Gita: Chap 08

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Verse 1

arjuna uvācha
kiṁ tad brahma kim adhyātmaṁ kiṁ karma puruṣhottama
adhibhūtaṁ cha kiṁ proktam adhidaivaṁ kim uchyate

arjunaḥ uvācha
Arjun said
kim     tat     brahma     kim     adhyātmam              kim     karma                     puruṣha-uttama
what    that    Brahman    what    the individual soul    what    the principle of karma    Shree Krishna, the Supreme Divine Personality
adhibhūtam                    cha    kim     proktam      adhidaivam                        kim     uchyate
the material manifestation    and    what    is called    the Lord of the celestial gods    what    is called
---

Arjuna said, O Supreme Person, what is Brahman? What exists in the individual plane? What is action? What is said to exist in the physical plane? And what is said to exist in the divine plane?

Verse 2

adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ ko ’tra dehe ’smin madhusūdana
prayāṇa-kāle cha kathaṁ jñeyo ’si niyatātmabhiḥ

adhiyajñaḥ                               katham    kaḥ    atra    dehe       asmin    madhusūdana
the Lord all sacrificial performances    how       who    here    in body    this     Shree Krishna, the killer of the demon named Madhu
prayāṇa-kāle            cha    katham    jñeyaḥ         asi          niyata-ātmabhiḥ
at the time of death    and    how       to be known    are (you)    by those of steadfast mind
---

O Madhusudana, how is the entity existing in the sacrifice here in this body, and who is it? And how are You to be known by people of concentrated minds at the time of death?

Verse 3

śhrī bhagavān uvācha
akṣharaṁ brahma paramaṁ svabhāvo ’dhyātmam uchyate
bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo visargaḥ karma-sanjñitaḥ

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
the Blessed Lord said
akṣharam          brahma     paramam        svabhāvaḥ    adhyātmam         uchyate
indestructible    Brahman    the Supreme    nature       one’s own self    is called
bhūta-bhāva-udbhava-karaḥ                                                               visargaḥ    karma                  sanjñitaḥ
Actions pertaining to the material personality of living beings, and its development    creation    fruitive activities    are called
---

The Blessed Lord said, "The Immutable is the supreme Brahman; selfhood is said to be the entity present in the individual plane. By action is meant the offerings that bring about the origin of existence of things."

Verse 4

adhibhūtaṁ kṣharo bhāvaḥ puruṣhaśh chādhidaivatam
adhiyajño ’ham evātra dehe deha-bhṛitāṁ vara

adhibhūtam                                  kṣharaḥ       bhāvaḥ    puruṣhaḥ                                                             cha    adhidaivatam
the ever changing physical manifestation    perishable    nature    the cosmic personality of God, encompassing the material creation    and    the Lord of the celestial gods
adhiyajñaḥ                    aham    eva          atra    dehe           deha-bhṛitām       vara
the Lord of all sacrifices    I       certainly    here    in the body    of the embodied    O best
---

That which exists in the physical plane is the mutable entity, and what exists in the divine plane is the Person. O best among the embodied beings, I Myself am the entity that exists in the sacrifice within this body.

Verse 5

anta-kāle cha mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti nāstyatra sanśhayaḥ

anta-kāle               cha    mām    eva      smaran         muktvā        kalevaram
at the time of death    and    me     alone    remembering    relinquish    the body
yaḥ    prayāti    saḥ    mat-bhāvam        yāti        na    asti        atra    sanśhayaḥ
who    goes       he     Godlike nature    achieves    no    there is    here    doubt
---

And at the time of death, anyone who departs, giving up the body while thinking of Me alone, attains My state; there is no doubt about this.

Verse 6

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajatyante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

yam yam     vā    api     smaran         bhāvam         tyajati     ante          kalevaram
whatever    or    even    remembering    remembrance    gives up    in the end    the body
tam        tam        eva          eti     kaunteya                   sadā      tat     bhāva-bhāvitaḥ
to that    to that    certainly    gets    Arjun, the son of Kunti    always    that    absorbed in contemplation
---

O son of Kunti, thinking of any entity, whichever it may be, one gives up the body at the end; he attains that very one, having been always engrossed in its thought.

Verse 7

tasmāt sarveṣhu kāleṣhu mām anusmara yudhya cha
mayyarpita-mano-buddhir mām evaiṣhyasyasanśhayam

tasmāt       sarveṣhu    kāleṣhu    mām    anusmara    yudhya    cha
therefore    in all      times      me     remember    fight     and
mayi     arpita       manaḥ    buddhiḥ      mām      eva       eṣhyasi             asanśhayaḥ
to me    surrender    mind     intellect    to me    surely    you shall attain    without a doubt
---

Therefore, think of Me at all times and fight; there is no doubt that by dedicating your mind and intellect to Me, you will attain only Me.

