अर्जुन उवाच किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम। अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते।।8.1।।
Arjuna said: What is Brahman? What is the Self? What is action, O Supreme Person? What is called the Supreme with regard to beings, and what is said to be the Supreme with regard to divinities?
अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन। प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः।।8.2।।
O Madhusudana, how and who is the Supreme with regard to sacrifice in this body? And how are you to be known at the time of departure by those of controlled mind?
श्री भगवानुवाच अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते। भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः।।8.3।।
The Blessed Lord said: The imperishable is the supreme Brahman; one's own nature is called the Self; the creative force that brings forth the existence of beings is called action.
अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्। अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर।।8.4।।
The perishable aspect is the Supreme with regard to beings; the Purusha is the Supreme with regard to divinities; and I alone am the Supreme with regard to sacrifice in this body, O best among embodied beings.
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्। यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः।।8.5।।
And whoever, at the end, remembers me and leaves the body, he attains my state; there is no doubt about this.
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्। तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः।।8.6।।
O son of Kunti, whatever state one remembers when leaving the body, that state he attains, being always absorbed in that disposition.
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च। मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम्।।8.7।।
Therefore, at all times, remember me and fight; with mind and intellect dedicated to me, you will surely come to me, without doubt.
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना। परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन्।।8.8।।
With a mind disciplined by the practice of yoga, not wandering elsewhere, one who constantly contemplates the Supreme Divine Person, O Partha, attains him.
कविं पुराणमनुशासितार मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः। सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूप मादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्।।8.9।।
He who remembers the poet, the ancient, the ruler, subtler than the subtle, the sustainer of all, whose form is inconceivable, radiant like the sun, beyond darkness—
प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव। भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक् स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम्।।8.10।।
At the time of departure, with unwavering mind, united in devotion and by the power of yoga, placing the life-breath between the eyebrows, he attains that Supreme Divine Person.
यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः। यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये।।8.11।।
That imperishable state which the knowers of the Vedas declare, which ascetics free from passion enter, which desiring, they practice celibacy—I will briefly explain to you that goal.
सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च। मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम्।।8.12।।
Restraining all the gates of the senses, confining the mind in the heart, establishing the life-breath at the crown of the head, engaged in the steadfastness of yoga—
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्। यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्।।8.13।।
Uttering the single syllable 'Om', which is Brahman, and remembering me, whoever departs, leaving the body, attains the supreme destination.
अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः। तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः।।8.14।।
O Partha, for the yogi who remembers me constantly, with undistracted mind, I am easily attainable, ever united with me.
मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम्। नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः।।8.15।।
Having reached me, the great souls who have attained supreme perfection do not undergo rebirth in this abode of suffering and impermanence.
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन। मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते।।8.16।।
All worlds, even up to Brahma's realm, are subject to repeated return, O Arjuna; but upon reaching me, O son of Kunti, there is no further rebirth.
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः। रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः।।8.17।।
Those who know that a day of Brahma lasts for a thousand ages, and a night for a thousand ages, are truly aware of the nature of day and night.
अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे। रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके।।8.18।।
From the unmanifest, all beings come forth at the arrival of day; at the arrival of night, they dissolve into that same unmanifest.
भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते। रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे।।8.19।।
This group of beings, repeatedly coming into existence, is dissolved at the coming of night, O Partha, and arises again at the coming of day, compelled by nature.
परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः। यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति।।8.20।।
But beyond that unmanifest exists another unmanifest, eternal, which does not perish even when all beings are destroyed.
अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्। यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम।।8.21।।
That unmanifest is called imperishable; it is spoken of as the supreme goal. Having attained it, none return; that is my highest abode.
पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया। यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्।।8.22।।
That supreme person, O Partha, is attained by exclusive devotion; all beings dwell within him, and by him all this is pervaded.
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः। प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ।।8.23।।
I will explain to you, O best of Bharatas, at what times yogis depart, never to return, and at what times they return.
अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्। तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः।।8.24।।
Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, and the six months of the northern course—those who depart then, knowing Brahman, attain Brahman.
धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्। तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते।।8.25।।
Smoke, night, the dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern course—there, the yogi attains the lunar light and returns.
शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते। एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययाऽऽवर्तते पुनः।।8.26।।
These two paths, bright and dark, are considered eternal for the world; by one, one goes without return, by the other, one returns again.
नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन। तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन।।8.27।।
Knowing these paths, no yogi is ever deluded, O Partha; therefore, at all times, be united with yoga, O Arjuna.
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम्। अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम्।।8.28।।
Knowing all this, the yogi surpasses the results prescribed for Vedas, sacrifices, austerities, and charity, and attains the supreme, primordial abode.
श्री भगवानुवाच इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे। ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्।।9.1।।
The Blessed Lord said: I will now declare to you, who are free from envy, the most secret knowledge, together with realization; knowing this, you shall be freed from evil.
राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम्। प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम्।।9.2।।
This is royal knowledge, royal secret, supremely pure, the highest; it is directly experienced, righteous, easy to practice, and imperishable.