Step 4 of 7 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Pick any verse to see what it means and how to use it in your life.

  1. 1Tap a chapter, then a verse
  2. 2Read what it means
  3. 3Try the practice
700 verses37 detailed
Or browse by chapter
Chapter

Chapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge · 42 verses

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142

Deep profile← → keys move between verses

Krishna’s natureChapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge
4.44.6

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 4.5

Divine descent, Krishna’s nature and refuge

श्रीभगवानुवाच

बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन ।

तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप ॥ ५ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

bahūni me vyatītāni

janmāni tava cārjuna

tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi

na tvaṁ vettha paran-tapa

Translation

The Personality of Godhead said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Kṛṣṇa Remembers Every Birth

  1. 1Kṛṣṇa says that He and Arjuna have passed through many births. Kṛṣṇa remembers them all, but Arjuna cannot.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa never forgets or changes His eternal spiritual body. Even a liberated soul like Arjuna can never equal Him.
  3. 3Seek to understand Kṛṣṇa through pure devotion, not study alone. His devotees understand Him by His grace.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 4, Transcendental Knowledge: divine descent, krishna’s nature and refuge.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Recognize Kṛṣṇa as the source of all.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: bhagavān, vibhūti.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 4.5 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to krishna’s nature?

Practice

Notice something excellent and see it as His opulence.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 4 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 4.6Divine descent, Krishna’s nature and refugeBG 4.7Divine descent, Krishna’s nature and refugeBG 11.32Krishna reveals Himself as timeBG 11.51Composure returns in Krishna’s personal presence

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

Ask the study guide

Ask about BG 4.5 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.