Verse 8

abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena chetasā nānya-gāminā
paramaṁ puruṣhaṁ divyaṁ yāti pārthānuchintayan

abhyāsa-yoga          yuktena                                    chetasā        na anya-gāminā
by practice of yog    being constantly engaged in remembrance    by the mind    without deviating
paramam puruṣham                  divyam    yāti           pārtha                      anuchintayan
the Supreme Divine Personality    divine    one attains    Arjun, the son of Pritha    constant remembrance
---

O son of Prtha, by meditating with a mind engaged in the yoga of practice and not straying away to anything else, one reaches the supreme Person existing in the effulgent region.

Verse 9

kaviṁ purāṇam anuśhāsitāram
aṇor aṇīyānsam anusmared yaḥ
sarvasya dhātāram achintya-rūpam
āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt

kavim    purāṇam    anuśhāsitāram
poet     ancient    the controller
aṇoḥ             aṇīyānsam    anusmaret           yaḥ
than the atom    smaller      always remembers    who
sarvasya         dhātāram       achintya         rūpam
of everything    the support    inconceivable    divine form
āditya-varṇam             tamasaḥ                         parastāt
effulgent like the sun    to the darkness of ignorance    beyond
---

He who meditates on the Omniscient, the Ancient, the Ruler, subtler than the subtle, the Ordainer of everything, of inconceivable form, effulgent like the sun, and beyond darkness—he attains the Supreme Person.

Verse 10

prayāṇa-kāle manasāchalena
bhaktyā yukto yoga-balena chaiva
bhruvor madhye prāṇam āveśhya samyak
sa taṁ paraṁ puruṣham upaiti divyam

prayāṇa-kāle            manasā    achalena
at the time of death    mind      steadily
bhaktyā                            yuktaḥ    yoga-balena                 cha    eva
remembering with great devotion    united    through the power of yog    and    certainly
bhruvoḥ             madhye     prāṇam       āveśhya    samyak
the two eyebrows    between    life airs    fixing     completely
saḥ    tam    param puruṣham             upaiti     divyam
he     him    the Supreme Divine Lord    attains    divine
---

At the time of death, having fully fixed the Prana (vital force) between the eyebrows with an unwavering mind, and being imbued with devotion as well as the strength of concentration, he reaches that resplendent Supreme Person.

Verse 11

yad akṣharaṁ veda-vido vadanti
viśhanti yad yatayo vīta-rāgāḥ
yad ichchhanto brahmacharyaṁ charanti
tat te padaṁ saṅgraheṇa pravakṣhye

yat      akṣharam        veda-vidaḥ               vadanti
which    Imperishable    scholars of the Vedas    describe
viśhanti    yat      yatayaḥ           vīta-rāgāḥ
enter       which    great ascetics    free from attachment
yat      ichchhantaḥ    brahmacharyam    charanti
which    desiring       celibacy         practice
tat     te        padam    saṅgraheṇa    pravakṣhye
that    to you    goal     briefly       I shall explain
---

I will briefly speak to you of that immutable Goal, which the knowers of the Vedas declare; into which diligent ones, free from attachment, enter, and for which people practice celibacy, aspiring.

Verse 12

sarva-dvārāṇi sanyamya mano hṛidi nirudhya cha
mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthito yoga-dhāraṇām

sarva-dvārāṇi    sanyamya       manaḥ       hṛidi                  nirudhya     cha
all gates        restraining    the mind    in the heart region    confining    and
mūrdhni        ādhāya       ātmanaḥ        prāṇam             āsthitaḥ         yoga-dhāraṇām
in the head    establish    of the self    the life breath    situated (in)    the yogic concentration
---

Having controlled all the senses, confined the mind in the heart, and fixed his own vital force in the head, he should remain steadfast in yoga.

Verse 13

oṁ ityekākṣharaṁ brahma vyāharan mām anusmaran
yaḥ prayāti tyajan dehaṁ sa yāti paramāṁ gatim

om                                                         iti     eka-akṣharam     brahma                vyāharan    mām                   anusmaran
sacred syllable representing the formless aspect of God    thus    one syllabled    the Absolute Truth    chanting    me (Shree Krishna)    remembering
yaḥ    prayāti    tyajan      deham       saḥ    yāti       paramām        gatim
who    departs    quitting    the body    he     attains    the supreme    goal
---

He who departs, leaving the body while uttering the single syllable, viz. "Om," which is Brahman, and thinking of Me, attains the supreme Goal.

