अर्जुन उवाच
किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम।
अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते।।8.1।।

arjuna uvācha
kiṁ tad brahma kim adhyātmaṁ kiṁ karma puruṣhottama
adhibhūtaṁ cha kiṁ proktam adhidaivaṁ kim uchyate

Word-for-Word Translation

arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; kim—what; tat—that; brahma—Brahman; kim—what; adhyātmam—the individual soul; kim—what; karma—the principle of karma; puruṣha-uttama—Shree Krishna, the Supreme Divine Personality; adhibhūtam—the material manifestation; cha—and; kim—what; proktam—is called; adhidaivam—the Lord of the celestial gods; kim—what; uchyate—is called

Meaning

Arjuna said, "What is Brahman? What is Adhyatma? What is action, O best among men? What is Adhibhuta declared to be? And, what is Adhidaiva said to be?"

Explanation

Arjuna's rapid-fire questions show a mind wanting to map out the whole of spiritual philosophy before returning to the battlefield. Having just heard about the goal of the previous chapter, he now wants the vocabulary spelled out clearly, so nothing remains vague as he moves forward in his practice.

अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन।
प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः।।8.2।।

adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ ko ’tra dehe ’smin madhusūdana
prayāṇa-kāle cha kathaṁ jñeyo ’si niyatātmabhiḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

adhiyajñaḥ—the Lord all sacrificial performances; katham—how; kaḥ—who; atra—here; dehe—in body; asmin—this; madhusūdana—Shree Krishna, the killer of the demon named Madhu; prayāṇa-kāle—at the time of death; cha—and; katham—how; jñeyaḥ—to be known; asi—are (you); niyata-ātmabhiḥ—by those of steadfast mind

Meaning

Who and how is Adhiyajna here in this body, O destroyer of Madhu? And how, at the time of death, are You to be known by the self-controlled?

Explanation

Beyond definitions, Arjuna's real concern surfaces here: what happens at the final moment of life. It's a deeply human question, and Krishna's willingness to address it shows that death is not something to be feared or avoided in spiritual life but understood and prepared for.

श्री भगवानुवाच
अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते।
भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः।।8.3।।

śhrī bhagavān uvācha
akṣharaṁ brahma paramaṁ svabhāvo ’dhyātmam uchyate
bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo visargaḥ karma-sanjñitaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Blessed Lord said; akṣharam—indestructible; brahma—Brahman; paramam—the Supreme; svabhāvaḥ—nature; adhyātmam—one’s own self; uchyate—is called; bhūta-bhāva-udbhava-karaḥ—Actions pertaining to the material personality of living beings, and its development; visargaḥ—creation; karma—fruitive activities; sanjñitaḥ—are called

Meaning

The Blessed Lord said, "Brahman is the Imperishable, the Supreme; its essential nature is called Self-knowledge; the offering (to the gods) that causes the existence and manifestation of beings and sustains them is called action."

Explanation

Krishna answers each term Arjuna raised, starting with Brahman as the imperishable ground of existence and the self as one's own true identity within it. Notice how simply and directly the Supreme Lord defines these lofty concepts — profound truths, offered without unnecessary complication.

अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्।
अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर।।8.4।।

adhibhūtaṁ kṣharo bhāvaḥ puruṣhaśh chādhidaivatam
adhiyajño ’ham evātra dehe deha-bhṛitāṁ vara

Word-for-Word Translation

adhibhūtam—the ever changing physical manifestation; kṣharaḥ—perishable; bhāvaḥ—nature; puruṣhaḥ—the cosmic personality of God, encompassing the material creation; cha—and; adhidaivatam—the Lord of the celestial gods; adhiyajñaḥ—the Lord of all sacrifices; aham—I; eva—certainly; atra—here; dehe—in the body; deha-bhṛitām—of the embodied; vara—O best

Meaning

Adhibhuta—knowledge of the elements—pertains to My perishable nature, and the Purusha, or the Soul, is the Adhidaiva; I alone am the Adhiyajna here in this body, O best among the embodied.

