ślōkaḥ
arjuna uvācha
kiṃ tadbrahma kimadhyātmaṃ kiṃ karma puruṣōttama ।
adhibhūtaṃ cha kiṃ prōktamadhidaivaṃ kimuchyatē ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning
arjunaḥ uvācha — Arjuna said; kim — what; tat — that; brahma — Brahman; kim — what; adhyātmam — the self; kim — what; karma — fruitive activities; puruṣa-uttama — O Supreme Person; adhibhūtam — the material manifestation; cha — and; kim — what; prōktam — is called; adhidaivam — the demigods; kim — what; uchyatē — is called.
Translation
Arjuna inquired: O my Lord, O Supreme Person, what is Brahman? What is the self? What are fruitive activities? What is this material manifestation? And what are the demigods? Please explain this to me.
ślōkaḥ
adhiyajñaḥ kathaṃ kō'tra dēhē'sminmadhusūdana ।
prayāṇakālē cha kathaṃ jñēyō'si niyatātmabhiḥ ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning
adhiyajñaḥ — the Lord of sacrifice; katham — how; kaḥ — who; atra — here; dēhē — in the body; asmin — this; madhusūdana — O Madhusūdana; prayāṇa-kālē — at the time of death; cha — and; katham — how; jñēyaḥ asi — You can be known; niyata-ātmabhiḥ — by the self-controlled.
Translation
Who is the Lord of sacrifice, and how does He live in the body, O Madhusūdana? And how can those engaged in devotional service know You at the time of death?
ślōkaḥ
śrībhagavānuvācha
akṣaraṃ brahma paramaṃ svabhāvō'dhyātmamuchyatē ।
bhūtabhāvōdbhavakarō visargaḥ karmasañjñitaḥ ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning
śrī-bhagavān uvācha — Bhagavan Sri Krishna said; akṣaram — indestructible; brahma — Brahman; paramam — transcendental; svabhāvaḥ — eternal nature; adhyātmam — the self; uchyatē — is called; bhūta-bhāva-udbhava-karaḥ — producing the material bodies of the living entities; visargaḥ — creation; karma — fruitive activities; sañjñitaḥ — is called.
Translation
Bhagavan Sri Krishna said: The indestructible, transcendental living entity is called Brahman, and his eternal nature is called adhyātma, the self. Action pertaining to the development of the material bodies of the living entities is called karma, or fruitive activities.
ślōkaḥ
adhibhūtaṃ kṣarō bhāvaḥ puruṣaśchādhidaivatam ।
adhiyajñō'hamēvātra dēhē dēhabhṛtāṃ vara ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning
adhibhūtam — the physical manifestation; kṣaraḥ — constantly changing; bhāvaḥ — nature; puruṣaḥ — the universal form, including all the demigods, like the sun and moon; cha — and; adhidaivatam — called adhidaiva; adhiyajñaḥ — the Supersoul; aham — I (Kriṣṇa); ēva — certainly; atra — in this; dēhē — body; dēha-bhṛtām — of the embodied; vara — O best.
Translation
O best of the embodied beings, the physical nature, which is constantly changing, is called adhibhūta [the material manifestation]. The universal form of the Lord, which includes all the demigods, like those of the sun and moon, is called adhidaiva. And I, the Supreme Lord, represented as the Supersoul in the heart of every embodied being, am called adhiyajña [the Lord of sacrifice].
ślōkaḥ
antakālē cha māmēva smaranmuktvā kalēvaram ।
yaḥ prayāti sa madbhaāvaṃ yāti nāstyatra saṃśayaḥ ॥ 5 ॥
Meaning
anta-kālē — at the end of life; cha — also; mām — Me; ēva — certainly; smaran — remembering; muktvā — quitting; kalēvaram — the body; yaḥ — he who; prayāti — goes; saḥ — he; mat-bhāvam — My nature; yāti — achieves; na — not; asti — there is; atra — here; saṃśayaḥ — doubt.
Translation
And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body remembering Me alone at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.