Verse 14

ananya-chetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati nityaśhaḥ
tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ

ananya-chetāḥ                    satatam    yaḥ    mām    smarati      nityaśhaḥ
without deviation of the mind    always     who    me     remembers    regularly
tasya     aham    su-labhaḥ            pārtha                      nitya         yuktasya    yoginaḥ
to him    I       easily attainable    Arjun, the son of Pritha    constantly    engaged     of the yogis
---

O son of Prtha, to that yogi of constant concentration and single-minded attention, who remembers Me uninterruptedly and for a long time, I am easy to attain.

Verse 15

mām upetya punar janma duḥkhālayam aśhāśhvatam
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ sansiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ

mām    upetya             punaḥ    janma    duḥkha-ālayam             aśhāśhvatam
me     having attained    again    birth    place full of miseries    temporary
na       āpnuvanti    mahā-ātmānaḥ       sansiddhim    paramām    gatāḥ
never    attain       the great souls    perfection    highest    having achieved
---

As a result of reaching Me, the exalted ones who have attained the highest perfection do not get birth, which is an abode of sorrows and is impermanent.

Verse 16

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino ’rjuna
mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate

ā-brahma-bhuvanāt            lokāḥ     punaḥ āvartinaḥ       arjuna
up to the abode of Brahma    worlds    subject to rebirth    Arjun
mām     upetya             tu     kaunteya                   punaḥ janma    na       vidyate
mine    having attained    but    Arjun, the son of Kunti    rebirth        never    is
---

O Arjuna, all the worlds together with the world of Brahma are subject to return. But, O son of Kunti, there is no rebirth after reaching Me.

Verse 17

sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ
rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ te ’ho-rātra-vido janāḥ

sahasra         yuga    paryantam    ahaḥ       yat      brahmaṇaḥ    viduḥ
one thousand    age     until        one day    which    of Brahma    know
rātrim    yuga-sahasra-antām          te      ahaḥ-rātra-vidaḥ                    janāḥ
night     lasts one thousand yugas    they    those who know his day and night    people
---

Those people who know what day and night are, know the day of Brahma which ends in a thousand yugas [The four yugas (in the human worlds), viz Satya, Treta, Dwapara, and Kali are made up of 4,320,000 years. This period multiplied by a thousand constitutes one day of Brahma. His night also extends over a similar period. See M.S. and V.S.A.], and His night which also ends in a thousand yugas.

Verse 18

avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyahar-āgame
rātryāgame pralīyante tatraivāvyakta-sanjñake

avyaktāt                 vyaktayaḥ         sarvāḥ    prabhavanti    ahaḥ-āgame
from the unmanifested    the manifested    all       emanate        at the advent of Brahma’s day
rātri-āgame                      pralīyante       tatra        eva          avyakta-sanjñake
at the fall of Brahma’s night    they dissolve    into that    certainly    in that which is called the unmanifest
---

With the coming of day, all manifested things emerge from the Unmanifest, and when night comes, they merge into that which is called the Unmanifested.

Verse 19

bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate
rātryāgame ’vaśhaḥ pārtha prabhavatyahar-āgame

bhūta-grāmaḥ               saḥ      eva          ayam    bhūtvā bhūtvā              pralīyate
the multitude of beings    these    certainly    this    repeatedly taking birth    dissolves
rātri-āgame                 avaśhaḥ     pārtha                      prabhavati         ahaḥ-āgame
with the advent of night    helpless    Arjun, the son of Pritha    become manifest    with the advent of day
---

O son of Prtha, after being born again and again, that very multitude of beings disappears of its own accord at the approach of night. It comes to life again at the approach of day.

Verse 20

paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ’nyo ’vyakto ’vyaktāt sanātanaḥ
yaḥ sa sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu naśhyatsu na vinaśhyati

paraḥ             tasmāt       tu     bhāvaḥ      anyaḥ      avyaktaḥ      avyaktāt             sanātanaḥ
transcendental    than that    but    creation    another    unmanifest    to the unmanifest    eternal
yaḥ    saḥ     sarveṣhu    bhūteṣhu     naśhyatsu         na       vinaśhyati
who    that    all         in beings    cease to exist    never    is annihilated
---

But distinct from that Unmanifested is the other eternal, unmanifest Reality, who does not get destroyed when all beings are destroyed.

Verse 21

avyakto ’kṣhara ityuktas tam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim
yaṁ prāpya na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

avyaktaḥ      akṣharaḥ        iti     uktaḥ      tam     āhuḥ         paramām        gatim
unmanifest    imperishable    thus    is said    that    is called    the supreme    destination
yam      prāpya            na       nivartante    tat     dhāma    paramam        mama
which    having reached    never    come back     that    abode    the supreme    my
---

They call Him who has been mentioned as the Unmanifested, the Immutable, the supreme Goal. That is the supreme abode of Mine, from which they do not return once they reach it.

