4.2 - Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 4, Verse 2

Verse 4.2 of the Bhagavad Gita addresses a fundamental question about spiritual knowledge transmission. Krishna explains that this supreme knowledge was originally passed down through a disciplic succession (paramparā), from teacher to student in an unbroken chain. The verse specifically mentions that saintly kings (rājarṣayas) understood this knowledge through this succession system, highlighting that spiritual wisdom was meant to guide those in positions of leadership.

This system of knowledge transmission resembles how we learn most important subjects today. Just as scientific discoveries like Newton's law of gravity are preserved and passed down through generations of teachers, spiritual knowledge was similarly transmitted to maintain its purity and essence. When the chain remains unbroken, the knowledge remains pure and undistorted, exactly as it was originally given.

However, Krishna points out that over time, this succession was broken, causing the original knowledge to become lost or obscured. This breaking of the chain didn't happen suddenly but gradually through the powerful influence of time (kālena mahatā). Time is described as a destructive force that eventually erodes even the most established systems of knowledge transmission.

This erosion of knowledge occurs naturally in the material world where everything has a tendency to deteriorate rather than improve without conscious effort. Just as milk left unattended will spoil rather than transform into ghee (which requires deliberate processing), spiritual knowledge doesn't maintain itself automatically but requires active preservation and renewal. The verse uses the term "yoga naṣṭaḥ" indicating that this system of knowledge was lost or destroyed.

Time (kāla) is described as extremely powerful (mahatā), comparable to a black snake that destroys whatever it touches. In Vedic understanding, time is actually considered another form of Krishna himself, showing how even divine knowledge is subject to the laws of material existence unless specifically preserved. The material time factor continually works to disturb the original position of things, causing degradation.

The reference to "rājarṣayo" (saintly kings) is significant because it points to leaders who combined temporal power with spiritual wisdom. These were not merely political rulers but individuals who had conquered both external territories and their inner impulses. Such spiritually grounded leadership was considered essential for guiding society properly, as rulers with spiritual understanding would govern without exploitation and inspire citizens to follow virtuous paths.

By explaining this verse, Krishna establishes the context for why he needs to speak this knowledge again to Arjuna. The conversation transcends the immediate context of the battlefield and becomes a restoration of lost wisdom. Krishna, as the original source of this knowledge, is reviving what time has obscured, reestablishing the broken chain of spiritual understanding. This demonstrates the recurring pattern in which divine intervention becomes necessary to restore dharma when systems of knowledge preservation fail over time. This conversation becomes not just guidance for Arjuna's immediate dilemma but a gift to posterity, preserved to guide humanity through their own battles of life.