25 verses
Arjuna said: What is Brahman, what is adhyātma, what is karma, what is adhibhūta and what is adhidaiva, O Supreme Person? Who is the adhiyajña, and how is he known in the body? How are You to be known at the point of death by those with concentrated minds?
The Lord said: the Brahman is the supreme indestructible entity. Adhyātma is the jīva. Karma refers to transmigration arising from the creation of bodies made of material elements.
The Lord answers. Brahman refers to the akṣara--that which does not get destroyed, that which is eternal and supreme. The śruti says etad vai tad akṣaram gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadanti: the knowers of Brahman call the Supreme Lord (tad) the indestructible (akṣaram). (Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.8.8)
Svabhāva means “that which produces one’s self (svaṁ bhāvayati), from imposition of a body.” In other words, it means the jīva, since it creates the body. The jīva is called adhyātma. Or the meaning of svabhāva can be “that which causes one to attain the Paramātmā (sva meaning the Lord in this case). In this case adhyātma refers to the purified jīva, since only the pure jīva is qualified to attain Paramātmā.
The word karma refers to transmigration (visarga) of the jīva, the creation of bodies (bhāva) through the material elements (bhūta). It is called karma because it is produced from actions.
Adhibhūta refers to all the temporary material objects. Adhidaiva refers to the universal body of the Lord. I, on the other hand, am the adhiyajña situated in the body, O Arjuna, best among souls situated in a body.
The word adhibhūta refers to temporary objects (kṣaro bhāvaḥ) such as pots and cloth. The word adhidaiva refers to the person representing the totality of the universe, understood from the derivation of the word adhidaiva as “He within whom all the devatās exist as His subjects”. In the body (atra), I, the Paramātmā, am the adhiyajña, the person who induces others to perform actions like yajña.
But why should the word eva (for emphasis) be used with aham, since the Paramātmā, antaryāmī, is only My expansion or aṁśa? It is because this antaryāmī, though an aṁśa, is not different from Me, whereas the other items such as adhyātma (jīva) are different from Me.
O best person (vara), among those having bodies (deha-bhṛtam), you are the best of all in this body, because you have a direct relationship with Me as friend.
At the point of death, he who leaves the body while knowing Me in truth, attains a nature similar to Mine. Of this there is no doubt.
This verse answers the question “How are you to be known at the time of death?” Smaran means remembering Me, knowing Me in truth, not like knowing pots or cloth. The method of knowing or remembering the Lord is now explained in fourteen verses.
Whatever one thinks of when leaving the body, one attains a state similar to that object of constant thought, O son of Kuntī.
This verse explains that just as, by remembering Me, one attains Me (stated in the previous verse), so by remembering something else, one attains that object. Being influenced (bhāvitaḥ) by constant thoughts (bhāva) of that object, a person becomes similar to the object (bhāvitaḥ).
Therefore, at all times remembering Me, fight. Without doubt, one whose intelligence and mind are offered to Me attains Me.
The mind creates the decision to think of Me. The intelligence creates the determination to remain fixed in thinking of Me.
Continuously contemplating Me with mind engaged in the practice of repeated remembrance, without deviation, one attains the transcendental supreme person.
Therefore, that person who practices remembrance of Me during his life will naturally remember Me at the time of death, and by that, he will attain Me. Therefore, remembering Me by the mind is the highest yoga. That is expressed in this verse. Abhyāsa means to repeatedly remember Me. The mind should be engaged in this method (yoga) of repetition of remembering Me. It should not wander to other objects of remembrance. By this practice one will conquer of the nature of the mind.
At the time of death, a person endowed with devotion and with unwavering mind, who concentrates between the brows through the strength of yoga practice, and who remembers He who is omniscient, beginningless, the teacher, smaller than the smallest, the container of everything, the inconceivable, an independent form like the sun, who is above prakṛti--that person attains the transcendental supreme person.
Without practice of yoga it is difficult to withdraw the mind from sense objects. Without withdrawing the mind from sense objects, it is difficult to think constantly of the Lord. Therefore one should execute bhakti along with some type of yoga practice. The Lord here speaks of such bhakti mixed with aṣṭāḍga-yoga (yoga-miśra-bhakti) in five verses.
