यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः ।
प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ ॥२३॥

yatra kāle tv anāvṛttim
āvṛttiṁ caiva yoginaḥ
prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ
vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha

yatraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyatra

and wherever; anywhere; at home; at that time (when); from where; in place and time; in that; in that city; in that mountain (Trikūṭa); in that place where; in that state of affairs; in the Vaikuṇṭha planets; in those Vaikuṇṭha planets; in which; in which age; in which dynasty; in which forest; in which place (in the presence of exalted devotees); in which place; in whom; on which; on whom; the point where; there; there are; therein; thereupon; to the spot where; unto whom; upon her; upon whom (Mahārāja Ambarīṣa); when; whenever; where (the residential quarters of King Indra); where; where and how; where there is; wherein; wherein, in which dynasty; whereupon; wherever.—in that; kāleplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkāle

after that, in due course of time; at a time of fear; at an auspicious time; at noon; at that time; at the proper time; at the right time; at the time; in course of time; in due course; in due course of time; in the course of time; in time; just at that time; time; unpurified time; when the due time.—time; tuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtu

again; also; and; as to; as well as; but (because of misfortune); but; certainly; due to; expletive; however; in fact; indeed; moreover; must; of course; on the contrary; only; that; then; yet.—but; anāvṛttimplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganāvṛttim

no return.—no return; āvṛttimplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigāvṛttim

return.—return; caplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigca

ca; all these; also; also other bodily forms; also that I have not been able to ask; and (the five gross material elements and the ten acting and knowledge-gathering senses); and; and also; and Devahūti; and for all; and the paraphernalia; as also; as much as; as well; as well as; but; certainly; either; however; indeed; only; or; over and above; respectively; the word ca; this word ca; thus; totally; unlimitedly; verily.—also; evaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigeva

alone; also; also the word eva; although; as; as it is; as it were; as much as; as they are; at all; at that time; certainly; certainly,; certainty; completely; definitely; even; ever; exactly; exactly like; factually; Himself; immediately; in fact; in this way; indeed; it is all like that; just; just so; like; like that; like this; of course; on the very; only; quite; simply; so; surely; the word eva; they are; thus; truly; undoubtedly; very; without doubt.—certainly; yoginaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyoginaḥ

yogīs; all the bhakti-yogis; first-class mystic yogīs, or bhakti-yogīs; for the mystics; greatly powerful mystics; mystics who are competent; of different kinds of mystics; of the yogī; of the yogīs or persons trying to advance in spiritual life; of the devotee; the yogīs; the first-class yogī or mystic; the Kṛṣṇa conscious persons; the mystics; transcendentalists.—of different kinds of mystics; prayātāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigprayatah

carefully; having a subdued mind; meditating upon; with great attention (after finishing the funeral ceremony of your dead son); with great attention; with great care; with proper attention.—one who goes; yāntiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyānti

achieve; appear (in form); approach; approaches; attain; departs; do approach; enter; go; go away; goes; goes away; pass; they go; undergo; used to go; will go to.—departs; tamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtam

by Him; Dhruva; Dhruva Mahārāja; for that reason; from him (Kardama); from him (Maitreya); him (Ajāmila); him (Arjuna); him (Bali); him (Cyavana); him (Dhruva Mahārāja); him (Gajendra); him (Gargamuni); him (Hiraṇyakaśipu); him (Indra); him (Jaḍa Bharata); him (Kardama); him (King Yayāti); him (King Yudhiṣṭhira); Him (Kṛṣṇa); him (Lord Indra); Him (Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva); him (Lord Śiva); Him (Nara-Nārāyaṇa); him (Nārada Muni); him (Prahlāda Mahārāja); him (Prajāpati Dakṣa); him (Pṛthu); him (Pṛṣadhra); Him (Rohiṇī-nandana, the son of Rohiṇī); him (the bull); him (the condemned person); him (the he-goat); him (the King of heaven, Indra); him (the King); Him (the Lord); him (the male bird); him (the saintly person); Him (the Supreme Lord); Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa); him (Tṛṇabindu); him (Vasudeva); him (Vidura); him (Viśvarūpa); Him (Vāmanadeva); him (Vṛtrāsura); him; Him, Lord Rāmacandra; him, Mahārāja Sumitra.—that; kālamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkalam

elements; energies; very sweetly.—time; vakṣyāmiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvakṣyāmi

describing; I shall explain; I shall now explain; I shall speak; say; shall explain; speaking.—describing; bharatarṣabhaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbharatarṣabha

O best amongst the Bhāratas; O best of the Bhāratas; O chief amongst the descendants of Bharata; O chief of the Bhāratas; O chief of the descendants of Bharata; O great one amongst the descendants of Bharata; O lord of the Bhāratas.—O best of the Bhāratas. ¶

O best of the Bhāratas, I shall now explain to you the different times at which, passing away from this world, one does or does not come back. ¶

The unalloyed devotees of the Supreme Lord who are totally surrendered souls do not care when they leave their bodies or by what method. They leave everything in Kṛṣṇa’s hands and so easily and happily return to Godhead. But those who are not unalloyed devotees and who depend instead on such methods of spiritual realization as karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, etc., must leave the body at a suitable time and thereby be assured whether or not they will return to the world of birth and death. ¶

If the yogī is perfect, he can select the time and place for leaving this material world, but if he is not so perfect, then he has to leave at nature’s will. The most suitable time to leave the body and not return is being explained by the Lord in these verses. According to Ācārya Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, the Sanskrit word kāla used herein refers to the presiding deity of time. ¶

अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् ।
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः ॥२४॥

agnir jyotir ahaḥ śuklaḥ
ṣaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam
tatra prayātā gacchanti
brahma brahma-vido janāḥ

agniḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigagniḥ

a fire; Agni; fire; the demigod of fire; the fire; the fire-god; the sacrificial fire.—fire; jyotiḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjyotiḥ

effulgence; effulgent; electricity; fire; light; luminous; manifesting His bodily rays (the Brahman effulgence); of the effulgence; self-effulgent; source of light; the brahmajyoti, the effulgence of the Supreme Lord; the luminaries in the sky, such as the sun, the moon and the stars; the sun.—light; ahaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigahaḥ

alas; day; days; daytime; during daytime.—day; śuklaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigśuklaḥ

having a white color and bearing the name Śukla; sometimes white; the bright fortnight of the moon; the Personality of Godhead; the personality of the pure mode of goodness (Kapiladeva); white.—white; ṣaṭplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsat

again the father or grandfather has come; always existing; auspicious; being; by authorities on religion; by exalted personalities; cause; effect; eternal; eternal existence; existing; good; legitimate; manifest; manifestation; manifested; manifested or phenomenal; of reality; of the devotees or the pious; respectable; result; resultant; right; Supreme; the cause; the effect; the Supreme; to the great sages; to the virtuous; to Your devotees; transcendental; which is existing, as the effect.-māsāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmasah

month; one month.—six months; uttarāyaṇamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biguttarāyaṇam

when the sun passes on the northern side.—when the sun passes on the northern side; tatraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtatra

about the well of nectar; all those; among the sons; among them; and there; as well as; at that time; at that very spot; because of; here; in Him; in such; in such a condition; in such a position; in such a subject matter; in such activities; in that; in that case; in that connection (getting out of the entanglement of material conditioning); in that connection; in that direction; in that dynasty; in that forest; in that function; in that heavenly planet; in that meeting; in that ninth period of Manu; in that period (the eleventh manvantara); in that period; in that period of Manu; in that place; in that sacrifice; in that sixth manvantara; in that way; in the assembly; in the battlefield; in the eighth manvantara; in the forest; in this manvantara; in this; in those manvantara periods; in those hellish planets; in victory or defeat; in whom; inside the house of Narakāsura; on that hill; on the bank of the river; on the spot; on this fact; standing there; than them; that; then; then and there; thereafter; therefore; therein; thereof; thereon; thereupon; to that household life; upon doing this; within the wide-open mouth of Kṛṣṇa.—there; prayātāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigprayatah

carefully; having a subdued mind; meditating upon; with great attention (after finishing the funeral ceremony of your dead son); with great attention; with great care; with proper attention.—one who goes; gacchantiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biggacchanti

attains; go; goes; passes away; reach; they go.—passes away; brahmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbrahma

brahma; brāhmaṇas; mantras beginning with oṁ (such as oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ); Veda; Vedas; absolute; Absolute Truth; all my brahminical qualifications; all the Vedas; all the Vedas with their different branches of knowledge; all the Vedas; all transcendental literatures; and brahma; Being; brahma; Brahmaloka; Brahman; brahminical civilization; brahminical culture; by Lord Brahmā; called by the name Brahman; from the activities of Brahman realization or austerity; Gāyatrī hymns; impersonal Brahman; impersonal Brahman realization; is the brāhmaṇas; knowledge of Brahman; Kṛṣṇa; Lord Brahmā; of a brāhmaṇa; of impersonal Brahman; of impersonal Brahman, or the Absolute Truth; of Lord Brahmā; of the brāhmaṇas; of the impersonal effulgence; spirit; spiritual; spiritual kingdom; spiritual knowledge; spiritual nature; spiritual power; Supreme; the brāhmaṇas; the Vedas; the Absolute; the Absolute Truth; the all-pervading Absolute Truth; the brahminical culture; the greatest; the Gāyatrī mantra; the impersonal Brahman (which is an emanation from Kṛṣṇa); the impersonal Brahman; the impersonal Brahman effulgence; the impersonal feature; the Parabrahman, Kṛṣṇa; the personified Vedas; the Supreme; the Supreme Absolute Truth; the Supreme Brahman; the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead; the Supreme Lord; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the supreme spirit; the supreme truth, the Absolute Truth, Brahman; the Vedic knowledge; the Vedic literatures; the Vedic wisdom; Transcendence; transcendental; truth; unlimited; Vedic; Vedic knowledge; Vedic sound; without change; You are known as Brahman.—the Absolute; brahmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbrahma

brahma; brāhmaṇas; mantras beginning with oṁ (such as oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ); Veda; Vedas; absolute; Absolute Truth; all my brahminical qualifications; all the Vedas; all the Vedas with their different branches of knowledge; all the Vedas; all transcendental literatures; and brahma; Being; brahma; Brahmaloka; Brahman; brahminical civilization; brahminical culture; by Lord Brahmā; called by the name Brahman; from the activities of Brahman realization or austerity; Gāyatrī hymns; impersonal Brahman; impersonal Brahman realization; is the brāhmaṇas; knowledge of Brahman; Kṛṣṇa; Lord Brahmā; of a brāhmaṇa; of impersonal Brahman; of impersonal Brahman, or the Absolute Truth; of Lord Brahmā; of the brāhmaṇas; of the impersonal effulgence; spirit; spiritual; spiritual kingdom; spiritual knowledge; spiritual nature; spiritual power; Supreme; the brāhmaṇas; the Vedas; the Absolute; the Absolute Truth; the all-pervading Absolute Truth; the brahminical culture; the greatest; the Gāyatrī mantra; the impersonal Brahman (which is an emanation from Kṛṣṇa); the impersonal Brahman; the impersonal Brahman effulgence; the impersonal feature; the Parabrahman, Kṛṣṇa; the personified Vedas; the Supreme; the Supreme Absolute Truth; the Supreme Brahman; the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead; the Supreme Lord; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the supreme spirit; the supreme truth, the Absolute Truth, Brahman; the Vedic knowledge; the Vedic literatures; the Vedic wisdom; Transcendence; transcendental; truth; unlimited; Vedic; Vedic knowledge; Vedic sound; without change; You are known as Brahman.-vidaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvidaḥ

greatly learned; those who perceive; understand.—one who knows the Absolute; janāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjanah

a foolish person; a person; a person who is not a bona fide guru (an ordinary person); all the people; any person; anyone; every living entity within this material world; human society; man; men; people in general; person; persons; such a person; the conditioned soul; the conditioned soul subjected to birth and death; the Janaloka planet; the Janaloka planetary system; the people in general; the person; the planetary system above Mahar; they.—person. ¶

