- 8.1किं तद् ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम ।Arjuna asks Krishna to explain the key spiritual terms and how they relate to life and death.
- 8.2अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन ।Arjuna wants to know how a disciplined seeker can keep Krishna in mind at the final moment.
- 8.3अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते ।Krishna defines the highest reality, the self, and the force that brings life into manifestation.
- 8.4अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम् ।Krishna identifies the changing world, the presiding divine force, and His own presence in sacrificial life.
- 8.5अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् ।Final remembrance shapes the soul’s destination, and Krishna says exclusive remembrance leads to Him.
- 8.6यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् ।Repeated thought and deep habit form the state of mind that carries a person forward.
- 8.7तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च ।Krishna asks Arjuna to keep fighting his duty while keeping his mind fixed on the Divine.
- 8.8अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना ।A steady mind, trained through practice, can rise beyond distraction and move toward the Supreme.
- 8.9कविं पुराणमनुशासितारमणोरणीयंसमनुस्मरेद्यः ।Krishna describes the object of meditation as timeless, subtle, sustaining, and beyond ordinary perception.
- 8.10प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव ।A disciplined yogi who leaves the body in focused devotion reaches the Supreme.
- 8.11यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः ।Krishna introduces the imperishable destination and says He will explain it simply.
- 8.12सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च ।The yogi becomes inwardly gathered by restraining the senses and fixing the mind.
- 8.13ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् ।Remembering Om and Krishna at death leads the soul to the highest goal.
- 8.14अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः ।Single-minded devotion makes Krishna easy to attain.
- 8.15मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम् ।Those who reach Krishna do not come back to this sorrowful world again.
- 8.16आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन ।Even the highest worldly realms are temporary, but Krishna’s abode is beyond return.
- 8.17सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद् ब्रह्मणो विदुः ।Krishna describes cosmic time as vast beyond ordinary human imagination.
- 8.18अव्यक्ताद् व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे ।Creation and dissolution follow the cosmic cycle of day and night.
- 8.19भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते ।Beings are carried through repeated cycles of appearance and disappearance.
- 8.20परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः ।There is a deeper reality beyond the temporary unmanifest source of the world.
- 8.21अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम् ।The final goal is imperishable and once reached, there is no return.
- 8.22पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया ।Exclusive devotion is the direct path to the Supreme Person who contains and pervades everything.
- 8.23यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः ।Krishna now explains the two paths by which the soul departs the body.
- 8.24अग्निर्जोतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् ।Certain auspicious departures are said to lead the soul toward Brahman.
- 8.25धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम् ।Another path leads back again after temporary heavenly gain.
- 8.26शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते ।There are two broad spiritual trajectories, one liberating and one cyclic.
- 8.27नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन ।Understanding the two paths removes confusion and strengthens practice.
- 8.28वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम् ।Even the highest religious merit is surpassed by true yoga and the supreme goal.
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