The Lord is omniscient (kavi). But though one may be omniscient, like Sanaka and others, one may not be eternal. Therefore, the Lord is described as purāṇa, without beginning. Though He is both omniscient and without beginning, this does not indicate that He becomes the instructor of bhakti as Paramātmā. Therefore He is called anuśāsitāram, the teacher, who by His mercy gives instructions about devotion to Himself when He appears as Kṛṣṇa or Rāma. Though He is merciful, He is still a difficult object to know factually: compared to the smallest He is even smaller. Then, is He like the jīva, the size of an atom? No, He is also of the greatest size, spreading everywhere, since everything is contained within Him (sarvasya dhātāram). Thus He is said to be inconceivable in form (acintya-rūpam). Though He appears of medium size, as a human being, His manifestation is independent of all others. Thus He has a form (varṇa) which is like that of the sun (āditya), revealing both Himself and all others. Thus, though He is the possessor of māyā-śakti (prakṛti), His form is transcendental to prakṛti or māyā (tamasaḥ parastāt).
At the time of death (prayāṇa-kāle), with unwavering mind, engaged in bhakti with constant remembrance of Me as described above, the yogī attains Me. How does he attain unwavering mind? He attains it through the strength of his practice of yoga (yoga-balena). The yoga process is then described. Fixing his prāṇa in the ājñā-cakra (bhruvor madhye), he attains Me.
Along with the method, I will speak of the final goal which the knowers of the Veda call om, and which the sannyāsīs who have given up attachment attain. Desiring this, they practice celibacy.
“Just by Your mentioning that the yogī should concentrate the prāṇa at the ājñā-cakra, I cannot understand this yoga. What is the manner of doing this yoga? What should be chanted? Upon what should one meditate? What is to be obtained by this yoga? Briefly You should tell me.” Kṛṣṇa speaks three verses to answer him.
Please listen as I describe what will be factually attained (padam) along with the method of attainment (saḍgrahena)--that Brahman which the knowers of the Veda call om (akṣara), which the sannāysīs attain.
He who leaves his body while withdrawing the senses from senses objects, concentrating the mind in the heart, fixing the prāṇa at the ājñā-cakra, completely absorbing his thoughts in Me, uttering “om” and remembering Me constantly, attains My planet.
Elaborating what was previous spoken, the Lord describes the method of yoga. Withdrawing the openings of all the senses (sarva-dvārāṇi) from the external objects; confining the mind to the heart, with no desire for other objects; fixing the prāṇa between the brows (mūrdhni); and taking shelter of Me completely (yoga-dhāraṇām); uttering just one syllable, om, the form of Brahman; and meditating continuously upon Me (mām anusmaran) represented by om-- giving up his body, he attains sālokyam (paramāṁ gatim).
The devotee who remembers Me daily, at all times, without deviation to other processes, persons or goals, and who desires association with Me, easily attains Me.
Having spoken of pradhānī bhūtā bhakti, bhakti mixed with karma, mentioned in ārto jijñāsur arthārthī (BG 7.16), and with desire for liberation in jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya (BG 7.29), and also bhakti mixed with yoga in this chapter (verse 9-13), now the Lord speaks of kevalā bhakti, the best bhakti, devoid of any material tinge. The mind of that devotee is free from performing other processes such as karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga, free from worship of other persons or devatās, and free from other goals, such as attainment of Svarga or mokṣa. Thus he is called ananya-cetāḥ, with mind not thinking anything else except the Lord. He remembers Me every day, (nityaśaḥ), constantly (satatam), not depending upon appropriate time, place, person, or purity. I can be easily attained (sulabhaḥ) by that person, by that bhakti. It is not mixed with the difficulties encountered in practicing yoga, jñāna or other processes. He constantly desires association with Me (nity-yuktasya). This grammatical form expresses desire in the future as well as the past. Yoginaḥ here refers to the person doing bhakti-yoga. Or it can mean a person who has a relationship (yoga) with the Lord, in dāsya, sākhya or other relationships.