Those who know the Supreme Brahman pass away from the world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious moment, during the fortnight of the moon and the six months when the sun travels in the north. ¶

When fire, light, day and moon are mentioned, it is to be understood that over all of them there are various presiding deities who make arrangements for the passage of the soul. At the time of death, the jīva sets forth on the path to a new life. If one leaves the body at the time designated above, either accidently or by arrangement, it is possible for him to attain the impersonal brahmajyoti. Mystics who are advanced in yoga practice can arrange the time and place to leave the body. Others have no control-if by accident they leave at an auspicious moment, then they will not return to the cycle of birth and death, but if not, then there is every possibility that they will have to return. However, for the pure devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no fear of returning, whether he leaves the body at an auspicious or inauspicious moment, by accident or arrangement. ¶

धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम् ।
तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते ॥२५॥

dhūmo rātris tathā kṛṣṇaḥ
ṣaṇ-māsā dakṣiṇāyanam
tatra cāndramasaṁ jyotir
yogī prāpya nivartate

dhūmaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdhūmaḥ

smoke; the smoke; turned to smoke, or the demigod in charge of smoke.—smoke; rātriḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigrātriḥ

night; the demigod in charge of night.—night; tathāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtatha

so.—also; kṛṣṇaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkrsnah

a kind of stag; Arjuna; black; even Lord Kṛṣṇa; Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana; Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa; Lord Krṣna; Lord Kṛṣṇa; Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself; Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead; Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; not different from Kṛṣṇa; the fortnight of the dark moon; the Lord; the Personality of Godhead; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa; the Supreme Personality, Kṛṣṇa; to Lord Kṛṣṇa.—the fortnight of the dark moon; ṣaṭplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsat

again the father or grandfather has come; always existing; auspicious; being; by authorities on religion; by exalted personalities; cause; effect; eternal; eternal existence; existing; good; legitimate; manifest; manifestation; manifested; manifested or phenomenal; of reality; of the devotees or the pious; respectable; result; resultant; right; Supreme; the cause; the effect; the Supreme; to the great sages; to the virtuous; to Your devotees; transcendental; which is existing, as the effect.-māsāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmasah

month; one month.—the six months; dakṣiṇaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdaksina

in South India; on the southern; south; South India; southern; southern India; to South India; to southern India; to the south; to the southern part of India.-ayanamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigayanam

ayana; lying in place; movement; the demigod in charge of the passing of the sun; the movement of the sun in six months; the movements of the stars and planets in relationship to human society; the shelter.—when the sun passes on the southern side; tatraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtatra

about the well of nectar; all those; among the sons; among them; and there; as well as; at that time; at that very spot; because of; here; in Him; in such; in such a condition; in such a position; in such a subject matter; in such activities; in that; in that case; in that connection (getting out of the entanglement of material conditioning); in that connection; in that direction; in that dynasty; in that forest; in that function; in that heavenly planet; in that meeting; in that ninth period of Manu; in that period (the eleventh manvantara); in that period; in that period of Manu; in that place; in that sacrifice; in that sixth manvantara; in that way; in the assembly; in the battlefield; in the eighth manvantara; in the forest; in this manvantara; in this; in those manvantara periods; in those hellish planets; in victory or defeat; in whom; inside the house of Narakāsura; on that hill; on the bank of the river; on the spot; on this fact; standing there; than them; that; then; then and there; thereafter; therefore; therein; thereof; thereon; thereupon; to that household life; upon doing this; within the wide-open mouth of Kṛṣṇa.—there; cāndramasamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigcāndramasam

the moon planet; to the moon.—the moon planet; jyotiḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjyotiḥ

effulgence; effulgent; electricity; fire; light; luminous; manifesting His bodily rays (the Brahman effulgence); of the effulgence; self-effulgent; source of light; the brahmajyoti, the effulgence of the Supreme Lord; the luminaries in the sky, such as the sun, the moon and the stars; the sun.—light; yogīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyogi

a yogī; a mystic yogī; a mystic transcendentalist; a transcendentalist; although he was a great mystic yogī; being a bhakti-yogī in the order of renunciation; engaged in bhakti-yoga; engaged in devotion; mendicant; mystic; mystics; one who is in touch with the Supreme Self; such a transcendentalist; the yogī; the devotee; the devotees of the Lord; the great sage; the mystic; the mystic devotee; the mystic transcendentalist; transcendentalist.—the mystic; prāpyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigprāpya

achieves; achieving; after achieving; after obtaining; although He was between; gaining; getting; having achieved; having attained; having obtained; having reached; obtaining; obtaining the shelter; to be awakened; up to this point.—achieves; nivartateplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bignivartate

ceases; ceases from; come down; comes back; does cease; does return; does stop; flees; is forsaken.—comes back. ¶

The mystic who passes away from this world during the smoke, the night, the moonlight fortnight, or in the six months when the sun passes to the south, or who reaches the moon planet, again comes back. ¶

In the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we are informed that those who are expert in fruitive activities and sacrificial methods on earth attain to the moon at death. These elevated souls live on the moon for about 10,000 years (by demigod calculations) and enjoy life by drinking soma-rasa. They eventually return to earth. This means that on the moon there are higher classes of living beings, though they may not be perceived by the gross senses. ¶

शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते ।
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुनः ॥२६॥

śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hy ete
jagataḥ śāśvate mate
ekayā yāty anāvṛttim
anyayāvartate punaḥ

śuklaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsukla

by Lord Viṣṇu; light; O embodiment of religion; of the bright fortnight; of the mode of goodness; white; whitish.—light; kṛṣṇeplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkṛṣṇe

by Lord Kṛṣṇa; darkness; for Kṛṣṇa; for Lord Kṛṣṇa; from Kṛṣṇa; in Kṛṣṇa; in Kṛṣṇa consciousness; in Kṛṣṇa's; in Lord Kṛṣṇa; Lord Kṛṣṇa; Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; to Kṛṣṇa; to Lord Kṛṣṇa; toward Kṛṣṇa; unto Kṛṣṇa; unto Lord Kṛṣṇa; unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa; when Lord Kṛṣṇa; with Kṛṣṇa.—darkness; gatīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biggati

admission; advancement; by her movement; destination; entrance; in the progression; movement; movements; moving; result; the course; the destination; ultimate goal; with movements.—passing away; hiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bighi

addressed; all; also; and above all; and exactly; as a matter of fact; assuredly; because; because of which; certainly; certainly are; exactly; exactly like; for; for this reason; from which; in deed; in fact; indeed (You can be realized by the devotees); indeed; is certainly; only; positively; reason of; since; surely; than; though; thus; undoubtedly; without fail.—certainly; eteplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigete

all; all of them; all of these; all that is described; all the above-mentioned kings; all these (descriptions of astronomical calculations); all these; all these soldiers of the demigods; of all these physical elements; on this path (as recommended above); Ourselves; the demons; the sons begotten by Aṅgirā; these; these boys; these boys with their calves; these calves; they; this Kṛṣṇa and His associates, the cowherd boys; those.—all these; jagataḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjagataḥ

in the presence of all; moving; of all moving things; of all the universe; of the cosmic manifestation; of the material manifestation; of the material world; of the moving being; of the universe; of the universes; of the whole cosmic manifestation; of the whole material world; of the whole universe; of the whole world; of the world; the universes.—of the material world; śāśvateplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigśāśvate

the Vedas.—the Vedas; mateplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmate

decision; in the opinion; philosophical conclusions.—in the opinion; ekayāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigekayā

by one; undiverted to karma and jñāna; undiverted to karma and jñāna; unflinching; with one attention.—by one; yātiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyati

achieves; one in the renounced order of life; or sannyāsī.—goes; anāvṛttimplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganāvṛttim

no return.—no return; anyayāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganyaya

by the other; with another she-goat.—by the other; āvartateplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigāvartate

achieves; comes back; one travels up and down through the cycle of saṁsāra; wanders in this forest; will come back.—comes back; punaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpunaḥ

again (at home); again (is to be said); again (their son); again; again and again; again, for the second time; again, the second; but; then; yet.—again. ¶

According to the Vedas, 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. ¶

The same description of departure and return is quoted by Ācārya Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa from the Chandogya Upaniṣad. In such a way, those who are fruitive laborers and philosophical speculators from time immemorial are constantly going and coming. Actually they do not attain ultimate salvation, for they do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa. ¶

नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन ।
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन ॥२७॥

naite sṛtī pārtha jānan
yogī muhyati kaścana
tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu
yoga-yukto bhavārjuna

naplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigna

never; not; are not; but not; cannot; certainly not; could not; did not; do not; does it not; does not; is not; it is not; it is not so; may not; neither; never; never does; never to be; no; no one; none; nor; not; not like that; not preceded by oṁ; not suitable; nothing; or not; shall not; should never; there is none; there is not; there should not be; was not; whether; without.—never; eteplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigete

all; all of them; all of these; all that is described; all the above-mentioned kings; all these (descriptions of astronomical calculations); all these; all these soldiers of the demigods; of all these physical elements; on this path (as recommended above); Ourselves; the demons; the sons begotten by Aṅgirā; these; these boys; these boys with their calves; these calves; they; this Kṛṣṇa and His associates, the cowherd boys; those.—all these; sṛtīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsṛtī

different paths; the destination of the living entities; way.—different paths; pārthaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpārtha

Arjuna; My dear Arjuna; O Arjuna; O Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; O Pārtha (Arjuna); O Pārtha (son of Pṛthā); O Pārtha; O son of Prthā; O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna); O son of Pṛthā (Kuntī); O son of Pṛthā; of Arjuna, son of Pṛthā (Kuntī).—O son of Pṛthā; jānanplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjanan

people in general; the people in general.—even if they know; yogīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyogi

a yogī; a mystic yogī; a mystic transcendentalist; a transcendentalist; although he was a great mystic yogī; being a bhakti-yogī in the order of renunciation; engaged in bhakti-yoga; engaged in devotion; mendicant; mystic; mystics; one who is in touch with the Supreme Self; such a transcendentalist; the yogī; the devotee; the devotees of the Lord; the great sage; the mystic; the mystic devotee; the mystic transcendentalist; transcendentalist.—the devotees of the Lord; muhyatiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmuhyati

become bewildered; becomes bewildered; becomes illusioned; bewildered; deluded; is bewildered.—bewildered; kaścanaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkascana

any; any other; anyone; anything; some; someone; whatever; whoever.—anyone; tasmātplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtasmāt

and above such worship of Lord Viṣṇu; and from Dharmaketu; because of being satisfied by things easily obtained; because of this; for this reason; from Aja; from Balasthala; from Barhi; from Devarāta; from Dhṛṣṭaketu; from Harita; from him (Akrodhana); from him (Bharuka); from him (Bṛhadratha); from him (Bṛhanmanā); from him (Dundubhi); from him (Durmada); from him (Haryaśva); from him (Kevala); from him (Khalapāna); from him (Khanitra); from him (King Pṛthuṣeṇa); from him (Mahasvān); from him (Manusyu); from him (Medhātithi); from him (Pariplava); from him (Pṛṣata); from him (Sudyu); from him (Udaksena); from him (Uśika); from him (Vidūratha); from him (Śuciratha); from him; from Kṛtirāta; from Kṣemādhi; from Kṣudraka; from Maru; from Mithila; from Prasenajit; from Pratīpaka; from Sañjaya; from Sindhudvīpa; from such a person; from Sumati; from that; from that fire; from that place; from the mouth of the crocodile; from the person named Devadatta; from there; from within the universe; on account of death; than him; the sphere of the seven stars; therefore (because I am the Supreme); therefore (because of being fully dependent on the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead); therefore; therefrom; thus.—therefore; sarveṣuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsarveṣu

all; all of them; all the air within the body; all varieties; always; everyone present there; everywhere; in all; to all. kāleṣuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkāleṣu

time.—always; yogaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyoga

yoga practice; and mystic power; and of mystic yoga; and of the means; by bhakti-yoga, devotional service; by yoga; by yoga practice; by a conjunction; by devotional service; by mystic power; by mystic practice; by mysticism; by power of mystic yoga; by practice of yoga; by practice of devotion; by the process of linking with the Supreme by bhakti-yoga; concentration of the mind; connection; devotion; devotional service in karma-yoga; eightfold yoga; in the mystic yoga process; in the mystic yoga process; linking process; means; mystic haṭha-yoga; mystic yoga practices; mystic; mystic power; mystic powers; mystic yoga practice; mystic yogic meditation; of linking up; of mystic yoga; of mysticism; of the yoga system; of yogic perfections; practice of the mystic yoga system; the mystic yoga system; the practice of mystic yoga; the process of controlling the senses; the science of self-realization or bhakti-yoga; the yoga.-yuktaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyuktah

accompanied; actual yogī; all engaged; associated with; being absorbed; being engaged; being united; bestowed; combined; competent for self-realization; devoutly attached; dovetailed; endowed; endowed with; engaged; engaged in the divine consciousness; fixed; in touch with the Supreme; in trance; is in the transcendental position; one who is engaged in devotional service; such engagement; surrounded; through such agency; together; well situated in yoga; with; with great attention.—being engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness; bhavaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhava

and by Lord Śiva; appearance; be; become; by Lord Śiva; compared to the world of nescience (birth, death, old age and disease); from birth; just become; Lord Śiva; material existence; O Lord Śiva; of material existence; of mundane existence; the distress of the repetition of birth and death; the repetition of birth and death; you become; You please be.—just become; arjunaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigarjuna

Arjuna; O Arjuna.—O Arjuna. ¶

The devotees who know these two paths, O Arjuna, are never bewildered. Therefore be always fixed in devotion. ¶

Kṛṣṇa is here advising Arjuna that he should not be disturbed by the different paths the soul can take when leaving the material world. A devotee of the Supreme Lord should not worry whether he will depart either by arrangement or by accident. The devotee should be firmly established in Krṣṇa consciousness and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. He should know that concern over either of these two paths is troublesome. The best way to be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is to be always dovetailed in His service, and this will make one’s path to the spiritual kingdom safe, certain, and direct. The word yoga-yukta is especially significant in this verse. One who is firm in yoga is constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in all his activities. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī advises that one should be unattached in the material world and that all affairs should be steeped in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In this way one attains perfection. Therefore the devotee is not disturbed by these descriptions because he knows that his passage to the supreme abode is guaranteed by devotional service. ¶

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् ।
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥५॥

anta-kāle ca mām eva
smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ

antaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganta

an end; and end; at the end; destruction; dissolution; end; limit; limitation; limits; of dissolution; the end; the limit; to the end.-kāleplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkāle

after that, in due course of time; at a time of fear; at an auspicious time; at noon; at that time; at the proper time; at the right time; at the time; in course of time; in due course; in due course of time; in the course of time; in time; just at that time; time; unpurified time; when the due time.—at the end of life; caplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigca

ca; all these; also; also other bodily forms; also that I have not been able to ask; and (the five gross material elements and the ten acting and knowledge-gathering senses); and; and also; and Devahūti; and for all; and the paraphernalia; as also; as much as; as well; as well as; but; certainly; either; however; indeed; only; or; over and above; respectively; the word ca; this word ca; thus; totally; unlimitedly; verily.—also; māmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmām

about Me; at me; attains me; from me; Me (Kṛṣṇa); Me (Lord Kṛṣṇa); me (the earth); Me (the Supreme Lord); me (Vasiṣṭha); me; Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; My direction; Myself; of myself; to Me; unto me; upon me.—unto Me; evaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigeva

alone; also; also the word eva; although; as; as it is; as it were; as much as; as they are; at all; at that time; certainly; certainly,; certainty; completely; definitely; even; ever; exactly; exactly like; factually; Himself; immediately; in fact; in this way; indeed; it is all like that; just; just so; like; like that; like this; of course; on the very; only; quite; simply; so; surely; the word eva; they are; thus; truly; undoubtedly; very; without doubt.—certainly; smaranplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsmaran

constantly remembering; recalling; remembering; thinking; thinking of.—remembering; muktvāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmuktvā

opening; quitting; without being touched.—quitting; kalevaramplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkalevaram

body; his body; material body; material tabernacle; mortal body; such a gigantic body; the body; the gigantic body of Pūtanā; the material body; this body; this material body.—the body; yaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyah

who; a devotee who; a person; a person who; all those; any person who; any such master who; anyone (king or governor); anyone; anyone who; Bali Mahārāja; because; everything; he (who has); he; he person who; He who (Govinda); he who (Jahnu); He who (Lord Nārāyaṇa); He who (Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu); he who (my so-called husband); he who (Somadatta); He who (the Lord); He who (the Personality of Godhead); He who (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); he who (Śunaḥśepha); he who; I who; it is He only; King Khaṭvāṅga who; Lord Rāmacandra who; Mahārāja Sagara who; on account of; one; one of the sons of Sagara Mahārāja; one which; one who (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); one who (Viśvāmitra); one who; one who is; person; such a person (as you); such a person; that; that is; that person; that Personality of Godhead who; that same person who; that which; the Lord who; the one; the one who; the person; the person who; the same Jaḍa Bharata who was formerly Mahārāja Bharata, the son of Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva; the same Rāhu; the Supreme Lord who; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the Supreme Personality of Godhead who; the system; who; who are; who is; whoever; whom; you who; Your Lordship.—he who; prayātiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigprayāti

achieved; does reach; goes; leaves.—goes; saḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsaḥ

mahat-tattva; a person (Kaṁsa); a son; Aghāsura; all; anyone; Bharata Mahārāja; Brahmā; child Parīkṣit; Dakṣa; Dhruva; Dhruva Mahārāja; Dhṛtarāṣṭra; Durvāsā Muni; he (Agastya); he (Aghāsura); he (Ajāmila); he (Ambarīṣa Mahārāja); he (Aṅgirā Ṛṣi); He (Baladeva); he (Bali Mahārāja); he (Brahmā); he (Brahmājī); he (Budha); he (Citraketu); he (Dakṣa); he (Devāpi); he (Dhruva Mahārāja); he (Dhruva); he (Droṇa); he (Durvāsā); he (Emperor Manu); he (Gajendra); he (Garuḍa); he (Hiraṇyakaśipu); he (Hiraṇyakaśipu, the King of the Daityas); he (Indra); he (Jamadagni); he (Janamejaya); he (Jaḍa Bharata); he (Kardama); he (Kaṁsa); he (King Citraketu); he (King Hūhū); he (King Indra); he (King Kaṁsa); he (King Nīpa); he (King Pṛthu); he (King Rantideva); he (King Āgnīdhra); he (Kārtavīryārjuna); He (Kṛṣṇa); He (Lakṣmaṇa, the brother of Lord Rāmacandra); he (Lord Brahmā); He (Lord Kṛṣṇa); He (Lord Rāmacandra); He (Lord Viṣṇu); he (Lord Śiva); he (Mahārāja Ambarīṣa); he (Mahārāja Bharata); he (Mahārāja Priyavrata); he (Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa); he (Maitreya Muni); he (Manu); he (my father); he (Nahuṣa); he (Nābhāga); he (one who is not self-controlled); he (Prahlāda Mahārāja); he (Purūravā); he (Rantideva); he (Sarvatejā); He (Satyasena); he (Soma, the moon-god); he (Svāyambhuva Manu); he (that hunter); he (that uncivilized Kaṁsa); he (the muni); he (the conditioned soul); he (the devotee); he (the great man); he (the individual soul); he (the King); he (the leader of the elephants); He (the Lord); He (the Personality of Godhead); he (the serpent); he (the sun-god); He (the Supreme Lord); He (the Supreme Person); He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); he (Vasudeva); he (Vasudeva, also known as Ānakadundubhi); he (Venus); he (Vidura); he (Viśvarūpa); He (Vāmanadeva); he (Vāsudeva); he (Vīrabhadra); he (Vṛtra); he (Vṛtrāsura); he (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); he (Śukrācārya); he (Śūra); he (Ṛcīka); he (Ṛṣyaśṛṅga); he; He alone; he is; he, Durvāsā Muni; he, Hariścandra; he, Jamadagni; he, King Purūravā; he, Kārtavīryārjuna; he, Lord Paraśurāma; He, Lord Rāmacandra; he, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; he, Mahārāja Sagara; he, Prahlāda Mahārāja; he, Purañjaya; he, Purūravā; he, Rohita; he, Rāvaṇa; he, Saubhari Muni; he, Saubhari Ṛṣi; he, so celebrated; he, Soma; he, the brāhmaṇa; he, the King; He, the Lord; he, Varuṇa; he, Vasiṣṭha; he, Vidura; He, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; Hiraṇyakaśipu; Hiraṇyākṣa; His Lordship; His Lordship the Supreme Personality of Godhead; his son Utkala; I am the same powerful person; is he; it; Jambhāsura; Kardama Muni; Kaśyapa; Kaśyapa Muni; King Dakṣa; King Indra; King Malayadhvaja; King Purañjana; King Pṛthu; King Vena; King Yayāti; Kṛṣṇa; Kṛṣṇa Himself; Lord Brahmā; Lord Kṛṣṇa; Lord Śiva; Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; Mahārāja Bharata; Mahārāja Ikṣvāku; Mahārāja Yayāti; Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; myself; one such as your good self; one who does so; Prahlāda Mahārāja; Prajāpati Dakṣa; Revata; so myself; someone; such; such a devotee; such a person; such a person as I am; such a personality; Sudyumna; Svāyambhuva Manu; that (great demon Maya Dānava); that (having the above symptoms); that (Supreme Personality of Godhead); that (Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa); that brāhmaṇa; that yoga system; that; that Ajāmila; that arrow; that banyan tree; that boy of the name Vena; whether that person; which; You; Your Lordship; yourself.—he; madplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmad

for my sake.-bhāvamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhavam

existence; Lord Śiva; repetition of birth and death; to Bhava; to Lord Śiva.—My nature; yatiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyati

achieves; one in the renounced order of life; or sannyāsī.—achieves; naplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigna

never; not; are not; but not; cannot; certainly not; could not; did not; do not; does it not; does not; is not; it is not; it is not so; may not; neither; never; never does; never to be; no; no one; none; nor; not; not like that; not preceded by oṁ; not suitable; nothing; or not; shall not; should never; there is none; there is not; there should not be; was not; whether; without.—not; astiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigasti

has; is; is there; there are; there is; there may be; there must be.—there is; atraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigatra

at the present moment; at this time; here (because of separation from Kṛṣṇa); here (in this gṛhastha-āśrama, or householder life); here (in this gambling match); here; here in this forest; here, in the matter of the beauty; here, in the third birth; here, on this earth; here, on this spot; herein; herewith; in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; in my kingdom; in the world; in these places; in this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; in this; in this body; in this connection; in this heavenly planet; in this life; in this life or world; in this Manu's reign; in this material world; in this matter; in this sacrificial arena; in this situation; in this world; on the spot; therein; under the circumstances; within this material world.—here; saṁśayaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsamsayah

all doubts; any doubt; doubt; doubts.—doubt. ¶

And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt. ¶

In this verse the importance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is stressed. Anyone who quits his body in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is at once transferred to the transcendental abode of the Supreme Lord. The word smaran (remembering) is important. Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa is not possible for the impure soul who has not practiced Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service. To remember Kṛṣṇa one should chant the mahāmantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, incessantly, following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, being more tolerant than the tree, humbler than the grass and offering all respect to others without requiring respect in return. In such a way one will be able to depart from the body successfully remembering Kṛṣṇa and so attain the supreme goal. ¶

अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना ।
परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन् ॥८॥

abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena
cetasā nānya-gāminā
paramaṁ puruṣaṁ divyaṁ
yāti pārthānucintayan

abhyāsaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigabhyāsa

practice.—practice; yogaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyoga

yoga practice; and mystic power; and of mystic yoga; and of the means; by bhakti-yoga, devotional service; by yoga; by yoga practice; by a conjunction; by devotional service; by mystic power; by mystic practice; by mysticism; by power of mystic yoga; by practice of yoga; by practice of devotion; by the process of linking with the Supreme by bhakti-yoga; concentration of the mind; connection; devotion; devotional service in karma-yoga; eightfold yoga; in the mystic yoga process; in the mystic yoga process; linking process; means; mystic haṭha-yoga; mystic yoga practices; mystic; mystic power; mystic powers; mystic yoga practice; mystic yogic meditation; of linking up; of mystic yoga; of mysticism; of the yoga system; of yogic perfections; practice of the mystic yoga system; the mystic yoga system; the practice of mystic yoga; the process of controlling the senses; the science of self-realization or bhakti-yoga; the yoga.-yuktenaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyuktena

equipped; equipped with.—being engaged in meditation; cetasāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigcetasā

all mental activities (thinking, feeling and willing); but by such a mentality; by consciousness; by intelligence; by the mind; by the mind and intelligence; consciousness; with a fully controlled mind; with a heart; with a mind; with the intelligence; with the mind.—by the mind and intelligence; naplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigna

never; not; are not; but not; cannot; certainly not; could not; did not; do not; does it not; does not; is not; it is not; it is not so; may not; neither; never; never does; never to be; no; no one; none; nor; not; not like that; not preceded by oṁ; not suitable; nothing; or not; shall not; should never; there is none; there is not; there should not be; was not; whether; without. anyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganya

another; any other; anyone else; anything else; different; diverted; else; for others; from others; other; other types; other,; others; others'; someone else; that other.-gāmināplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biggāminā

without being deviated.—without being deviated; paramamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigparamam

a supreme; divine; extreme; foremost; highest; is the supreme; most; supreme; the best (within the universe); the best; the Supreme; the ultimate; the ultimate goal; topmost; transcendental; ultimate; very; very great; very severe; with great.—the Supreme; puruṣamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpurusam

a male; a man; a person; another person; enjoyer; human; incarnation for cosmic manifestation; living entities; Lord Viṣṇu; man; person; personalities; personality; Personality of Godhead; the enjoyer; the living entities; the living entity; the living entity, the enjoyer; the Lord; the man; the person; the person situated in everyone's heart; the Personality of Godhead; the spirit soul; the Supersoul; the supreme enjoyer; the Supreme Lord; the Supreme Person; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; to a person; to the Supreme person; unto the Personality of Godhead; unto the Supreme Person; unto the Supreme Personality; unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.—Personality of Godhead; divyamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdivyam

celestial; divine; easily obtained because of rainfall from the sky; extraordinary; heavenly; in the spiritual kingdom; of the demigods; pertaining to the demigods in the higher planets; spiritual; superhuman; transcendental; uncommon; wonderful.—transcendental; yātiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyati

achieves; one in the renounced order of life; or sannyāsī.—achieves; pārthaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpārtha

Arjuna; My dear Arjuna; O Arjuna; O Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; O Pārtha (Arjuna); O Pārtha (son of Pṛthā); O Pārtha; O son of Prthā; O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna); O son of Pṛthā (Kuntī); O son of Pṛthā; of Arjuna, son of Pṛthā (Kuntī).—O son of Pṛthā; anucintayanplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganucintayan

constantly thinking of; thinking, feeling and willing.—constantly thinking of. ¶

He who meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, he, O Pārtha [Arjuna], is sure to reach Me. ¶

In this verse Lord Kṛṣṇa stresses the importance of remembering Him. One’s memory of Kṛṣṇa is revived by chanting the mahāmantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa. By this practice of chanting and hearing the sound vibration of the Supreme Lord, one’s ear, tongue and mind are engaged. This mystic meditation is very easy to practice, and it helps one attain the Supreme Lord. Puruṣam means enjoyer. Although living entities belong to the marginal energy of the Supreme Lord, they are in material contamination. They think themselves enjoyers, but they are not the supreme enjoyer. Here it is clearly stated that the supreme enjoyer is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His different manifestations and plenary expansions as Nārāyaṇa, Vāsudeva, etc. ¶