Verse 22

puruṣhaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tvananyayā
yasyāntaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni yena sarvam idaṁ tatam

puruṣhaḥ                          saḥ    paraḥ       pārtha                      bhaktyā             labhyaḥ          tu        ananyayā
the Supreme Divine Personality    he     greatest    Arjun, the son of Pritha    through devotion    is attainable    indeed    without another
yasya      antaḥ-sthāni       bhūtāni    yena       sarvam    idam    tatam
of whom    situated within    beings     by whom    all       this    is pervaded
---

O son of Prtha, that supreme Person—in whom all beings are included and by whom all this is pervaded—is indeed reached through one-pointed devotion.

Verse 23

yatra kāle tvanāvṛittim āvṛittiṁ chaiva yoginaḥ
prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ vakṣhyāmi bharatarṣhabha

yatra    kāle    tu           anāvṛittim    āvṛittim    cha    eva          yoginaḥ
where    time    certainly    no return     return      and    certainly    a yogi
prayātāḥ           yānti     tam     kālam    vakṣhyāmi           bharata-ṛiṣhabha
having departed    attain    that    time     I shall describe    Arjun, the best of the Bharatas
---

O best of the Bharata dynasty, I shall now speak of that time by which the yogis depart and attain the State of Non-return, and also the State of Return.

Verse 24

agnir jyotir ahaḥ śhuklaḥ ṣhaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam
tatra prayātā gachchhanti brahma brahma-vido janāḥ

agniḥ    jyotiḥ    ahaḥ    śhuklaḥ                             ṣhaṭ-māsāḥ    uttara-ayanam
fire     light     day     the bright fortnight of the moon    six months    the sun’s northern course
tatra    prayātāḥ    gachchhanti    brahma     brahma-vidaḥ                  janāḥ
there    departed    go             Brahman    those who know the Brahman    persons
---

Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern solstice—by following this path, persons who are knowers of Brahman attain Brahman when they die.

Verse 25

dhūmo rātris tathā kṛiṣhṇaḥ ṣhaṇ-māsā dakṣhiṇāyanam
tatra chāndramasaṁ jyotir yogī prāpya nivartate

dhūmaḥ    rātriḥ    tathā    kṛiṣhṇaḥ                          ṣhaṭ-māsāḥ    dakṣhiṇa-ayanam
smoke     night     and      the dark fortnight of the moon    six months    the sun’s southern course
tatra    chāndra-masam    jyotiḥ    yogī      prāpya    nivartate
there    lunar            light     a yogi    attain    comes back
---

Following this Path, the yogi, having reached the lunar light, returns, smoke, night, as also the dark fortnight and the six months of the Southern solstice.

Verse 26

śhukla-kṛiṣhṇe gatī hyete jagataḥ śhāśhvate mate
ekayā yātyanāvṛittim anyayāvartate punaḥ

śhukla    kṛiṣhṇe    gatī     hi           ete      jagataḥ                  śhāśhvate    mate
bright    dark       paths    certainly    these    of the material world    eternal      opinion
ekayā     yāti    anāvṛittim       anyayā          āvartate      punaḥ
by one    goes    to non return    by the other    comes back    again
---

These two paths of the world, which are white and black, are indeed considered eternal. Through one, a person goes to the state of non-return; through the other, they return again.

Verse 27

naite sṛitī pārtha jānan yogī muhyati kaśhchana
tasmāt sarveṣhu kāleṣhu yoga-yukto bhavārjuna

na       ete          sṛitī    pārtha                      jānan      yogī      muhyati       kaśhchana
never    these two    paths    Arjun, the son of Pritha    knowing    a yogi    bewildered    any
tasmāt       sarveṣhu kāleṣhu    yoga-yuktaḥ        bhava    arjuna
therefore    always              situated in Yog    be       Arjun
---

O son of Prtha, no yogi—one steadfast in meditation—whosoever has known these two courses becomes deluded. Therefore, O Arjuna, be steadfast in yoga at all times.

Verse 28

vedeṣhu yajñeṣhu tapaḥsu chaiva
dāneṣhu yat puṇya-phalaṁ pradiṣhṭam
atyeti tat sarvam idaṁ viditvā
yogī paraṁ sthānam upaiti chādyam

vedeṣhu                      yajñeṣhu                        tapaḥsu           cha    eva
in the study of the Vedas    in performance of sacrifices    in austerities    and    certainly
dāneṣhu                yat      puṇya-phalam      pradiṣhṭam
in giving charities    which    fruit of merit    is gained
atyeti       tat sarvam    idam    viditvā
surpasses    all           this    having known
yogī      param      sthānam    upaiti      cha    ādyam
a yogi    Supreme    Abode      achieves    and    original
---

Having known this, the yogi transcends all the results of righteous deeds declared in the Vedas, sacrifices, austerities, and charities, and reaches the primordial, supreme state.


Gita: Chap 08

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