In Bhagavad Gita 4.9, Krishna says that one who truly knows his divine birth and activities is not reborn after leaving the body, but comes to him.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यम्
एवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः
त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म
नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥ ४-९ ॥
janma karma ca me divyam
evaṃ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṃ punarjanma
naiti māmeti so’rjuna
English transliteration janma karma cha me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktvaa deham punarjanma
naiti maameti so’rjuna ॥ 4.9 ॥
Translation / Meaning
One who truly knows My divine birth and actions, on leaving the body, is not born again, but comes to Me, O Arjuna.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| जन्म janma | birth |
| कर्म karma | action |
| च ca | and |
| मे me | My |
| दिव्यम् divyam | divine |
| एवम् evam | thus |
| यः yaḥ | who |
| वेत्ति vetti | knows |
| तत्त्वतः tattvataḥ | in truth |
| त्यक्त्वा tyaktvā | leaving |
| देहम् deham | the body |
| पुनः punaḥ | again |
| जन्म janma | birth |
| न na | not |
| एति eti | attains |
| माम् mām | to Me |
| एति eti | comes |
| सः saḥ | he |
| अर्जुन arjuna | O Arjuna |
Word-wise Chanting
- jan–ma kar–ma ca me div–yam– 8 syllables jan-ma kar-ma cha me div-yam-
- e–vaṃ yo vet–ti tat–tva–taḥ | 8 syllables e-vam yo vet-ti tat-tva-tah
- tyak–tvā de–haṃ pu–nar–jan–ma 8 syllables tyak-tvaa de-ham pu-nar-jan-ma
- nai–ti mā–me–ti so–‘rju–na || 4-9 8 syllables nai-ti maa-me-ti so-‘rju-na
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 4 Verse 9
Context
Krishna describes the liberating power of understanding his incarnation (following 4.6–4.8).
Meaning
To know the Divine’s birth and action tattvataḥ, in truth, is to understand that the Lord acts in the world while remaining free, untouched and full. Such understanding is not mere information. It transforms the knower, who then also becomes free from the cycle of rebirth and attains the Divine.
Why should this knowledge liberate? Because seeing how the Divine acts without bondage reveals how we too can act without bondage. The divine life becomes the model for our own. Contemplating it purifies the heart and draws us toward the same freedom.
In Practice
Read or recall a story of a divine incarnation, and reflect on how its actions show freedom, love and fearlessness. Choose one quality to imitate today.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 4: Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga (Knowledge and Renunciation of Action). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.