अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसीदन। प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः
Who and how is adhiyajña here in this body, O Madhusūdana? And how are you to be known at the time of departure by those of disciplined minds?
अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते। भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः
The imperishable is the supreme Brahman; one's own nature is called the Self; the creative force that brings beings into existence is called action.
अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम् । अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर
The perishable existence is called the field of beings, the person is the field of divinities; and I alone am the field of sacrifice here, O best among those who bear bodies.
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् । यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः
At the final moment, whoever departs remembering me alone, having left the body, attains my state—there is no doubt about this.
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् । तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः
Whatever state one remembers when leaving the body at the end, O son of Kunti, to that very state he goes, always shaped by that disposition.
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च। मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयः
Therefore, at all times, remember me and fight; with mind and intellect dedicated to me, you will surely come to me, without doubt.
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसाऽनान्यगामिना । परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन्
With a mind joined by the practice of yoga, not wandering elsewhere, thinking of the supreme divine person, one goes to him, O Partha.
कविं पुराणमनुशासितार- मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः । सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूप- मादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्
Whoever remembers the sage, ancient, ruler, subtler than the subtle, sustainer of all, of inconceivable form, sun-like in brilliance, beyond darkness—
प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव। भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्य- क्स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम्
At the time of departure, with unwavering mind, joined by devotion and 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
That imperishable which the knowers of the Vedas declare, which ascetics free from passion enter, desiring which they practice celibacy—I will briefly speak of that state.
सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च। मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणां
Restraining all the gates, confining the mind in the heart, placing the life-breath at the crown of the head, established in the discipline of yoga—
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् । यः प्रयाति त्यजन्दें स याति परमां गतिम्
Uttering the single syllable 'Om', which is Brahman, remembering me, whoever departs leaving the body, attains the highest destination.
अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः । तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः
He whose mind is undistracted, who always remembers me constantly, for him I am easy to reach, O Partha, for the ever-united yogi.
मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम् । नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः
Having attained me, the great souls who have reached supreme perfection do not again undergo rebirth, which is the abode of sorrow and impermanence.
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन । मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते
All worlds up to Brahma's realm are subject to return, O Arjuna; but having attained me, O son of Kunti, there is no further rebirth.
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः । रात्रिं युगसहस्रां तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः
Those who know Brahma's day understand it as lasting a thousand ages; his night is also a thousand ages—such are the knowers of day and night.
अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे । रात्र्यामे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके
From the unmanifest, all manifest beings arise at the coming of day; at night, they dissolve into that same unmanifest, so called.
भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते । रात्र्यगमेऽवशः पार्थत प्रभवत्यहरागमे
This host of beings, having come into existence, dissolves again and again; helplessly, O Partha, it arises at the coming of day.
परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्यो व्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः । यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषुक नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति
But beyond that unmanifest is another existence, manifest, eternal; when all beings perish, that does not perish.
अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम् । यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम
That unmanifest is called the imperishable; it is said to be the supreme destination. Having attained it, they do not return; that is my supreme abode.
पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया । यस्यान्तस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्
That Supreme Person, O Partha, is attained by exclusive devotion, by whom all beings dwell within, and by whom all this is pervaded.
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः । प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ
I will tell you, O best of the Bharatas, the time at which departing, yogis go to return or not return.
अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् । तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः
Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, and the six months of the northern course of the sun—departing then, those who know Brahman go to Brahman.
धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मसा दक्षिणायनम् । तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते
Smoke, night, the dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern course—departing then, the yogi attains the lunar light and returns.
शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते। एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययाऽऽवर्तते पुनः
These two paths, bright and dark, are thought to be 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
No yogi is ever deluded, O Partha, knowing these paths; therefore, at all times, be steadfast in yoga, O Arjuna.
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम्। अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम्
Knowing all this, the yogi surpasses the merit declared for the Vedas, sacrifices, austerities, and gifts, and attains the supreme, primal state.
इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे । ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्
Now I will declare to you, who bear no envy, this most secret knowledge, together with realization, by knowing which you shall be freed from what is inauspicious.
राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् । प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम्
This is the king of sciences, the king of secrets, supremely pure, directly experienced, righteous, easy to practice, and imperishable.
अश्रद्दधानां पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परंतप । अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि
Men without faith in this dharma, O scorcher of foes, not attaining Me, return to the path of death and rebirth.