ślōkaḥ
yaṃ yaṃ vāpi smaranbhāvaṃ tyajatyantē kalēvaram ।
taṃ tamēvaiti kauntēya sadā tadbhaāvabhāvitaḥ ॥ 6 ॥
Meaning
yaṃ yam — whatever; vā api — at all; smaran — remembering; bhāvam — nature; tyajati — gives up; antē — at the end; kalēvaram — this body; taṃ tam — similar; ēva — certainly; ēti — gets; kauntēya — O son of Kuntī; sadā — always; tat — that; bhāva — state of being; bhāvitaḥ — remembering.
Translation
Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.
ślōkaḥ
tasmātsarvēṣu kālēṣu māmanusmara yudhya cha ।
mayyarpitamanōbuddhirmāmēvaiṣyasyasaṃśayaḥ ॥ 7 ॥
Meaning
tasmāt — therefore; sarvēṣu — at all; kālēṣu — times; mām — Me; anusmara — go on remembering; yudhya — fight; cha — also; mayi — unto Me; arpita — surrendering; manaḥ — mind; buddhiḥ — intellect; mām — unto Me; ēva — surely; ēṣyasi — you will attain; asaṃśayaḥ — beyond a doubt.
Translation
Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Kriṣṇa and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.
ślōkaḥ
abhyāsayōgayuktēna chētasā nānyagāminā ।
paramaṃ puruṣaṃ divyaṃ yāti pārthānuchintayan ॥ 8 ॥
Meaning
abhyāsa-yōga — in the practice of meditation; yuktēna — being engaged; chētasā — by the mind and intelligence; na anya-gāminā — without their being deviated; paramam — the Supreme; puruṣam — Personality of Godhead; divyam — transcendental; yāti — one achieves; pārtha — O son of Prithā; anuchintayan — constantly thinking of.
Translation
He who meditates on Me as Supreme Lord, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, he, O Pārtha, is sure to reach Me.
ślōkaḥ
kaviṃ purāṇamanuśāsitāra-
maṇōraṇīyāṃsamanusmarēdyaḥ ।
sarvasya dhātāramachintyarūpa-
mādityavarṇaṃ tamasaḥ parastāt ॥ 9 ॥
Meaning
kavim — the one who knows everything; purāṇam — the oldest; anuśāsitāram — the controller; aṇōḥ — than the atom; aṇīyāṃsam — smaller; anusmarēt — always thinks of; yaḥ — one who; sarvasya — of everything; dhātāram — the maintainer; achintya — inconceivable; rūpam — whose form; āditya-varṇam — luminous like the sun; tamasaḥ — to darkness; parastāt — transcendental.
Translation
One should meditate upon the Supreme Person as the one who knows everything, as He who is the oldest, who is the controller, who is smaller than the smallest, who is the maintainer of everything, who is beyond all material conception, who is inconceivable, and who is always a person. He is luminous like the sun, and He is transcendental, beyond this material nature.
ślōkaḥ
prayāṇakālē manasāchalēna
bhaktyaā yuktō yōgabalēna chaiva ।
bhruvōrmadhyē prāṇamāvēśya samya-
ksa taṃ paraṃ puruṣamupaiti divyam ॥ 10 ॥
Meaning
prayāṇa-kālē — at the time of death; manasā — by the mind; achalēna — without its being deviated; bhaktyā — in full devotion; yuktaḥ — engaged; yōga-balēna — by the power of mystic yoga; cha — also; ēva — certainly; bhruvōḥ — the two eyebrows; madhyē — between; prāṇam — the life air; āvēśya — establishing; samyak — completely; saḥ — he; tam — that; param — transcendental; puruṣam — Personality of Godhead; upaiti — achieves; divyam — in the spiritual kingdom.
Translation
One who, at the time of death, fixes his life air between the eyebrows and, by the strength of yoga, with an undeviating mind, engages himself in remembering the Supreme Lord in full devotion, will certainly attain the spiritual kingdom.
ślōkaḥ
yadakṣaraṃ vēdavidō vadanti
viśanti yadyatayō vītarāgāḥ ।
yadichChantō brahmacharyaṃ charanti
tattē padaṃ saṅgrahēṇa pravakṣyē ॥ 11 ॥
Meaning
yat — that which; akṣaram — syllable oM; vēda-vidaḥ — persons conversant with the Vedas; vadanti — say; viśanti — enter; yat — in which; yatayaḥ — great sages; vīta-rāgāḥ — in the renounced order of life; yat — that which; ichchantaḥ — desiring; brahma-charyam — celibacy; charanti — practice; tat — that; tē — unto you; padam — situation; saṅgrahēṇa — in summary; pravakṣyē — I shall explain.
