FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 4.40

అజ్ఞశ్చాశ్రద్దధానశ్చ సంశయాత్మా వినశ్యతి । నాయం లోకోఽస్తి న పరో న సుఖం సంశయాత్మనః ॥ ౪౦ ॥
ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca
[ajnash chaashraddadhaanash cha]
saṁśayātmā vinaśyati
[samshayaatmaa vinashyati]
nāyaṁ loko ’sti na paro
[naayam loko ’sti na paro]
na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ
[na sukham samshayaatmanah]
Word-for-word
ajñaḥ — a fool who has no knowledge in standard scriptures ca — and aśraddadhānaḥ — without faith in revealed scriptures ca — also saṁśaya — of doubts ātmā — a person vinaśyati — falls back na — never ayam — in this lokaḥ — world asti — there is na — nor paraḥ — in the next life na — not sukham — happiness saṁśaya — doubtful ātmanaḥ — of the person .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca
ajñaḥ
a fool who has no knowledge in standard scriptures
ca
and
aśraddadhānaḥ
without faith in revealed scriptures
ca
also
saṁśayātmā vinaśyati
saṁśaya
of doubts
ātmā
a person
vinaśyati
falls back
nāyaṁ loko ’sti na paro
na
never
ayam
in this
lokaḥ
world
na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ
asti
there is
na
nor
paraḥ
in the next life
na
not
sukham
happiness
saṁśaya
doubtful
ātmanaḥ
of the person .
Important Words
  • ajñaḥ — the ignorant one
    A + jña — 'without knowledge.' The first of three negative qualifications. Note: not 'one who lacks information' but one who *resists* knowledge. The grammatical position is structural ignorance, not deficiency.
  • aśraddadhānaḥ — the faithless
    A + śrat + √dhā — 'not placing the heart.' The opposite of śraddhā-vān in the previous verse. The second qualification: faithlessness as a settled posture.
  • saṁśaya — doubt
    From sam + √śī — 'lying-down-together,' i.e., a mental state in which conviction has fallen apart. Paired with ātmā ('self') to form saṁśaya-ātmā: doubt has not merely entered the mind; it has become the *self*. Structural identity, not a passing state.
  • vinaśyati — perishes
    Vi + √naś — 'completely perishes.' Same root as naṣṭa in 4.2. The doubting soul perishes the way the broken chain perished — by attrition, by the slow self-undoing of distrust.
  • sukham — happiness
    Negated by na: na sukham — 'no happiness.' The terminal negation. For the doubting soul, sukha is structurally unavailable. The verse does not say happiness is rare; it says it is *not*. Sealed exclusion.
But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.
Purport

Out of many standard and authoritative revealed scriptures, the Bhagavad-gītā is the best. Persons who are almost like animals have no faith in, or knowledge of, the standard revealed scriptures; and some, even though they have knowledge of, or can cite passages from, the revealed scriptures, have actually no faith in these words. And even though others may have faith in scriptures like Bhagavad-gītā, they do not believe in or worship the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Such persons cannot have any standing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They fall down. Out of all the above-mentioned persons, those who have no faith and are always doubtful make no progress at all. Men without faith in God and His revealed word find no good in this world, nor in the next. For them there is no happiness whatsoever. One should therefore follow the principles of revealed scriptures with faith and thereby be raised to the platform of knowledge. Only this knowledge will help one become promoted to the transcendental platform of spiritual understanding. In other words, doubtful persons have no status whatsoever in spiritual emancipation. One should therefore follow in the footsteps of great ācāryas who are in the disciplic succession and thereby attain success.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
40. The person ignorant of scripture, or one who knows scripture but has no faith in it, or one who is doubtful of attaining the goal even with faith, perishes. One who is afflicted with doubt attains nothing in this life, nothing in the next, and no happiness.
Commentary

Having spoken of the person who was qualified with knowledge, in this verse Kṛṣṇa speaks of the person without qualification for knowledge. That person perishes who is ignorant like an animal, or who, though knowing the scriptures, does not believe in anything, because of seeing the arguments between various factions (aśraddhadānaḥ), or who though even having faith, is afflicted with doubt whether he can attain the goal. Among these persons (ignorant, faithless, and doubting), the doubting one is especially criticized in the last line.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
40. The ignorant, or one who knows scripture but has no faith in it, or one who is doubtful of attaining the goal even with faith, perishes. One who is afflicted with doubt attains nothing in this life, nothing in the next, and no happiness.
Commentary

Having described those qualified for knowledge and the results, the Lord now describes the unqualified person and the result for that person. The ignorant person, like an animal, with no knowledge of scriptures; or the person who, in spire of having knowledge of scriptures, has no faith, since he has a quarrelsome nature; or the person who, in spite of having faith, doubts if he can attain the perfection—this person is destroyed. This means he deviates from his own interest. Among these persons, the one with doubts is especially criticized. This doubtful person does not have happiness from the gross world or the next world. Happiness is generated from actions prescribed by scriptures. That action is accompanied by knowledge of the individual ātmā. Where is that happiness for one who has doubts about attaining the goal?

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

There are three classes of people mentioned here: ignorant, faithless and doubters. The first is the "ajna" translated as 'the fool who has no knowledge in standard scriptures'. The second one is "asraddadhanas" which means that he reads many sastras but he doesn't have faith in anyone of them. And the third one is the "samsaya atma", the 'doubter'. Out of these three the 'doubter' is in the most precarious position because there is no happiness for him neither in this world nor the next. Such a person is not happy in the present and will not be happy in the future either.

