Chapter 8

अर्जुन उवाच · arjuna uvāca

किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम।अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते॥

kiṃ tadbrahma kimadhyātmaṃ kiṃ karma puruṣottama |adhibhūtaṃ ca kiṃ proktamadhidaivaṃ kimucyate ||

Arjuna said, "What is Brahman? What is Adhyatma? What is action, O best among men? What is Adhibhuta declared to be? And, what is Adhidaiva said to be?"

Arjuna asked: O Lord of Lords! What is that which people call the Supreme Spirit, what is humanity's spiritual nature, and what is the law? What is matter and what is divinity?

अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन।प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः॥

adhiyajñaḥ kathaṃ ko'tra dehe'sminmadhusūdana |prayāṇakāle ca kathaṃ jñeyo'si niyatātmabhiḥ ||

Who and how is Adhiyajna here in this body, O destroyer of Madhu? And how, at the time of death, are You to be known by the self-controlled?

Who rules the spirit sacrifice in many, and how may those who have learned self-control come to the knowledge of Thee at the time of death?

श्री भगवानुवाच · śrī bhagavānuvāca

अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते।भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः॥

akṣaraṃ brahma paramaṃ svabhāvo'dhyātmamucyate |bhūtabhāvodbhavakaro visargaḥ karmasaṃjñitaḥ ||

The Blessed Lord said, "Brahman is the Imperishable, the Supreme; its essential nature is called Self-knowledge; the offering (to the gods) that causes the existence and manifestation of beings and sustains them is called action."

The Lord Shri Krishna replied: The Supreme Spirit is the Highest Imperishable Self, and Its nature is spiritual consciousness. The worlds have been created and are sustained by an emanation from the Spirit, which is called the Law.

अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्।अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर॥

adhibhūtaṃ kṣaro bhāvaḥ puruṣaścādhidaivatam |adhiyajño'hamevātra dehe dehabhṛtāṃ vara ||

Adhibhuta—knowledge of the elements—pertains to My perishable nature, and the Purusha, or the Soul, is the Adhidaiva; I alone am the Adhiyajna here in this body, O best among the embodied.

Matter consists of forms that perish; Divinity is the Supreme Self; and He who inspires the spirit of sacrifice in man, O noblest of their race, is I Myself, Who now stand in human form before thee.

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्।यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः॥

antakāle ca māmeva smaranmuktvā kalevaram |yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṃ yāti nāstyatra saṃśayaḥ ||

And whoever, leaving their body, goes forth remembering Me alone at the time of death, they will attain My Being; there is no doubt about this.

Whosoever, at the time of death, thinks only of Me and, thinking thus, leaves the body and goes forth, will assuredly know Me.

यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्।तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः॥

yaṃ yaṃ vāpi smaranbhāvaṃ tyajatyante kalevaram |taṃ tamevaiti kaunteya sadā tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ ||

Whoever at the end leaves the body, thinking of any being, to that being only does he go, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), due to his constant thought of that being.

Whatever sphere of being the mind of a man is intent on at the time of death, to that he will go.

तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च।मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम्॥

tasmātsarveṣu kāleṣu māmanusmara yudhya ca |mayyarpitamanobuddhirmāmevaiṣyasyasaṃśayam ||

Therefore, at all times, remember Me only and fight. With your mind and intellect fixed on Me, you will undoubtedly come to Me alone.

Therefore, always meditate on Me and fight; if your mind and reason are fixed on Me, you will surely come to Me.

अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना।परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन्॥

abhyāsayogayuktena cetasā nānyagāminā |paramaṃ puruṣaṃ divyaṃ yāti pārthānucintayan ||

With the mind not moving towards any other thing, made steadfast through the practice of habitual meditation, and constantly meditating, one goes to the Supreme Person, the Resplendent, O Arjuna.

He whose mind does not wander, and who is engaged in constant meditation, attains the Supreme Spirit.

कविं पुराणमनुशासितारमणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः।सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूपमादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्॥

kaviṃ purāṇamanuśāsitāramaṇoraṇīyāṃsamanusmaredyaḥ |sarvasya dhātāramacintyarūpamādityavarṇaṃ tamasaḥ parastāt ||

Whosoever meditates on the Omniscient, the Ancient, the Ruler of the whole world, minuter than an atom, the supporter of all, of inconceivable form, effulgent like the sun and beyond the darkness of ignorance.