Translation
Persons who are learned in the Vedas, who utter oM-kāra, and who are great sages in the renounced order enter into Brahman. Desiring such perfection, one practices celibacy. I shall now briefly explain to you this process by which one may attain salvation.
ślōkaḥ
sarvadvārāṇi saṃyamya manō hṛdi nirudhya cha ।
mūdhnryādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇamāsthitō yōgadhāraṇām ॥ 12 ॥
Meaning
sarva-dvārāṇi — all the doors of the body; saṃyamya — controlling; manaḥ — the mind; hṛdi — in the heart; nirudhya — confining; cha — also; mūrdhni — on the head; ādhāya — fixing; ātmanaḥ — of the soul; prāṇam — the life air; āsthitaḥ — situated in; yōga-dhāraṇām — the yogic situation.
Translation
The yogic situation is that of detachment from all sensual engagements. Closing all the doors of the senses and fixing the mind on the heart and the life air at the top of the head, one establishes himself in yoga.
ślōkaḥ
ōṃ ityēkākṣaraṃ brahma vyāharanmāmanusmaran ।
yaḥ prayāti tyajandēhaṃ sa yāti paramāṃ gatim ॥ 13 ॥
Meaning
ōṃ — the combination of letters OM (OM-kāra); iti — thus; ēka-akṣaram — the one syllable; brahma — absolute; vyāharan — vibrating; mām — Me (Kriṣṇa); anusmaran — remembering; yaḥ — anyone who; prayāti — leaves; tyajan — quitting; dēham — this body; saḥ — he; yāti — achieves; paramām — the supreme; gatim — destination.
Translation
After being situated in this yoga practice and vibrating the sacred syllable OM, the supreme combination of letters, if one thinks of the absolute Brahman and quits his body, he will certainly reach the spiritual planets.
ślōkaḥ
ananyachētāḥ satataṃ yō māṃ smarati nityaśaḥ ।
tasyāhaṃ sulabhaḥ pārtha nityayuktasya yōginaḥ ॥ 14 ॥
Meaning
ananya-chētāḥ — without deviation of the mind; satatam — always; yaḥ — anyone who; mām — Me (Kriṣṇa); smarati — remembers; nityaśaḥ — regularly; tasya — to him; aham — I am; su-labhaḥ — very easy to achieve; pārtha — O son of Prithā; nitya — regularly; yuktasya — engaged; yōginaḥ — for the devotee.
Translation
For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Prithā, because of his constant engagement in devotional service.
ślōkaḥ
māmupētya punarjanma duḥkhālayamaśāśvatam ।
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṃsiddhiṃ paramāṃ gatāḥ ॥ 15 ॥
Meaning
mām — Me; upētya — achieving; punaḥ — again; janma — birth; duḥkha-ālayam — place of miseries; aśāśvatam — temporary; na — never; āpnuvanti — attain; mahā-ātmānaḥ — the great souls; saṃsiddhim — perfection; paramām — ultimate; gatāḥ — having achieved.
Translation
After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.
ślōkaḥ
ābrahmabhuvanāllōkāḥ punarāvartinō'rjuna ।
māmupētya tu kauntēya punarjanma na vidyatē ॥ 16 ॥
Meaning
ā-brahma-bhuvanāt — up to the Brahmaloka planet; lōkāḥ — the planetary systems; punaḥ — again; āvartinaḥ — returning; arjuna — O Arjuna; mām — unto Me; upētya — arriving; tu — but; kauntēya — O son of Kuntī; punaḥ janma — rebirth; na — never; vidyatē — takes place.
Translation
From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.
ślōkaḥ
sahasrayugaparyantamaharyadbrahmaṇō viduḥ ।
rātriṃ yugasahasrāntāṃ tē'hōrātravidō janāḥ ॥ 17 ॥
Meaning
sahasra — one thousand; yuga — millenniums; paryantam — including; ahaḥ — day; yat — that which; brahmaṇaḥ — of Brahmā; viduḥ — they know; rātrim — night; yuga — millenniums; sahasra-antām — similarly, ending after one thousand; tē — they; ahaḥ-rātra — day and night; vidaḥ — who understand; janāḥ — people.