Attaining Me, those great souls do not return to a birth which is full of suffering and temporary, having attained the highest goal of personal service to Me.
“What happens to that person who attains You?”
Attaining Me, they do not attain birth again which is full of suffering (duḥkhālayam) and temporary, but attain a birth similar to Mine, which is full of joy, because it is eternal. According to the Amara Kośa, śāśvata means certain, eternal, continual, everlasting. When I take My birth, which is full of joy, spiritual, and eternal, in the house of Vasudeva, My devotees, being My eternal associates, will also take such birth, and not at other times (caused by karma). Other devotees attain perfection, but those who exclusively think of Me (ananya-cetāḥ) attain the very highest perfection (paramāṁ saṁsiddhim)--a position as an assistant in My pastimes. This indicates the observable superiority of the kevala-bhakta over all other types of devotees mentioned.
O Arjuna, all persons including the inhabitants of Brahmaloka take birth again. But having attained Me, O son of Kuntī, a person does not take birth again.
All jīvas take rebirth even if they have great puṇyas. But My devotees do not take such rebirth. Even the inhabitants of the planet of Brahmā (ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ) take rebirth.
The knowers of the day and night of Brahmā, knowing that a day lasts one thousand cycles, also know that a night of Brahmā lasts one thousand yuga cycles.
It is said in Bhāgavatam:
amṛtaṁ kṣemam abhayaṁ tri-mūrdhno ’dhāyi mūrdhasu
Deathlessness, fearlessness and freedom from the anxieties of old age and disease exist in the kingdom of God, which is beyond the three higher planetary systems and beyond the material coverings. SB 2.6.19
“But some say that there is fearlessness on Brahmaloka as well, and thus, it is not possible for the sannyāsī to die there, if they desire to stay there.”
No, if even Brahmā, the master of that planet, must die, what can we say of others? Those who are knowledgeable of scripture, who know that the day of Brahmā lasts a thousand yugas, also know that the night lasts a thousand yugas, because they are knowers of day and night. By such days, fortnights and months pass. A hundred of such years make the life of Brahmā. Then after that, Brahmā dies. However, a Brahmā who is a Vaiṣṇava attains liberation.
At the coming of day, all things become manifest from the sleeping state of Brahmā, and at the approach of night they again become unmanifest.
Those who are inferior, residing within the three planetary systems, perish day after day. Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says: the word avyakta refers to Brahmā in his sleeping state (not a total dissolution), since during the daily creation and dissolution of the universe, the elements remain intake. Then from a sleeping state (avyaktāt), through Brahmā, the places of enjoyment in the form of bodies and objects of enjoyment manifest (vyaktayā), or become suitable for use. At the coming of night, when Brahmā sleeps, everything disappears within him.
In this way all the moving and non-moving entities, having appeared, disappear at the coming of night, beyond their control, and reappear at the approach of day.
Thus, all the moving and non-moving living entities (bhūtā-grāmaḥ), after appearing, repeated disappear.
Superior to the unmanifest state of Brahmā’s night is another unmanifest state which is eternal, which is not destroyed when everything else is destroyed.
Superior to that state of dissolution, to the Hiraṇyagarbha or Brahmā, superior to what has so far been described (paraḥ tasmāt avyaktāt), is another state, the cause of Hiraṇyagarbha, which is indeed unmanifest (avyakta), and without beginning (sanātanaḥ).
That which was described as eternal and unmanifest is called the supreme goal. Attaining that eternal form, they do not return.
The word avyakta of the previous verse is explained. That which is avyakta is without destruction (akṣara): Nārāyaṇa. As the śruti says, eko nārāyaṇa āsīn na brahmā na ca śaḍkaraḥ: only Nārāyaṇa existed, and not Brahmā or Śiva. Attaining My eternal form (mama paramaṁ dhāma), they do not return.
The word akṣara may also be interpreted as the impersonal Brahman, in which case dhāma paramaṁ mama means “My form of light,” since dhāma also means “light.”
