Peace comes through faith-filled disciplined learning.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः |ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ||४-३९||
śraddhāvā.Nllabhate jñānaṃ tatparaḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ . jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati ||4-39||
Use this verse when seeking peace through practice.
Meaning
The faithful, devoted, and sense-controlled person obtains knowledge; having gained knowledge, they soon attain supreme peace.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Faith, dedication, and self-control lead to knowledge and peace.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna gives three conditions for knowledge: faith, focused dedication, and sense-control. Faith opens the heart, dedication gives consistency, and sense-control prevents distraction. The result is not just information but supreme peace.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna names the three qualifications that make one fit to receive supreme knowledge. First, śraddhā — faith, a heart open and trusting enough to receive truth. Second, tatpara — wholehearted devotion, keeping the goal foremost. Third, saṃyatendriya — mastery over the restless senses. Without faith there is no receptivity, without dedication no perseverance, and without sense-control no steadiness of mind to hold the truth.
The reward is swift and complete: jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntim acireṇa adhigacchati — 'having gained knowledge, he attains supreme peace before long.' Notice that knowledge culminates not in mere information but in śānti, the deep peace that nothing can disturb. This is the Gita's promise to the sincere seeker: faith, focus, and self-discipline lead to wisdom, and wisdom leads quickly to the highest peace the human heart can know.
In daily life
Combine study with faith, focus, and sense discipline.
A student of the Gita benefits more when they reduce distractions and practice daily with sincerity.
Try this today
Pick one: strengthen faith, set a study time, or remove a distraction.
I grow in knowledge through faith and discipline.Reflect
Which condition do I need most: faith, focus, or sense-control?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘तत्परः’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on peace, in other chapters
- Verse 6.7Inner peace is steady when praise and blame, comfort and discomfort, no longer disturb the calm at your center.
- Verse 7.1Knowledge of the Divine ripens not from argument but from a mind anchored in Him, steady practice, and wholehearted refuge.
- Verse 12.12Letting go of attachment to results brings peace at once — that is the fruit of every practice.
- Verse 13.8Genuine wisdom shows itself as humility, harmlessness, and self-mastery, not as accumulated facts.
Swipe left for 4.40 · Questioning helps; paralyzing doubt destroys progress.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 4.39
Who says Bhagavad Gita 4.39, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 4.39, in Chapter 4, Jnana Karma Sannyas Yoga (Jnana Karma Sannyas Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 4.39 mean?
The faithful, devoted, and sense-controlled person obtains knowledge; having gained knowledge, they soon attain supreme peace. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 4.39 for daily life?
Combine study with faith, focus, and sense discipline. A student of the Gita benefits more when they reduce distractions and practice daily with sincerity.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 4.39 mean?
श्रद्धावान् — the man of faith; लभते ज्ञानम् — obtains knowledge; तत्परः — devoted to it, intent on it; संयत-इन्द्रियः — having subdued the senses; ज्ञानम् लब्ध्वा — having obtained knowledge.
Where does verse 4.39 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 39 of 42 in Chapter 4, Jnana Karma Sannyas Yoga. The next verse is 4.40.