Translation
By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together form the duration of Brahmā’s one day. And such also is the duration of his night.
ślōkaḥ
avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyaharāgamē ।
rātryāgamē pralīyantē tatraivāvyaktasañjñakē ॥ 18 ॥
Meaning
avyaktāt — from the unmanifest; vyaktayaḥ — living entities; sarvāḥ — all; prabhavanti — become manifest; ahaḥ-āgamē — at the beginning of the day; rātri-āgamē — at the fall of night; pralīyantē — are annihilated; tatra — into that; ēva — certainly; avyakta — the unmanifest; sañjñakē — which is called.
Translation
At the beginning of Brahmā’s day, all living entities become manifest from the unmanifest state, and thereafter, when the night falls, they are merged into the unmanifest again.
ślōkaḥ
bhūtagrāmaḥ sa ēvāyaṃ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyatē ।
rātryāgamē'vaśaḥ pārtha prabhavatyaharāgamē ॥ 19 ॥
Meaning
bhūta-grāmaḥ — the aggregate of all living entities; saḥ — these; ēva — certainly; ayam — this; bhūtvā bhūtvā — repeatedly taking birth; pralīyatē — is annihilated; rātri — of night; āgamē — on the arrival; avaśaḥ — automatically; pārtha — O son of Prithā; prabhavati — is manifest; ahaḥ — of daytime; āgamē — on the arrival.
Translation
Again and again, when Brahmā’s day arrives, all living entities come into being, and with the arrival of Brahmā’s night they are helplessly annihilated.
ślōkaḥ
parastasmāttu bhāvō'nyō'vyaktō'vyaktātsanātanaḥ ।
yaḥ sa sarvēṣu bhūtēṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati ॥ 20 ॥
Meaning
paraḥ — transcendental; tasmāt — to that; tu — but; bhāvaḥ — nature; anyaḥ — another; avyaktaḥ — unmanifest; avyaktāt — to the unmanifest; sanātanaḥ — eternal; yaḥ saḥ — that which; sarvēṣu — all; bhūtēṣu — manifestation; naśyatsu — being annihilated; na — never; vinaśyati — is annihilated.
Translation
Yet there is another unmanifest nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is.
ślōkaḥ
avyaktō'kṣara ityuktastamāhuḥ paramāṃ gatim ।
yaṃ prāpya na nivartantē taddhāma paramaṃ mama ॥ 21 ॥
Meaning
avyaktaḥ — unmanifested; akṣaraḥ — infallible; iti — thus; uktaḥ — is said; tam — that; āhuḥ — is known; paramām — the ultimate; gatim — destination; yam — which; prāpya — gaining; na — never; nivartantē — come back; tat — that; dhāma — abode; paramam — supreme; mama — My.
Translation
That which the Vedāntists describe as unmanifest and infallible, that which is known as the supreme destination, that place from which, having attained it, one never returns – that is My supreme abode.
ślōkaḥ
puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyaā labhyastvananyayā ।
yasyāntaḥsthāni bhūtāni yēna sarvamidaṃ tatam ॥ 22 ॥
Meaning
puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Personality; saḥ — He; paraḥ — the Supreme, than whom no one is greater; pārtha — O son of Prithā; bhaktyā — by devotional service; labhyaḥ — can be achieved; tu — but; ananyayā — unalloyed, undeviating; yasya — whom; antaḥ-sthāni — within; bhūtāni — all of this material manifestation; yēna — by whom; sarvam — all; idam — whatever we can see; tatam — is pervaded.
Translation
The Supreme Personality, who is greater than all, is attainable by unalloyed devotion. Although He is present in His abode, He is all-pervading, and everything is situated within Him.
ślōkaḥ
yatra kālē tvanāvṛttimāvṛttiṃ chaiva yōginaḥ ।
prayātā yānti taṃ kālaṃ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha ॥ 23 ॥
Meaning
yatra — at which; kālē — time; tu — and; anāvṛttim — no return; āvṛttim — return; cha — also; ēva — certainly; yōginaḥ — different kinds of mystics; prayātāḥ — having departed; yānti — attain; tam — that; kālam — time; vakṣyāmi — I shall describe; bharata-ṛṣabha — O best of the Bhāratas.