[ 4 . The symptoms of success: One successfully working in transcendental knowledge desires no fruits, has no doubts, knows he's an eternal servant of Krsna, and is not bound by work. (41) ]

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

Faithless cannot attain the perfection of God consciousness

Focus of Learning

(a) Best of all standard and authoritative revealed scriptures – “Bhagavad-gita”

(b) Different categories of disqualified people

Persons who are almost like animals have no faith or knowledge of standard revealed scriptures
Even if they have knowledge, or can sight passages from, the revealed scriptures, have actually no faith
Even if they may have faith in scriptures, they do not believe in, or worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead

(c) Who is the worst – Those who have no faith and is always doubtful, make no progress at all

(d) Solution to success

Follow the principles of revealed scriptures with faith and rise to the platform of knowledge
Only this knowledge will promote one to the transcendental platform of spiritual understanding
Follow in the footsteps of great acharyas who are in the parampara and attain success

(a) Defines “faithful” – One who thinks that simply by acting in Krishna consciousness, one can attain

the highest perfection

(b) How to attain faith – Discharge of devotional service and chanting Hare Krishna (cleanses the

heart of material dirt)

(c) Who can attain perfection in Krishna consciousness without delay – One who is faithful to

Krishna and controls the senses

(a) There is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge

Ignorance is the cause of bondage
Knowledge is the cause of liberation

(b) Knowledge is the mature fruit of devotional service

Such a person enjoys peace within himself
Does not search for peace elsewhere

(c) The last word in Bhagavad-gita:

Knowledge and peace culminate in Krishna consciousness
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
4.40 Ajnah, one who is ignorant, who has not known the Self; and asradda-dhanah, who is faithless; [Ast. adds here: guruvakya-sastresu avisvasavan, who has no faith in the instructions of the teacher and the scriptures.-Tr.] and samsaya-atma, who has a doubting mind; vinasyati, perishes. Although the ignorant and the faithless get ruined, yet it is not to the extent that a man with a doubting mind does. As for one with a doubting mind, he is the most vicious of them all. How? Na ayam lokah, neither this world which is familiar; na, nor also; parah, the next world; na sukham, nor happiness; asti, exist; samsaya-atmanah, for one who has a doubting mind. For doubt is possible even with regard to them! Therefore one should not entertain doubt. Why?
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
4.40 'The ignorant,' i.e., one devoid of knowledge received through instruction, 'the faithless' or one who has no faith in developing this knowledge taught to him, i.e., who does not strive to progress ickly, and 'the doubting one,' i.e., one who is full of doubts in regard to the knowledge taught - such persons perish, are lost. When this knowledge taught to him about the real nature of the self is doubted, then he loses this material world as also the next world. The meaning is that the ends of man, such as Dharma, Artha and Karma which constitute the material ends or fulfilments, are not achieved by such a doubting one. How then can man's supreme end, release be achieved by such a doubting one? For all the ends of human life can be achieved through the actions which are prescribed by the Sastras, but their performance reires the firm conviction that the self is different from the body. Therefore, even a little happiness does not come to the person who has a doubting mind concerning the self.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
4.39-40 Sraddhavan etc. Ajnah etc. Here the idea of the passage is this : The incoming of faith and the performance of activities intending this [knowledge], both spring up soon no doubt, if one, being a believer, entertains no doubt. Therefore, one should remain being favoured by the preceptors and the scriptures, and not entertaining any doubt. For, the doubt is a destroyer of everything [good]. Indeed a person with doubt knows nothing, because he does not have faith. Hence one should remain without doubt. The subject matter that has been elaborated in this entire chapter is now summarised by a pair of the [following] verses :
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
4.40 The ignorant the faithless, the doubting self goes to destruction; there is neither this world nor the other, nor happiness for the doubting.
Commentary

4.40 अज्ञः the ignorant? च and? अश्रद्दधानः the faithless? च and? संशयात्मा the doubting self? विनश्यति goes to destruction? न not? अयम् this? लोकः world? अस्ति is? न not? परः the next? न not? सुखम् happiness? संशयात्मनः for the doubting self.Commentary The ignorant one who has no knowledge of the Self. The man without faith one who has no faith in his own self? in the scriptures and the teachings of his Guru.A man of doubting mind is the most sinful of all. His condition is very deplorable. He is full of doubts as regards the next world. He does not rejoice in this world also? as he is very suspicious. He has no happiness.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
4.40 One who is ignorant and faithless, and has a doubting mind perishes. Neither this world nor the next nor happiness exists for one who has a doubting mind.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
4.40 But the ignorant man, and he who has no faith, and the sceptic are lost. Neither in this world nor elsewhere is there any happiness in store for him who always doubts.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 9.3 BG 17.28 BG 16.23 SB 11.20.21 SB 5.6.11 SB 11.14.4 CC Madhya 9.263 CC Madhya 25.58 CC Madhya 20.353 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.6Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.8
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The ignorant and faithless who doubts the scriptures perishes — neither this world nor the next, nor happiness, is for the doubter.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize chronic doubt as itself a spiritual condition needing care.
  • Bring doubts into honest inquiry rather than letting them harden.
  • Refuse doubt as identity; treat it as a stage.
Reflection Questions
  • Where has doubt become my identity rather than a passing question?
  • What inquiry could honestly resolve it?
Analogy

A traveler who refuses to trust the map cannot reach the destination; he wanders, doubts harden, and the journey ends in nothing. The verse warns of the doubt that is not a passing question but a settled disposition — saṁśaya-ātmā, 'one whose very self is doubt.' For such a one, neither this world nor the next yields happiness.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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