जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः। त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन।।4.9।।
janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvataḥ | tyaktvā dehaṁ punarjanma na iti mām eti so ’rjuna
Translation
One who understands that My birth and activities are divine, O Arjuna, having abandoned the body, does not take birth again but attains Me.
Word Meanings
janma — birth; karma — work; ca — also; me — of Mine; divyam — transcendental; evam — like this; yaḥ — one who; vetti — knows; tattvataḥ — in reality; tyaktvā — leaving aside; dehaṃ — the body; punarjanma — again birth; na — not; iti — does; mām — unto Me; eti — does; so — he; Arjuna — O Arjuna
Understanding the Verse
In this profound verse of Chapter 4, Lord Krishna reveals the ultimate benefit of true knowledge. The term ‘janma‑karma’ denotes the entire cycle of birth and actions that bind a soul to the material world. By describing them as ‘divyam’, the Supreme declares that His very origin and deeds transcend ordinary existence, being of a divine, immutable nature. The individual who discerns this reality—‘yo vetti tattvataḥ’—is not merely an intellectual grasp but an experiential insight into the fundamental truth that the Lord’s essence pervades all creation.
When such a person consciously relinquishes the identification with the physical body—‘tyaktvā dehaṁ’—the very instrument of karmic accumulation is abandoned. This does not imply a nihilistic denial of the body but a shift in consciousness from seeing the body as the self to recognizing the self as the eternal witness. This renunciation terminates the cycle of ‘punarjanma’, the continual rebirth driven by the residual impressions of past actions.
The verse further assures that the liberated soul does not wander aimlessly after death. Instead, it ‘na iti mām eti’, meaning it never returns to the mortal realm but directly attains the Lord’s abode. This destination is not a distant, abstract concept but the very presence of Krishna, who is ever‑accessible to those who have realized His divine nature. The promise is personal and intimate—‘so ’rjuna’—addressing Arjuna as a representative of every seeker willing to perceive the transcendental truth.
Practically, this teaching sets a clear soteriological path: cultivate knowledge (jnana) of the Lord’s divine birth and actions, practice detachment from the body, and thereby break free from samsara. It underscores that liberation is not achieved through external rituals alone, but through inner realization and surrender. The verse therefore serves as both philosophical exposition and motivational exhortation, encouraging aspirants to seek the ultimate refuge in the Supreme’s eternal presence.