Explanation

Having explained the first three terms, Krishna reveals that He Himself, in His localized Paramatma feature, is the Adhiyajna within this body — the witness and ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifice, since every yajna is meant to please Him. Adhibhuta is the perishable manifested nature of all created beings, and Adhidaiva is the universal form of the Lord that includes the sun-god and all the controlling demigods; but behind all of these, Krishna Himself is present as the real controller seated within the heart.

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्।
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः।।8.5।।

anta-kāle cha mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti nāstyatra sanśhayaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

anta-kāle—at the time of death; cha—and; mām—me; eva—alone; smaran—remembering; muktvā—relinquish; kalevaram—the body; yaḥ—who; prayāti—goes; saḥ—he; mat-bhāvam—Godlike nature; yāti—achieves; na—no; asti—there is; atra—here; sanśhayaḥ—doubt

Meaning

And whoever, leaving their body, goes forth remembering Me alone at the time of death, they will attain My Being; there is no doubt about this.

Explanation

This is the pivot of the whole chapter: whatever state of being one remembers when quitting the body, that state one attains without fail. But Prabhupada stresses this final thought is not left to chance — the mind at death is simply the sum of all the thoughts and habits cultivated through a lifetime, so remembering Krishna at that critical moment is possible only for one who has practiced Krishna consciousness constantly beforehand, through devotional service, while alive and healthy.

यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्।
तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः।।8.6।।

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajatyante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

yam yam—whatever; vā—or; api—even; smaran—remembering; bhāvam—remembrance; tyajati—gives up; ante—in the end; kalevaram—the body; tam—to that; tam—to that; eva—certainly; eti—gets; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; sadā—always; tat—that; bhāva-bhāvitaḥ—absorbed in contemplation

Meaning

Whoever at the end leaves the body, thinking of any being, to that being only does he go, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), due to his constant thought of that being.

Explanation

Krishna broadens the principle to all living beings, not Himself alone: whatever object of remembrance one has cultivated throughout life is what one thinks of at death, and by that thought one attains a similar type of body in the next life — the material nature carrying the subtle mind and its dominant desire forward. This is why Prabhupada emphasizes that the practice of remembering Krishna must be constant and lifelong; a mind trained on Krishna in health and strength will naturally think of Him at the critical final moment, while a mind absorbed elsewhere will produce a corresponding destination.

तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च।
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम्।।8.7।।

tasmāt sarveṣhu kāleṣhu mām anusmara yudhya cha
mayyarpita-mano-buddhir mām evaiṣhyasyasanśhayam

Word-for-Word Translation

tasmāt—therefore; sarveṣhu—in all; kāleṣhu—times; mām—me; anusmara—remember; yudhya—fight; cha—and; mayi—to me; arpita—surrender; manaḥ—mind; buddhiḥ—intellect; mām—to me; eva—surely; eṣhyasi—you shall attain; asanśhayaḥ—without a doubt

Meaning

Therefore, at all times, remember Me only and fight. With your mind and intellect fixed on Me, you will undoubtedly come to Me alone.

Explanation

Here comes the practical instruction that resolves Arjuna's worry about facing war and death together: remember Krishna while still performing his prescribed duty as a warrior, rather than abandoning it for a life of formal meditation. Prabhupada explains that the safest way to fix the mind on Krishna at all times is to engage the mind and intelligence in chanting and hearing about Krishna constantly — this is the practical method of Krishna consciousness, which lets one fulfill worldly duties without falling from remembrance, and guarantees reaching Krishna without doubt.

अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना।
परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन्।।8.8।।

abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena chetasā nānya-gāminā
paramaṁ puruṣhaṁ divyaṁ yāti pārthānuchintayan

Word-for-Word Translation

abhyāsa-yoga—by practice of yog; yuktena—being constantly engaged in remembrance; chetasā—by the mind; na anya-gāminā—without deviating; paramam puruṣham—the Supreme Divine Personality; divyam—divine; yāti—one attains; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; anuchintayan—constant remembrance

Meaning

With the mind not moving towards any other thing, made steadfast through the practice of habitual meditation, and constantly meditating, one goes to the Supreme Person, the Resplendent, O Arjuna.

