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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.