FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 4.39

श्रद्धावाँल्ल‍भते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः । ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥ ३९ ॥
śraddhāvāḻ labhate jñānaṁ
[shraddhaavaaḻ labhate jnaanam]
tat-paraḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ
[tat-parah samyatendriyah]
jñānaṁ labdhvā parāṁ śāntim
[jnaanam labdhvaa paraam shaantim]
acireṇādhigacchati
[achirenaadhigachchati]
Word-for-word
śraddhā - vān — a faithful man labhate — achieves jñānam — knowledge tat - paraḥ — very much attached to it saṁyata — controlled indriyaḥ — senses jñānam — knowledge labdhvā — having achieved parām — transcendental śāntim — peace acireṇa — very soon adhigacchati — attains .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śraddhāvāḻ labhate jñānaṁ
śraddhā - vān
a faithful man
labhate
achieves
jñānam
knowledge
tat-paraḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ
tat - paraḥ
very much attached to it
saṁyata
controlled
indriyaḥ
senses
jñānaṁ labdhvā parāṁ śāntim
jñānam
knowledge
labdhvā
having achieved
parām
transcendental
śāntim
peace
acireṇādhigacchati
acireṇa
very soon
adhigacchati
attains .
Important Words
  • śraddhā - vān — possessing faith
    Compound: śraddhā (faith, from śrat-dhā, 'placing the heart') + vān (possessing). The first leg. Without śraddhā the entire epistemic operation collapses; nothing can be transmitted.
  • labhate — obtains
    From √labh — 'to obtain.' The verb names the result of the tripod. Same root as lābha in 4.22 but here the *gain* is jñāna itself, not material lābha.
  • tat - paraḥ — dedicated to that
    Compound: tat (that, i.e., knowledge) + para (devoted to, intent upon). The second leg. Not just faith but devotion to *that specific* knowledge — staying with the path.
  • saṁyata — well-restrained
    Past passive participle of sam + √yam — 'thoroughly restrained.' Paired with indriyaḥ (senses) to form saṁyata-indriya — one whose senses are controlled. The third leg. Without sense-control the mind cannot stabilize enough to receive.
  • śāntim — peace
    Accusative of śānti. Qualified by parām (supreme). Not material calm but para-śānti — peace of a higher order. The Gītā uses this exact phrase at several climactic moments to name the terminal fruit.
  • acireṇa — very soon, without delay
    A-cira — 'without long-time.' The verse promises a *quick* arrival once the tripod is in place. The slow ripening of 4.38 (kālena) is for the practice; the peace, once jñāna lands, arrives fast.
A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having achieved it he quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Three traits unlock knowledge: śraddhā (faith), tat-paratva (single-minded dedication), and saṁyatendriyatva (sensory restraint). Once knowledge is obtained, the supreme peace follows quickly — no long detour required.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The verse names the eligibility triad and assures swift result. श्रद्धा anchors the inner stance; तत्-पर supplies focus; संयत-इन्द्रिय contributes discipline. The adverb अचिरेण (without delay) contrasts with the long सिद्धि्धि of fruitive paths. Sets up 4.40's contrasting profile of the doubting soul.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
श्रद्धावान् तत्-परः संयत-इन्द्रियः (साधकः) ज्ञानम् लभते; ज्ञानम् लब्ध्वा अचिरेण पराम् शान्तिम् अधिगच्छति।
śraddhāvān tat-paraḥ saṃyata-indriyaḥ (sādhakaḥ) jñānam labhate; jñānam labdhvā acireṇa parām śāntim adhigacchati|
The man of faith, dedicated to it, with senses restrained, obtains knowledge; having obtained knowledge, he quickly attains supreme peace.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
श्रद्धावान् लभते ज्ञानम् तत्-परः संयत-इन्द्रियः । ज्ञानम् लब्ध्वा पराम् शान्तिम् अचिरेण अधिगच्छति ॥
śraddhāvān labhate jñānam tat-paraḥ saṃyata-indriyaḥ | jñānam labdhvā parām śāntim acireṇa adhigacchati ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
श्रद्धावान् śraddhāvān श्रद्धावत् (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. endowed with faith
लभते labhate √लभ् pres. (present) 3sg.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) obtains
ज्ञानम् jñānam ज्ञान (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) knowledge
तत्-परः tat-paraḥ तद् + पर (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) devoted to that
संयत-इन्द्रियः saṃyata-indriyaḥ संयत (p.p.p. (past passive participle)) + इन्द्रिय nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) with restrained senses
लब्ध्वा labdhvā √लभ् abs. (absolutive) having obtained
पराम् parām पर (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)f. supreme
शान्तिम् śāntim शान्ति (f.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) peace
अचिरेण acireṇa ind. (indeclinable), adverbial ins. quickly, without delay
अधिगच्छति adhigacchati अधि+√गम् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) attains
Purport

Such knowledge in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be achieved by a faithful person who believes firmly in Kṛṣṇa. One is called a faithful man who thinks that simply by acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness he can attain the highest perfection. This faith is attained by the discharge of devotional service and by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, which cleanses one’s heart of all material dirt. Over and above this, one should control the senses. A person who is faithful to Kṛṣṇa and who controls the senses can easily attain perfection in the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness without delay.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
39. Having faith in scripture, being fixed in practice of niṣkāma-karma-yoga, and finally attaining control of the senses, one attains knowledge. Attaining knowledge, one quickly attains freedom from saṁsāra.
Commentary

How and when does this happen? Having faith in the meaning of the scriptures that knowledge will arise by purity of heart through practice of niṣkāma-karma (śraddhavān), being fixed in execution of that niṣkāma-karma-yoga (tat-paraḥ), and finally attaining controlled senses, a person will attain knowledge (of ātmā). Then he will attain destruction of saṁsāra (pārām śāntim).