Explanation

Krishna describes the steady, undistracted meditative absorption that carries a practitioner toward the Supreme Person — Purusha, a person, not an impersonal void. Prabhupada notes that this exacting mystic yoga process of unbroken remembrance is very difficult for people in general, especially in this age, which is why he points to bhakti-yoga, culminating in constant chanting and remembrance of Krishna, as the practical means of achieving the same one-pointed absorption.

कविं पुराणमनुशासितार
मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः।
सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूप
मादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्।।8.9।।

kaviṁ purāṇam anuśhāsitāram
aṇor aṇīyānsam anusmared yaḥ
sarvasya dhātāram achintya-rūpam
āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt

Word-for-Word Translation

kavim—poet; purāṇam—ancient; anuśhāsitāram—the controller; aṇoḥ—than the atom; aṇīyānsam—smaller; anusmaret—always remembers; yaḥ—who; sarvasya—of everything; dhātāram—the support; achintya—inconceivable; rūpam—divine form; āditya-varṇam—effulgent like the sun; tamasaḥ—to the darkness of ignorance; parastāt—beyond

Meaning

Whosoever meditates on the Omniscient, the Ancient, the Ruler of the whole world, minuter than an atom, the supporter of all, of inconceivable form, effulgent like the sun and beyond the darkness of ignorance.

Explanation

Krishna describes here is not an impersonal glow but a person — the ancient poet-philosopher, controller, and sustainer of all, whose form, though smaller than the smallest, is inconceivable to material senses. Prabhupada stresses that one should meditate on Krishna in this transcendental form, effulgent like the sun and beyond the darkness of material ignorance, rather than settle for an impersonal or voidistic conception of the Absolute; this meditation, joined with the yogic process described in the verses that follow, is meant to be practiced through bhakti.

प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन
भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव।
भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक्
स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम्।।8.10।।

prayāṇa-kāle manasāchalena
bhaktyā yukto yoga-balena chaiva
bhruvor madhye prāṇam āveśhya samyak
sa taṁ paraṁ puruṣham upaiti divyam

Word-for-Word Translation

prayāṇa-kāle—at the time of death; manasā—mind; achalena—steadily; bhaktyā—remembering with great devotion; yuktaḥ—united; yoga-balena—through the power of yog; cha—and; eva—certainly; bhruvoḥ—the two eyebrows; madhye—between; prāṇam—life airs; āveśhya—fixing; samyak—completely; saḥ—he; tam—him; param puruṣham—the Supreme Divine Lord; upaiti—attains; divyam—divine

Meaning

At the time of death, with an unwavering mind, endowed with devotion, by the power of Yoga, fixing the whole life-breath in the middle of the two eyebrows, he reaches that resplendent Supreme Person.

Explanation

This verse paints the classic image of the departing mystic yogi: breath fixed between the eyebrows through yogic technique, mind unwavering, and — crucially — bhakti, devotion, present as well. Prabhupada notes that this precise technical process is extremely difficult to perform successfully at the moment of death unless one has practiced it throughout life through bhakti-yoga; for most people in this age, the same result is reached far more easily and surely by chanting the holy names of Krishna with devotion.

यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति
विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः।
यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति
तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये।।8.11।।

yad akṣharaṁ veda-vido vadanti
viśhanti yad yatayo vīta-rāgāḥ
yad ichchhanto brahmacharyaṁ charanti
tat te padaṁ saṅgraheṇa pravakṣhye

Word-for-Word Translation

yat—which; akṣharam—Imperishable; veda-vidaḥ—scholars of the Vedas; vadanti—describe; viśhanti—enter; yat—which; yatayaḥ—great ascetics; vīta-rāgāḥ—free from attachment; yat—which; ichchhantaḥ—desiring; brahmacharyam—celibacy; charanti—practice; tat—that; te—to you; padam—goal; saṅgraheṇa—briefly; pravakṣhye—I shall explain

Meaning

That which is declared to be Imperishable by those who know the Vedas, that which the self-controlled (ascetics or Sannyasins) and passion-free enter, that goal, desiring which celibacy is practised, I will declare to thee in brief.

