karma yoga: the ancient mumukshus (seekers of liberation) performed action knowing this principle. They did not abandon the world — they acted in it, with this understanding of non-doership and non-craving. Tasmad dhvam — therefore you do the same. The instruction: act as the ancients (purvah) did. Arjuna stands in a lineage of warriors who were also seekers — his duty is continuous, not novel.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| मुमुक्षुभिः | mumukshubhih | by seekers of liberation |
| पूर्वैः | purvaih | by the ancients, by predecessors |
| पूर्वतरम् | purvataram | even more anciently, by even earlier ones |
| कर्मैव | karmaiva | action indeed, action only |
| एवम् | evam | thus / in this way (knowing Me as non-doer) |
| ज्ञात्वा | jñātvā | having known / knowing this |
| कृतम् | kṛtam | was performed / was done |
| कर्म | karma | action / prescribed duty |
| पूर्वैः | pūrvaiḥ | by the ancients / by those of old |
| अपि | api | even / also (even they knew this) |
| कुरु | kuru | perform / do (imperative) |
| तस्मात् | tasmāt | therefore |
| त्वम् | tvam | you |