अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन।
प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः ॥
Translation · English
8.2. Who is Lord-of-sacrifices (adhiyajna) [and] how ? Who in this body ? O slayer of Madhu ! How are You to be realised by the self-controlled ones at the time of their journey (i.e., death) also ?
8.3. The Bhagavat said The immutable Absolute is the Brahman. Its intrinsic nature is called the Lord of the self. The emitting activity that causes the birth of both the animate and the inanimate is named 'action '.
अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्।
अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर ॥
Translation · English
8.4. The changing nature is the lord of the material beings; the Person alone is the lord of the divinites; I am alone the Lord of sacrifices and I, the best of the embodied (Souls), dwell in this body.
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्।
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥
Translation · English
8.5. Whosoever, at the time of death also remembering Me alone, sets forth by abandoning his body [behind], he attains My being. There is no doubt about it.
8.6. And also remembering whatever being, a person leaves his body at the end [of his life], that being alone he attains, O son of Kunti ! [Because] he has been constantly thinking about that being.
8.7. Therefore at all times keep Me in the mind and also fight; then, having your mind and intellect dedicated to Me, you will doubtlessly attain Me alone.
8.8. He, who is engaged in the after-reflection (who meditates) on the Supreme Divine Soul with his mind, remaining fixed in the practice-Yoga and [hence] passing over no other object - that person attains [that Supreme], O son of Prtha !
8.9. He, who meditates continuously on the Ancient Seer, the Ruler, the Subtler than the subtle, the Supporter of all, the Unimaginable-formed, the Sun-coloured, and That which is beyond the darkness;
8.10. That person endowed with a steady mind, with devotion and also with the Yoga-power, reaches at the time of journey that Supreme Divine Soul, by fixing properly the life-breath in between his eye brows.
8.11. That Unchanging One which the Veda-knowers speak of; Which the passion-free ascetics enter into; seeking Which they practise celibacy (or spiritual life); that Goal together with means [to reach It] I shall tell you.
8.12. Properly controlling all the gates [in the body]; well restraining the mind in the heat; fixing one's own prana in the head; taking resort to the firmness of the Yoga;
8.13. Reciting the single-syllabled Om, the very Brahman; meditating on Me; whosoever travels well, casting away [his] body-surely he attains My State.
8.15. Having attained Me, the men of great soul who have achieved the supreme perfection, do not get the transient rirth, a store-house of all troubles.
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन।
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ॥
Translation · English
8.16. Till the Brahman [is attained], people do return from [each and every] world, O Arjuna ! But there is no rirth for one who has attained Me, O son of Kunti !
8.17. Those who know the day of Brahma as compassing one thousand yugas (world-ages), and night [also] as compassing one thousand yugas-those men know the day and night of Brahma.
8.18. While the day approaches, all manifestations issue forth from the unmanifest and while the night approaches they dissolve into the same that bears the name 'the unmanifest.'
भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते।
रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे ॥
Translation · English
8.19. Being born and born again, the self same multitude of beings gets dissolved while the night approaches, and issues forth willy-nilly while the day approaches, O son of Prtha !
परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः।
यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति ॥
Translation · English
8.20. But there exists another Being which is beyond this, and It is both manifest and unmanifest and is etnernal. It is this Being that does not perish while all [the other] beings perish.
8.21. [The scriptures] speak of This as Unmanifest and Changeless and declare This is to be the highest Goal. Having attained which people do not return, this is My highest abode.
8.22. The Supreme Soul. O son of Prtha, is attainable through devotion that admits no other things; having attained Which Soul, the men of Yoga do not get birth again; within Which exist the beings; and in Which everything is well established, O Arjuna !
8.24. The northern course [of the sun] consisting of six months, is fire, light, day and bright one. Departing in it, the Brahman-knowing men attain the Brahman .
8.25. The southern course [of the sun], consisting of six months, is smoke, night, and also dark. [Departing] in it, the Yogin attains the moon's light and he returns.
शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते।
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुनः ॥
Translation · English
8.26. For, these two bright and dark courses are considered to be perpetual for the world. One attains the non-return by the first of these, and one returns back by the other one.
8.28. Having understood all this, the Yogin goes beyond whatever fruit of merit is ordained [in the scriptures] in case the Vedas [are recited], the sacrifices [performed], the austerities [observed], and also gifts [donated]; and he goes to the Supreme Primeval Abode.
अर्जुन उवाच। किं तद् ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम। अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते ॥
Dr.S.Sankaranarayan did not comment on this sloka
अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन। प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः ॥
8.2. Who is Lord-of-sacrifices (adhiyajna) [and] how ? Who in this body ? O slayer of Madhu ! How are You to be realised by the self-controlled ones at the time of their journey (i.e., death) also ?
श्रीभगवानुवाच। अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते। भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः ॥
8.3. The Bhagavat said The immutable Absolute is the Brahman. Its intrinsic nature is called the Lord of the self. The emitting activity that causes the birth of both the animate and the inanimate is named 'action '.
अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्। अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर ॥
8.4. The changing nature is the lord of the material beings; the Person alone is the lord of the divinites; I am alone the Lord of sacrifices and I, the best of the embodied (Souls), dwell in this body.
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्। यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥
8.5. Whosoever, at the time of death also remembering Me alone, sets forth by abandoning his body [behind], he attains My being. There is no doubt about it.
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्। तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः ॥
8.6. And also remembering whatever being, a person leaves his body at the end [of his life], that being alone he attains, O son of Kunti ! [Because] he has been constantly thinking about that being.
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च। मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयः (orसंशयम्) ॥
8.7. Therefore at all times keep Me in the mind and also fight; then, having your mind and intellect dedicated to Me, you will doubtlessly attain Me alone.
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना। परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन् ॥
8.8. He, who is engaged in the after-reflection (who meditates) on the Supreme Divine Soul with his mind, remaining fixed in the practice-Yoga and [hence] passing over no other object - that person attains [that Supreme], O son of Prtha !
कविं पुराणमनुशासितार- मणोरणीयंसमनुस्मरेद्यः। सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूप- मादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात् ॥
8.9. He, who meditates continuously on the Ancient Seer, the Ruler, the Subtler than the subtle, the Supporter of all, the Unimaginable-formed, the Sun-coloured, and That which is beyond the darkness;
प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव। भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक् स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम् ॥
8.10. That person endowed with a steady mind, with devotion and also with the Yoga-power, reaches at the time of journey that Supreme Divine Soul, by fixing properly the life-breath in between his eye brows.
यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः। यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये ॥
8.11. That Unchanging One which the Veda-knowers speak of; Which the passion-free ascetics enter into; seeking Which they practise celibacy (or spiritual life); that Goal together with means [to reach It] I shall tell you.
सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च। मूध्न्यार्धायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम् ॥
8.12. Properly controlling all the gates [in the body]; well restraining the mind in the heat; fixing one's own prana in the head; taking resort to the firmness of the Yoga;
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्। यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम् ॥
8.13. Reciting the single-syllabled Om, the very Brahman; meditating on Me; whosoever travels well, casting away [his] body-surely he attains My State.
अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः। तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः ॥
8.14. And whosoever constantly bears Me in mind never attached to any other object-for this Yogin, ever devout, I am easy to attain, O son of Prtha !
मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम्। नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः ॥
8.15. Having attained Me, the men of great soul who have achieved the supreme perfection, do not get the transient rirth, a store-house of all troubles.
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन। मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ॥
8.16. Till the Brahman [is attained], people do return from [each and every] world, O Arjuna ! But there is no rirth for one who has attained Me, O son of Kunti !
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद् ब्रह्मणो विदुः। रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः ॥
8.17. Those who know the day of Brahma as compassing one thousand yugas (world-ages), and night [also] as compassing one thousand yugas-those men know the day and night of Brahma.
अव्यक्ताद् व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे। रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके ॥
8.18. While the day approaches, all manifestations issue forth from the unmanifest and while the night approaches they dissolve into the same that bears the name 'the unmanifest.'
भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते। रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे ॥
8.19. Being born and born again, the self same multitude of beings gets dissolved while the night approaches, and issues forth willy-nilly while the day approaches, O son of Prtha !
परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः। यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति ॥
8.20. But there exists another Being which is beyond this, and It is both manifest and unmanifest and is etnernal. It is this Being that does not perish while all [the other] beings perish.
अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्। यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥
8.21. [The scriptures] speak of This as Unmanifest and Changeless and declare This is to be the highest Goal. Having attained which people do not return, this is My highest abode.
पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया। यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ॥
8.22. The Supreme Soul. O son of Prtha, is attainable through devotion that admits no other things; having attained Which Soul, the men of Yoga do not get birth again; within Which exist the beings; and in Which everything is well established, O Arjuna !
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः। प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ ॥
8.23. Departing at what times the Yogins attain the non-return or the return only-those times I shall declare to you, O chief of the Bharatas !
अग्निर्जोतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्। तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः ॥
8.24. The northern course [of the sun] consisting of six months, is fire, light, day and bright one. Departing in it, the Brahman-knowing men attain the Brahman .
धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्। तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते ॥
8.25. The southern course [of the sun], consisting of six months, is smoke, night, and also dark. [Departing] in it, the Yogin attains the moon's light and he returns.
शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते। एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुनः ॥
8.26. For, these two bright and dark courses are considered to be perpetual for the world. One attains the non-return by the first of these, and one returns back by the other one.
नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन। तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन ॥
8.27. O son of Prtha, not a single Yogin, knowing these two courses, gets deluded. Therefore, O Arjuna, be practising Yoga connected with all times.
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम्। अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम् ॥
8.28. Having understood all this, the Yogin goes beyond whatever fruit of merit is ordained [in the scriptures] in case the Vedas [are recited], the sacrifices [performed], the austerities [observed], and also gifts [donated]; and he goes to the Supreme Primeval Abode.