Explanation

Krishna now promises to summarize, in brief, what even the greatest renunciants and Vedic scholars pursue through long austerity. There's real kindness in this offer: what ascetics attain through years of hard discipline, Krishna is about to make accessible in a few verses.

सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च।
मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम्।।8.12।।

sarva-dvārāṇi sanyamya mano hṛidi nirudhya cha
mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthito yoga-dhāraṇām

Word-for-Word Translation

sarva-dvārāṇi—all gates; sanyamya—restraining; manaḥ—the mind; hṛidi—in the heart region; nirudhya—confining; cha—and; mūrdhni—in the head; ādhāya—establish; ātmanaḥ—of the self; prāṇam—the life breath; āsthitaḥ—situated (in); yoga-dhāraṇām—the yogic concentration

Meaning

Having closed all the gates, confined the mind in the heart, and fixed the life-breath in the head, engage in the practice of concentration.

Explanation

The verse outlines a classical yogic method of withdrawing the senses and concentrating the life-force inward before death. It's presented not as an exotic ritual but as the outward technique that supports the inward reality of one-pointed remembrance already described.

ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्।
यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्।।8.13।।

oṁ ityekākṣharaṁ brahma vyāharan mām anusmaran
yaḥ prayāti tyajan dehaṁ sa yāti paramāṁ gatim

Word-for-Word Translation

om—sacred syllable representing the formless aspect of God; iti—thus; eka-akṣharam—one syllabled; brahma—the Absolute Truth; vyāharan—chanting; mām—me (Shree Krishna); anusmaran—remembering; yaḥ—who; prayāti—departs; tyajan—quitting; deham—the body; saḥ—he; yāti—attains; paramām—the supreme; gatim—goal

Meaning

Uttering the one-syllabled Om, the Brahman, and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the Supreme Goal.

Explanation

Chanting the sacred syllable Om, the sound representation of Brahman, while remembering Krishna at the final moment leads to the highest goal. Prabhupada explains that Om and Krishna are not different — the impersonal Brahman sound and the Supreme Person are the same Absolute Truth approached from different angles — so this technique of sound and remembrance combined works only when performed under proper guidance and with genuine devotion, not as mechanical repetition; for the devotee, chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra accomplishes the very same purpose.

अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः।
तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः।।8.14।।

ananya-chetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati nityaśhaḥ
tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

ananya-chetāḥ—without deviation of the mind; satatam—always; yaḥ—who; mām—me; smarati—remembers; nityaśhaḥ—regularly; tasya—to him; aham—I; su-labhaḥ—easily attainable; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; nitya—constantly; yuktasya—engaged; yoginaḥ—of the yogis

Meaning

I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast yogi who constantly and daily remembers me for a long time, not thinking of anything else with a single-minded or one-pointed focus, O Partha.

Explanation

Krishna makes a tender promise: for the yogi who remembers Him constantly, without deviation, day after day, He becomes easy to attain — even though He is otherwise very difficult to approach through impersonal speculation or severe austerity. Prabhupada emphasizes that this constant, single-minded remembrance is essentially devotional service (bhakti-yoga), which is why bhakti is called the easiest and most direct of all yoga processes for reaching Krishna.

मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम्।
नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः।।8.15।।

mām upetya punar janma duḥkhālayam aśhāśhvatam
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ sansiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

mām—me; upetya—having attained; punaḥ—again; janma—birth; duḥkha-ālayam—place full of miseries; aśhāśhvatam—temporary; na—never; āpnuvanti—attain; mahā-ātmānaḥ—the great souls; sansiddhim—perfection; paramām—highest; gatāḥ—having achieved

Meaning

Having attained Me, these great souls do not take birth again here—a place of pain and impermanence—but have reached the highest perfection of liberation.

Explanation

Krishna now describes the destination itself: those who reach Him are freed from the cycle of returning to this world of temporary suffering. It reframes the goal of spiritual life not as escape for its own sake, but as arrival at something lasting and joyful.

आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन।
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते।।8.16।।

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino ’rjuna
mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate

Word-for-Word Translation

ā-brahma-bhuvanāt—up to the abode of Brahma; lokāḥ—worlds; punaḥ āvartinaḥ—subject to rebirth; arjuna—Arjun; mām—mine; upetya—having attained; tu—but; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; punaḥ janma—rebirth; na—never; vidyate—is

Meaning

All the worlds, including the world of Brahma, are subject to return again, O Arjuna; but he who reaches Me, O son of Kunti, has no rebirth.

Explanation

Even the celestial abode of Brahma, however exalted, still falls within the cycle of repeated birth and death, but Krishna's own abode does not. This distinction elevates loving connection with Krishna above any material or even heavenly achievement, however grand it may appear.

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः।
रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः।।8.17।।

sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ
rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ te ’ho-rātra-vido janāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

sahasra—one thousand; yuga—age; paryantam—until; ahaḥ—one day; yat—which; brahmaṇaḥ—of Brahma; viduḥ—know; rātrim—night; yuga-sahasra-antām—lasts one thousand yugas; te—they; ahaḥ-rātra-vidaḥ—those who know his day and night; janāḥ—people

Meaning

Those who know the day of Brahma, which lasts a thousand Yugas, and the night, which also lasts a thousand Yugas, know day and night.

Explanation

Krishna now shifts to cosmic timescales, describing the vast day and night of Brahma spanning a thousand yugas each. Prabhupada notes that even great scientists and astronomers are baffled trying to calculate the beginning and end of the universe through their own imperfect speculation, while these figures come down through Vedic literature via disciplic succession as accepted, authoritative knowledge — and against such immense cycles, ordinary human concerns and even a full lifetime shrink to almost nothing.

अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे।
रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके।।8.18।।

avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyahar-āgame
rātryāgame pralīyante tatraivāvyakta-sanjñake

Word-for-Word Translation

avyaktāt—from the unmanifested; vyaktayaḥ—the manifested; sarvāḥ—all; prabhavanti—emanate; ahaḥ-āgame—at the advent of Brahma’s day; rātri-āgame—at the fall of Brahma’s night; pralīyante—they dissolve; tatra—into that; eva—certainly; avyakta-sanjñake—in that which is called the unmanifest

Meaning

From the Unmanifested, all the manifested worlds proceed upon the arrival of the 'day'; upon the arrival of the 'night', they dissolve indeed into that which is known as the Unmanifested.

Explanation

All manifest existence emerges from the unmanifest at the start of Brahma's day and dissolves back into it at nightfall. This rhythm of creation and dissolution illustrates the temporary nature of the material cosmos itself, not just individual lives within it.

भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते।
रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे।।8.19।।

bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate
rātryāgame ’vaśhaḥ pārtha prabhavatyahar-āgame

Word-for-Word Translation

bhūta-grāmaḥ—the multitude of beings; saḥ—these; eva—certainly; ayam—this; bhūtvā bhūtvā—repeatedly taking birth; pralīyate—dissolves; rātri-āgame—with the advent of night; avaśhaḥ—helpless; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; prabhavati—become manifest; ahaḥ-āgame—with the advent of day

Meaning

This same multitude of beings, being born again and again, helplessly dissolves, O Arjuna, into the Unmanifested at the coming of the night and comes forth at the coming of the day.

Explanation

The same countless beings appear and disappear helplessly, again and again, driven by these cosmic cycles beyond their control. The word 'helplessly' is telling — it underscores why Krishna keeps steering Arjuna's attention toward something that lies beyond this repetitive cycle altogether.

परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः।
यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति।।8.20।।

paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ’nyo ’vyakto ’vyaktāt sanātanaḥ
yaḥ sa sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu naśhyatsu na vinaśhyati

Word-for-Word Translation

paraḥ—transcendental; tasmāt—than that; tu—but; bhāvaḥ—creation; anyaḥ—another; avyaktaḥ—unmanifest; avyaktāt—to the unmanifest; sanātanaḥ—eternal; yaḥ—who; saḥ—that; sarveṣhu—all; bhūteṣhu—in beings; naśhyatsu—cease to exist; na—never; vinaśhyati—is annihilated

Meaning

But verily, there exists higher than this Unmanifested, another Unmanifested Eternal, which is not destroyed even when all beings are destroyed.