Translation
O best of the Bhāratas, I shall now explain to you the different times at which, passing away from this world, the yogī does or does not come back.
ślōkaḥ
agnairjyōtirahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam ।
tatra prayātā gachChanti brahma brahmavidō janāḥ ॥ 24 ॥
Meaning
agniḥ — fire; jyōtiḥ — light; ahaḥ — day; śuklaḥ — the white fortnight; ṣaṭ-māsāḥ — the six months; uttara-ayanam — when the sun passes on the northern side; tatra — there; prayātāḥ — those who pass away; gachchanti — go; brahma — to the Absolute; brahma-vidaḥ — who know the Absolute; janāḥ — persons.
Translation
Those who know the Supreme Brahman attain that Supreme by passing away from the world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious moment of the day, during the fortnight of the waxing moon, or during the six months when the sun travels in the north.
ślōkaḥ
dhūmō rātristathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇmāsā dakṣiṇāyanam ।
tatra chāndramasaṃ jyōtiryōgī prāpya nivartatē ॥ 25 ॥
Meaning
dhūmaḥ — smoke; rātriḥ — night; tathā — also; kṛṣṇaḥ — the fortnight of the dark moon; ṣaṭ-māsāḥ — the six months; dakṣiṇa-ayanam — when the sun passes on the southern side; tatra — there; chāndramasam — the moon planet; jyōtiḥ — the light; yōgī — the mystic; prāpya — achieving; nivartatē — comes back.
Translation
The mystic who passes away from this world during the smoke, the night, the fortnight of the waning moon, or the six months when the sun passes to the south reaches the moon planet but again comes back.
ślōkaḥ
śauklakṛṣṇē gatī hyētē jagataḥ śāśvatē matē ।
ēkayā yātyanāvṛttimanyayāvartatē punaḥ ॥ 26 ॥
Meaning
śukla — light; kṛṣṇē — and darkness; gatī — ways of passing; hi — certainly; ētē — these two; jagataḥ — of the material world; śāśvatē — of the Vedas; matē — in the opinion; ēkayā — by one; yāti — goes; anāvṛttim — to no return; anyayā — by the other; āvartatē — comes back; punaḥ — again.
Translation
According to Vedic opinion, there are two ways of passing from this world – one in light and one in darkness. When one passes in light, he does not come back; but when one passes in darkness, he returns.
ślōkaḥ
naitē sṛtī pārtha jānanyōgī muhyati kaśchana ।
tasmātsarvēṣu kālēṣu yōgayuktō bhavārjuna ॥ 27 ॥
Meaning
na — never; ētē — these two; sṛtī — different paths; pārtha — O son of Prithā; jānan — even if he knows; yōgī — the devotee of the Lord; muhyati — is bewildered; kaśchana — any; tasmāt — therefore; sarvēṣu kālēṣu — always; yōga-yuktaḥ — engaged in Kriṣṇa consciousness; bhava — just become; arjuna — O Arjuna.
Translation
Although the devotees know these two paths, O Arjuna, they are never bewildered. Therefore be always fixed in devotion.
ślōkaḥ
vēdēṣu yajñēṣu tapaḥsu chaiva
dānēṣu yatpuṇyaphalaṃ pradiṣṭam ।
atyēti tatsarvamidaṃ viditvā
yōgī paraṃ sthānamupaiti chādyam ॥ 28 ॥
Meaning
vēdēṣu — in the study of the Vedas; yajñēṣu — in the performances of yajña, sacrifice; tapaḥsu — in undergoing different types of austerities; cha — also; ēva — certainly; dānēṣu — in giving charities; yat — that which; puṇya-phalam — result of pious work; pradiṣṭam — indicated; atyēti — surpasses; tat sarvam — all those; idam — this; viditvā — knowing; yōgī — the devotee; param — supreme; sthānam — abode; upaiti — achieves; cha — also; ādyam — original.
Translation
A person who accepts the path of devotional service is not bereft of the results derived from studying the Vedas, performing sacrifices, undergoing austerities, giving charity or pursuing philosophical and fruitive activities. Simply by performing devotional service, he attains all these, and at the end he reaches the supreme eternal abode.
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