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
39. Having faith in this process, being steady in practice of the process, and controlling the senses, one attains knowledge. Attaining knowledge, one quickly attains liberation.
Commentary

What type of persons attain this knowledge and when? One who has strong faith that this knowledge will arise with purification of the heart through niṣkāma karma (śraddhāvān), one who is steady in this performance (tat paraḥ), and who moreover attains control of his senses (saṁyatendriyaḥ), attains this knowledge. At that time, he attains liberation (parām śāntim).

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

This is the qualification for getting this knowledge: faithful, dedicated, subduing one's senses. Arjuna has been requested to have faith in these words of Krsna's, and do his duty and fight. And on the other hand,

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Who can acquire transcendental knowledge – The faithful, with dedication and sense control

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
4.39 Sraddhavan, the man who has faith; labhate, attains; jnanam, Knowledge. Even when one has faith, he may be indolent. Therefore the Lord says, tatparah, who is diligent, steadfast in the service of the teacher, etc., which are the means of attaining Knowledge. Even when one has faith and is diligent, one may not have control over the organs. Hence the Lord says, samyata-indriyah, who has control over the organs-he whose organs (indriyani) have been withdrawn (samyata) from objects. He who is such, who is full of faith, diligent, and has control over the organs, does surely attain Knowledge. However, prostrations etc., which are external, are not invariably fruitful, for there is scope for dissimulation faith etc. But this is not so in the case of one possessing faith etc. Hence they are the unfailing means of acquiring Knowledge. What, again, will result from gaining Knowledge? This is being answered: Labdhva, achieving; jnanam, Knowledge; adhigacchati, one attains; acirena, soon indeed; param, supreme; santim, Peace, supreme detachment called Liberation. That Liberation soon follows from full Knowledge is a fact well ascertained from all the scriptures and reasoning. One should not entertain any doubt in this matter. For doubt is the most vicious thing. Why? The answer is being stated:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
4.39 After attaining knowledge through instruction in the manner described, he must have firm faith in it and the possibility of its development into ripe knowledge. He must be intent on it, i.e., his mind must be focussed thereupon. He must control his senses and keep them away from all their objects. Soon will he then reach the aforesaid state of maturity and obtain knowledge. Soon after attaining such kind of knowledge, he will reach supreme peace, i.e., he attains the supreme Nirvana (realisation of the self).
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
4.39 See Comment under 4.40
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
4.39 The man who is full of faith, who is devoted to it, and who has subdued the senses obtains (this) knowledge; and having obtained the knowledge he attains at once to the supreme peace.
Commentary

4.39 श्रद्धावान् the man of faith? लभते obtains? ज्ञानम् knowledge? तत्परः devoted? संयतेन्द्रियः who has subdued the senses? ज्ञानम् knowledge? लब्ध्वा having obtained? पराम् supreme? शान्तिम् to peace? अचिरेण at once? अधिगच्छति attains.Commentary He who is full of faith? who constantly serves his Guru and hears his teachings? who has subdued the senses surely gets the knowledge and ickly attains the supreme peace or salvation (Moksha). All the above three alifications are indispensable for an aspirant if he wants to attain to the supreme peace of the Eternal ickly. One alifiaction alone will not suffice. (Cf.X.10?11)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
4.39 The man who has faith, is diligent and has control over the organs, attains Knowledge. Achieving Knowledge, one soon attains supreme Peace.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
4.39 He who is full of faith attains wisdom, and he too who can control his senses, having attained that wisdom, he shall ere long attain Supreme Peace.
Related values & verses
Primary values
Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)
Related verses
BG 9.3 BG 7.1 BG 6.47 SB 11.20.27 SB 11.14.21 SB 3.25.25 CC Madhya 22.62 CC Madhya 22.64 CC Madhya 19.152 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23BRS 1.2.92
Stories
shraddha_epic_primaryshraddha_epic_senior
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Faith, devotion to that knowledge, control of the senses — by these one obtains transcendental knowledge and the supreme peace.
Practical Applications
  • Audit all three: faith, devotion, sense control.
  • Strengthen the weakest of the three.
  • Trust that the supreme peace follows from this triple foundation.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of the three is currently weakest in me?
  • What single discipline would shore it up?
Analogy

Three legs of a stool — faith, devotion to that knowledge, sense control — must all be present, or the stool falls. The verse hands the meditator the exact tripod; it does not list these qualifications as decoration but as structural prerequisites for receiving jñāna and the supreme śānti.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 4