Explanation

Beyond even this unmanifest state that cycles with creation, Krishna points to another, truly eternal unmanifest reality that never perishes. This is the first hint that His own nature stands apart from the entire cosmic order of appearance and dissolution just described.

अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्।
यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम।।8.21।।

avyakto ’kṣhara ityuktas tam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim
yaṁ prāpya na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

Word-for-Word Translation

avyaktaḥ—unmanifest; akṣharaḥ—imperishable; iti—thus; uktaḥ—is said; tam—that; āhuḥ—is called; paramām—the supreme; gatim—destination; yam—which; prāpya—having reached; na—never; nivartante—come back; tat—that; dhāma—abode; paramam—the supreme; mama—my

Meaning

What is known as the Unmanifested and the Imperishable, That is said to be the highest goal. Those who reach It do not return (to this Samsara). That is My supreme abode (place or state).

Explanation

That imperishable, unmanifest reality is now named as the highest goal and identified as Krishna's own supreme abode. Reaching it means never returning to material existence, giving Arjuna, and every seeker, a clear picture of what ultimate success in spiritual life actually looks like.

पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया।
यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्।।8.22।।

puruṣhaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tvananyayā
yasyāntaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni yena sarvam idaṁ tatam

Word-for-Word Translation

puruṣhaḥ—the Supreme Divine Personality; saḥ—he; paraḥ—greatest; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; bhaktyā—through devotion; labhyaḥ—is attainable; tu—indeed; ananyayā—without another; yasya—of whom; antaḥ-sthāni—situated within; bhūtāni—beings; yena—by whom; sarvam—all; idam—this; tatam—is pervaded

Meaning

That highest Purusha, O Arjuna, is attainable by unswerving devotion to Him alone, within Whom all beings dwell and by Whom all this is pervaded.

Explanation

Krishna reveals the means to reach Him: undivided, unalloyed devotion, not merely knowledge or mystic technique. Prabhupada highlights this as one of the most important verses of the Bhagavad-gita — establishing that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who pervades and sustains everything, is greater than the impersonal Brahman and the localized Paramatma, and can be attained only through bhakti, never through dry speculation, fruitive work, or yogic power alone.

यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः।
प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ।।8.23।।

yatra kāle tvanāvṛittim āvṛittiṁ chaiva yoginaḥ
prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ vakṣhyāmi bharatarṣhabha

Word-for-Word Translation

yatra—where; kāle—time; tu—certainly; anāvṛittim—no return; āvṛittim—return; cha—and; eva—certainly; yoginaḥ—a yogi; prayātāḥ—having departed; yānti—attain; tam—that; kālam—time; vakṣhyāmi—I shall describe; bharata-ṛiṣhabha—Arjun, the best of the Bharatas

Meaning

Now I will tell you, O chief of the Bharatas, the times of departure at which the Yogis will return or not return.

Explanation

Krishna now turns to explain the specific times and paths that determine whether a departing yogi returns to this world or not. This detailed treatment shows how seriously the tradition takes the mechanics of departure, even while devotion remains the deeper key already given.

अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्।
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः।।8.24।।

agnir jyotir ahaḥ śhuklaḥ ṣhaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam
tatra prayātā gachchhanti brahma brahma-vido janāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

agniḥ—fire; jyotiḥ—light; ahaḥ—day; śhuklaḥ—the bright fortnight of the moon; ṣhaṭ-māsāḥ—six months; uttara-ayanam—the sun’s northern course; tatra—there; prayātāḥ—departed; gachchhanti—go; brahma—Brahman; brahma-vidaḥ—those who know the Brahman; janāḥ—persons

Meaning

Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path of the sun (the northern solstice) departing, then men who know Brahman go to Brahman.

Explanation

The path of light — fire, day, the bright lunar fortnight, the sun's northern course — leads knowers of Brahman to Brahman itself without return. These are traditionally described as symbolic markers of a soul's ascent guided by spiritual knowledge and clarity.

धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्।
तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते।।8.25।।

dhūmo rātris tathā kṛiṣhṇaḥ ṣhaṇ-māsā dakṣhiṇāyanam
tatra chāndramasaṁ jyotir yogī prāpya nivartate

Word-for-Word Translation

dhūmaḥ—smoke; rātriḥ—night; tathā—and; kṛiṣhṇaḥ—the dark fortnight of the moon; ṣhaṭ-māsāḥ—six months; dakṣhiṇa-ayanam—the sun’s southern course; tatra—there; chāndra-masam—lunar; jyotiḥ—light; yogī—a yogi; prāpya—attain; nivartate—comes back

Meaning

Attaining the lunar light through smoke, night time, the dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern path of the sun (the southern solstice), the yogi returns.

Explanation

By contrast, the path of smoke and darkness leads through the lunar light back to rebirth in the material world. Setting these two paths side by side lets Krishna's larger point land clearly: outcome depends on the state cultivated during life, not on ritual alone.

शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते।
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययाऽऽवर्तते पुनः।।8.26।।

śhukla-kṛiṣhṇe gatī hyete jagataḥ śhāśhvate mate
ekayā yātyanāvṛittim anyayāvartate punaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

śhukla—bright; kṛiṣhṇe—dark; gatī—paths; hi—certainly; ete—these; jagataḥ—of the material world; śhāśhvate—eternal; mate—opinion; ekayā—by one; yāti—goes; anāvṛittim—to non return; anyayā—by the other; āvartate—comes back; punaḥ—again

Meaning

The bright and dark paths of the world are thought to be eternal; one leads to no return, and the other leads to return.

Explanation

Krishna calls these two paths — bright and dark — the eternal ways of the world, one leading beyond return and the other back into it. Naming them as everlasting principles of the cosmos gives Arjuna, and us, a framework for understanding why steady spiritual effort matters over a lifetime.

नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन।
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन।।8.27।।

naite sṛitī pārtha jānan yogī muhyati kaśhchana
tasmāt sarveṣhu kāleṣhu yoga-yukto bhavārjuna

Word-for-Word Translation

na—never; ete—these two; sṛitī—paths; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; jānan—knowing; yogī—a yogi; muhyati—bewildered; kaśhchana—any; tasmāt—therefore; sarveṣhu kāleṣhu—always; yoga-yuktaḥ—situated in Yog; bhava—be; arjuna—Arjun

Meaning

Knowing these paths, O Arjuna, no yogi is deluded; therefore, at all times, be steadfast in yoga.

Explanation

A yogi who understands these two paths is never bewildered by death or its aftermath, because clarity itself removes fear of the unknown. Krishna's advice that follows — to remain steadfastly engaged in yoga at all times — closes the loop on everything taught since verse five.

वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव
दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम्।
अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा
योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम्।।8.28।।

vedeṣhu yajñeṣhu tapaḥsu chaiva
dāneṣhu yat puṇya-phalaṁ pradiṣhṭam
atyeti tat sarvam idaṁ viditvā
yogī paraṁ sthānam upaiti chādyam

Word-for-Word Translation

vedeṣhu—in the study of the Vedas; yajñeṣhu—in performance of sacrifices; tapaḥsu—in austerities; cha—and; eva—certainly; dāneṣhu—in giving charities; yat—which; puṇya-phalam—fruit of merit; pradiṣhṭam—is gained; atyeti—surpasses; tat sarvam—all; idam—this; viditvā—having known; yogī—a yogi; param—Supreme; sthānam—Abode; upaiti—achieves; cha—and; ādyam—original

Meaning

Whatever fruit of merit is declared (in the scriptures) to accrue from (the study of) the Vedas, (the performance of) sacrifices, (the practice of) austerities, and gifts, beyond all this goes the Yogi, having known this; and he attains to the Supreme, Primeval (first or ancient) Abode.

Explanation

Krishna concludes the chapter by declaring that a yogi who grasps this teaching surpasses all the merit earned through Vedic study, sacrifice, austerity, and charity, reaching the supreme, original abode. It's a fitting close: sustained, devotional remembrance quietly outweighs even the most celebrated ritual accomplishments.