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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 34

भगवद् गीता अध्याय 4 श्लोक 34

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया।
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः।।4.34।।

English Translation - Swami Sivananda

4.34 Know That by long prostration, by estion and by service; the wise who have realised the Truth will instruct thee in (that) knowledge.

English Translation of Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya's

4.34 Viddhi, know; tat, that, the process by which It is acired; by approaching teachers pranipatena, through prostration, by lying fully streched on the ground with face downward, with prolonged salutation; pariprasnena, through iniry, as to how bondage and Liberation come, and what are Knowledge and ignorance; and sevaya, through the service of the guru. (Know it) through these and other (disciplines) [Other disciplines such as control of the mind, body, etc. Sankaracaryas own words in the Commentary are evamadina, after which Ast. puts a full stop, and agreeing with this, A.G. says that the word viddhi (know) is to be connected with evamadina. Hence this translation. Alternatively, those words have to be taken with prasrayena. Then the meaning will be, Being pleased with such and other forms of humility৷৷.-Tr.]. Being pleased with humility, jnaninah, the wise ones, the teachers; tattva-darsinah, who have realized the Truth; upadeksyanti, will impart, will tell; te, you; jnanam, the Knowledge as described above. Although people may be wise, some of them are apt to know Truth just as it is, while others may not be so. Hence the alification, who have realized the Truth. The considered view of the Lord is that Knowledge imparted by those who have full enlightenment becomes effective, not any other. That being so, the next verse also becomes appropriate:

Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 4.34

Tadviddhi pranipaatena pariprashnena sevayaa; Upadekshyanti te jnaanam jnaaninas tattwadarshinah.

Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 4.34

tat—the Truth; viddhi—try to learn; praṇipātena—by approaching a spiritual master; paripraśhnena—by humble inquiries; sevayā—by rendering service; upadekṣhyanti—can impart; te—unto you; jñānam—knowledge; jñāninaḥ—the enlightened; tattva-darśhinaḥ—those who have realized the Truth