That supreme person, within whom exist all entities and by which this universe is pervaded, is attained by pure ananyā bhakti, O son of Pṛthā.
That supreme person, who is just My aṁśa, cannot be known by other means, which have in them desires for karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga. As I previously said, ananya-cetāḥ satatam.
O best of Bharata’s lineage, I will now explain about the paths by which the yogīs return or do not return.
“You have said in verse 21 that anyone who attains You does not come back, but You have not mentioned about any particular path that the devotee must traverse. Since the devotee is beyond the guṇas, his path is also beyond the guṇas, not a sattvic path such as going through the sun planet. But I am asking about the path taken by the yogīs, jñānīs and karmīs. I will speak about the path (kālam) of return and no return that they traverse when they have died.”
The knowers of Brahman (jñānīs) who depart on the path of fire and light, the waxing fortnight, and the northern progress of the sun attain Brahman.
He speaks in this verse about the path of no return. The words agnir jyotir (fire and light) indicate the presiding deity of the sun according to the śruti statement te ‘rcisam abhisambhavanti: they go to the sun planet. Aha indicates the deity of the day, and śukla indicates the deity of the fortnight of the waxing moon. The six months of uttarāyaṇa means the deity who presides over the uttarāyaṇa. The jñānīs (brahma vidaḥ) who go on the path of these devatās attain Brahman. As the śruti says:
te ’rciṣam abhi sambhavanti arciṣo ’rahna āpūryamāṇa-pakṣam āpūryamāṇa-pakṣād yān ṣaṇ-māsānudaḍḍāditya eti mālebhyo deva-lokam
They reach the deity of fire. From there they go to the deity of the day, from there to the deity of the waxing fortnight, and from there to the uttarāyaṇa deity. Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.10.2
Departing on the path of smoke, the night, the waning fortnight, the southern course of the sun, and attaining Svargaloka, the karma-yogī returns.
This verse describes the path of return taken by the karmī. Smoke indicates the deity of smoke, and similarly night indicates the deity of night. Similarly there are the deity of the dark fortnight and the deity of the dakṣiṇāyana. The karma-yogī who goes on the path represented by these devatās attains Svarga indicated by the words cāndramasaṁ jyotiḥ. Having enjoyed there, he returns.
These two paths, of light and darkness, are considered eternal in this world. By one path, one does not return, and by the other path, one returns.
The Lord summarizes the two paths mentioned. They are considered without beginning (śāśvate), since the transmigration of the jīvas is without beginning. By the path of light one attains no return, and by the path of darkness, one takes birth again and again on the earth.
The yogī who knows these two paths is never bewildered. Therefore, at all times have a concentrated mind, Arjuna.
Knowledge of these two paths produces a sense of discrimination. This verse praises such discrimination. Therefore at all times you should have a concentrated mind (yoga-yuktaḥ).
Knowing this, the yogī endowed with devotion surpasses all the pious results declared by studying the Vedas, performance of sacrifice, austerity and giving in charity. He attains the spiritual, eternal place.
This verse relates the results of knowing what has been explained in this chapter. Surpassing (atyeti) all the results of other processes, the yogī, possessing devotion, attains the best place, which is non-material (param) and eternal (ādyam).
The superiority of the devotees has been previously stated. It is made clear in this chapter. As well, in this chapter, the supreme position of the ananya-bhakta among all types of devotees has been indicated.
Thus the commentary on the eighth chapter of the Gītā for the pleasure of the devotees has been completed by the mercy of the ācāryas.
In the eighth chapter, the Lord speaks about pure bhakti and yoga-miśra-bhakti, in reply to Arjuna’s questions. He also describes the two destinations of the yogīs.
At the end of the previous chapter, the Lord mentioned knowledge of seven items (Brahman, adhyātma, karma, adhibhūta, adhidaiva, adhiyajña, and Himself, Kṛṣṇa). Wanting to know about these things, Arjuna asks questions about them in the first two verses of this chapter.
Who is the ruler of yajña in the body (atra dehe) and how should He be known in the body at the point of death? The sentence is completed with the next line of verse 2.