Whoso meditates on the Omniscient, the Ancient, more minute than an atom, yet the Ruler and Upholder of all, Unimaginable, Brilliant like the Sun, Beyond the reach of darkness;

प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेनभक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव।भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक्स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम्॥

prayāṇakāle manasā'calenabhaktyā yukto yogabalena caiva |bhruvormadhye prāṇamāveśya samyaksa taṃ paraṃ puruṣamupaiti divyam ||

At the time of death, with an unwavering mind, endowed with devotion, by the power of Yoga, fixing the whole life-breath in the middle of the two eyebrows, he reaches that resplendent Supreme Person.

He who leaves the body with an unmoved mind, filled with devotion, and by the power of his meditation gathers his whole vital energy between his eyebrows, attains the Supreme.

यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्तिविशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः।यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्तितत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये॥

yadakṣaraṃ vedavido vadantiviśanti yadyatayo vītarāgāḥ |yadicchanto brahmacaryaṃ carantitatte padaṃ saṃgraheṇa pravakṣye ||

That which is declared to be Imperishable by those who know the Vedas, that which the self-controlled (ascetics or Sannyasins) and passion-free enter, that goal, desiring which celibacy is practised, I will declare to thee in brief.

Now, I will briefly speak of the imperishable goal, proclaimed by those who are versed in the scriptures, which the mystic attains when free from passion, and for which they are content to undergo the vow of continence.

सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च।मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम्॥

sarvadvārāṇi saṃyamya mano hṛdi nirudhya ca |mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇamāsthito yogadhāraṇām ||

Having closed all the gates, confined the mind in the heart, and fixed the life-breath in the head, engage in the practice of concentration.

Closing the gates of the body, drawing the forces of his mind into the heart, and, by the power of meditation, concentrating his vital energy in the brain;

ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्।यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्॥

omityekākṣaraṃ brahma vyāharanmāmanusmaran |yaḥ prayāti tyajandehaṃ sa yāti paramāṃ gatim ||

Uttering the one-syllabled Om, the Brahman, and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the Supreme Goal.

Repeating Om, the symbol of eternity, and holding Me always in remembrance, he who thus leaves his body and goes forth reaches the Supreme Spirit.

अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः।तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः॥

ananyacetāḥ satataṃ yo māṃ smarati nityaśaḥ |tasyāhaṃ sulabhaḥ pārtha nityayuktasya yoginaḥ ||

I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast yogi who constantly and daily remembers me for a long time, not thinking of anything else with a single-minded or one-pointed focus, O Partha.

To him who constantly thinks of Me and nothing else, to such an ever-faithful devotee, O Arjuna, I am ever accessible.

मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम्।नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः॥

māmupetya punarjanma duḥkhālayamaśāśvatam |nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṃsiddhiṃ paramāṃ gatāḥ ||

Having attained Me, these great souls do not take birth again here—a place of pain and impermanence—but have reached the highest perfection of liberation.

Coming to Me in this way, these great souls no longer go to the misery and death of earthly life, for they have achieved perfection.

आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन।मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते॥

ābrahmabhuvanāllokāḥ punarāvartino'rjuna |māmupetya tu kaunteya punarjanma na vidyate ||

All the worlds, including the world of Brahma, are subject to return again, O Arjuna; but he who reaches Me, O son of Kunti, has no rebirth.

The worlds, along with the entire realm of creation, come and go; but, O Arjuna, whoever comes to Me, for them there is no rebirth.

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः।रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः॥

sahasrayugaparyantamaharyadbrahmaṇo viduḥ |rātriṃ yugasahasrāntāṃ te'horātravido janāḥ ||

Those who know the day of Brahma, which lasts a thousand Yugas, and the night, which also lasts a thousand Yugas, know day and night.

Those who understand the cosmic day and night know that one day of creation is a thousand cycles, and that the night is of equal length.

अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे।रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके॥

avyaktādvyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyaharāgame |rātryāgame pralīyante tatraivāvyaktasaṃjñake ||

From the Unmanifested, all the manifested worlds proceed upon the arrival of the 'day'; upon the arrival of the 'night', they dissolve indeed into that which is known as the Unmanifested.

At the dawn of that day, all objects in manifestation stream forth from the Unmanifest, and when evening falls, they are dissolved back into it again.

भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते।रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे॥

bhūtagrāmaḥ sa evāyaṃ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate |rātryāgame'vaśaḥ pārtha prabhavatyaharāgame ||

This same multitude of beings, being born again and again, helplessly dissolves, O Arjuna, into the Unmanifested at the coming of the night and comes forth at the coming of the day.

The same multitude of beings, which have lived on earth so often, all are dissolved as the night of the universe approaches, to issue forth anew when morning breaks. Thus, it is ordained.

परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः।यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति॥

parastasmāttu bhāvo'nyo'vyakto'vyaktātsanātanaḥ |yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati ||

But verily, there exists higher than this Unmanifested, another Unmanifested Eternal, which is not destroyed even when all beings are destroyed.

In truth, therefore, there is the eternal, unmanifest, which is beyond and above the unmanifest spirit of creation, and which is never destroyed when all these beings perish.

अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्।यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम॥

avyakto'kṣara ityuktastamāhuḥ paramāṃ gatim |yaṃ prāpya na nivartante taddhāma paramaṃ mama ||

What is known as the Unmanifested and the Imperishable, That is said to be the highest goal. Those who reach It do not return (to this Samsara). That is My supreme abode (place or state).

The wise say that the Unmanifest and Indestructible is the highest goal of all; when once that is reached, there is no returning. That is my blessed home.

पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया।यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्॥

puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyastvananyayā |yasyāntaḥsthāni bhūtāni yena sarvamidaṃ tatam ||

That highest Purusha, O Arjuna, is attainable by unswerving devotion to Him alone, within Whom all beings dwell and by Whom all this is pervaded.

O Arjuna! That Highest God, in Whom all beings abide, and Who pervades the entire universe, is reached only by wholehearted devotion. *He is the one who determines the course of worldly events and the destiny of all living beings.*

यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः।प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ॥

yatra kāle tvanāvṛttimāvṛttiṃ caiva yoginaḥ |prayātā yānti taṃ kālaṃ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha ||

Now I will tell you, O chief of the Bharatas, the times of departure at which the Yogis will return or not return.

Now, I will tell you, O Arjuna, the times at which, if the mystics go forth, they do not return, and at which they go forth only to return.

अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्।तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः॥

agnirjyotirahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam |tatra prayātā gacchanti brahma brahmavido janāḥ ||

Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path of the sun (the northern solstice) departing, then men who know Brahman go to Brahman.

If the sage, knowing the Supreme Spirit, goes forth with fire and light during the day, in the fortnight of the waxing moon, and in the six months before the Northern summer solstice, he will attain the Supreme.

धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्।तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते॥

dhūmo rātristathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇmāsā dakṣiṇāyanam |tatra cāndramasaṃ jyotiryogī prāpya nivartate ||

Attaining the lunar light through smoke, night time, the dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern path of the sun (the southern solstice), the yogi returns.

But if he departs in gloom, at night, during the fortnight of the waning moon and in the six months before the winter solstice, then he reaches only lunar light and he will be reborn.

शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते।एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययाऽऽवर्तते पुनः॥

śuklakṛṣṇe gatī hyete jagataḥ śāśvate mate |ekayā yātyanāvṛttimanyayā''vartate punaḥ ||

The bright and dark paths of the world are thought to be eternal; one leads to no return, and the other leads to return.

These bright and dark paths out of the world have always existed. Whoever takes the former, does not return; he who chooses the latter, returns.

नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन।तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन॥

naite sṛtī pārtha jānanyogī muhyati kaścana |tasmātsarveṣu kāleṣu yogayukto bhavārjuna ||

Knowing these paths, O Arjuna, no yogi is deluded; therefore, at all times, be steadfast in yoga.

O Arjuna! The saint, knowing these paths, is not confused; therefore, meditate perpetually.

वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैवदानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम्।अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वायोगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम्॥

vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caivadāneṣu yatpuṇyaphalaṃ pradiṣṭam |atyeti tatsarvamidaṃ viditvāyogī paraṃ sthānamupaiti cādyam ||

Whatever fruit of merit is declared (in the scriptures) to accrue from (the study of) the Vedas, (the performance of) sacrifices, (the practice of) austerities, and gifts, beyond all this goes the Yogi, having known this; and he attains to the Supreme, Primeval (first or ancient) Abode.

The sage who knows this passes beyond all merit that comes from the study of the scriptures, from sacrifice, from austerities, and from charity, and reaches the Supreme Primeval Abode.