श्री भगवानुवाचइमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् ।
विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥
विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
श्रीभगवान् बोले मैंने इस अविनाशी योगको सूर्यसे कहा था । फिर सूर्यने अपने पुत्र वैवस्वत मनुसे कहा और मनुने अपने पुत्र राजा इक्ष्वाकुसे कहा ॥
English
The Lord said: I taught this imperishable yoga to Vivasvan. Vivasvan taught it to Manu, and Manu taught it to Ikshvaku.
What this verse means
Krishna says he taught this timeless yoga to the sun-god, who passed it to Manu, then to Ikshvaku. The teaching is ancient and preserved through a lineage.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, with Arjuna shaken and unable to fight, Krishna begins by tracing the teaching back through an ancient lineage: from himself to Vivasvan, then to Manu, then to Ikshvaku. He is showing that this is not a new opinion, but a lost inheritance now being restored.
Why this verse still matters
You inherit a practice from a teacher who learned it from someone before them, and they from someone before them. What feels new to you may be older than your doubts.
The takeaway
Some truths are not invented in a moment; they are handed down carefully across generations.
Word-by-word translation
श्रीभगवानुवाच (the Lord said) / इमम् (this) / विवस्वते (to Vivasvan) / योगम् (yoga) / प्रोक्तवान् (taught) / अहम् (I) / अव्ययम् (imperishable) / विवस्वान् (Vivasvan) / मनवे (to Manu) / प्राह (said) / मनुः (Manu) / इक्ष्वाकवे (to Ikshvaku) / अब्रवीत् (spoke)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4: Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga — Knowledge and Renunciation of Action, which contains 42 verses.