The devotees can constantly think of the object of worship, the Supreme Lord, in any of His features, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, etc., by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This practice will purify him, and at the end of his life, due to his constant chanting, he will be transferred to the kingdom of God. Yoga practice is meditation on the Supersoul within; similarly, by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one fixes his mind always on the Supreme Lord. The mind is fickle, and therefore it is necessary to engage the mind by force to think of Kṛṣṇa. One example often given is that of the caterpillar that thinks of becoming a butterfly and so is transformed into a butterfly in the same life. Similarly, if we constantly think of Kṛṣṇa, it is certain that at the end of our lives we shall have the same bodily constitution as Kṛṣṇa. ¶

वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव
दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम् ।
अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा
योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम् ॥२८॥

vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva
dāneṣu yat puṇya-phalaṁ pradiṣṭam
atyeti tat sarvam idaṁ viditvā
yogī paraṁ sthānam upaiti cādyam

vedeṣuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvedeṣu

in the Vedas; in the study of the Vedas; in the Vedic literatures; unto the Vedic scriptures; Vedic literatures.—in the study of the Vedas; yajñeṣuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyajñeṣu

in the performances of yajña, sacrifice.—in the performances of yajña, sacrifice; tapaḥsuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtapaḥsu

undergoing different types of austerities.—undergoing different types of austerities; caplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigca

ca; all these; also; also other bodily forms; also that I have not been able to ask; and (the five gross material elements and the ten acting and knowledge-gathering senses); and; and also; and Devahūti; and for all; and the paraphernalia; as also; as much as; as well; as well as; but; certainly; either; however; indeed; only; or; over and above; respectively; the word ca; this word ca; thus; totally; unlimitedly; verily.—also; evaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigeva

alone; also; also the word eva; although; as; as it is; as it were; as much as; as they are; at all; at that time; certainly; certainly,; certainty; completely; definitely; even; ever; exactly; exactly like; factually; Himself; immediately; in fact; in this way; indeed; it is all like that; just; just so; like; like that; like this; of course; on the very; only; quite; simply; so; surely; the word eva; they are; thus; truly; undoubtedly; very; without doubt.—certainly; dāneṣuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdāneṣu

in giving charities.—in giving charities; yatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyat

which; about whom; all these; all those; although; and as; and whichever; anything; as; as a matter of fact; as it is; as its; as much as; as they are; because; because of; because of which; because of whom; by the result of which; by the Supreme Lord; by which; by which way; by whom (the Supreme Lord); by whom; by whose; by whose merciful; even though; everything that was required; fixed under Your direction; for; for which; from both of whom; from him; from which; from whom; from whose; from Yuyudha; he whose; his; His eternal form which; his son; if; in which; in whom; inasmuch as; Kṛṣṇa; now further; of him (Somāpi); of him; of Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; of the fire-gods; of the Lord; of the Supreme Lord; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; of which (the intermediate space); of which; of whom (of the Supreme Lord); who; who is; whom; whose; whose form; Your.—that which; puṇyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpunya

of reactions of pious activities; of the results of pious activities; piety; pious; pious activities; pious activity; sanctified; virtue; virtues; virtuous.-phalamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigphalam

a fruit; fruit (which has come down without being distorted); fruit; fruitive result; fruits; result; result of sacrifice; results; results of action; the fruit; the perfect result of the action; the perfection of activities; the result; the resultant action.—the result of pious work; pradiṣṭamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpradiṣṭam

directed.—directed; atyetiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigatyeti

can overcome; conquers; one can cross over; surpasses.—surpasses; tatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtat

establishment of the statement tat tvam asi.—all those; sarvamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsarvam

all; all and everything; all of the body; all of them; all such sinful actions; all that be; all that is inquired; all these; all this; completely; each and every one of them; everything (he had obtained); everything; everything in detail; everything material; everywhere; fully; the sum total; the whole kingdom; the whole world; whole. idamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigidam

all of this cosmic manifestation; all these; all these manifestations; all these phenomena; all these planets; all these things; all this; as it is; here; in their own measurement; in this material world; in this way; in this world; is this; like this; on this (as follows); on this (path); the cosmic manifestation is produced; the following; the following words; the universe rests; the whole; the whole universe; these; these words; this (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam); this (all the land given to them); this (body); this (cosmic manifestation); this (creation); this (life); this (material body); this (material world); this (news); this (the body and senses); this (universe); this (world); this; this body; this body of Brahmā; this cosmic manifestation; this cosmic manifestation is created and maintained; this creation; this description of the characteristics of Vāmanadeva; this entire cosmic manifestation; this entire universe; this glorification; this incident; this lamentation; this manifestation; this material attachment; this material world; this phenomenal world; this philosophy of life; this prayer; this present form; this ultimate abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; this universe; this Vedic literature (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam); this whole material world; this whole universe; this world; thus; whatever we can see; which we see.—all those described above; viditvāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigviditvā

after understanding; having known; having learned; knowing; knowing it; knowing it well; knowing this; understanding; understanding the position of the Yadus and His other devotees; understanding this.—knowing; yogīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyogi

a yogī; a mystic yogī; a mystic transcendentalist; a transcendentalist; although he was a great mystic yogī; being a bhakti-yogī in the order of renunciation; engaged in bhakti-yoga; engaged in devotion; mendicant; mystic; mystics; one who is in touch with the Supreme Self; such a transcendentalist; the yogī; the devotee; the devotees of the Lord; the great sage; the mystic; the mystic devotee; the mystic transcendentalist; transcendentalist.—the devotee; paramplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigparam

above; absolute; after; after the initiation; afterwards; and afterward; another; as long as that of Lord Brahmā; as the ultimate goal of life; best; better means; beyond; beyond material nature; beyond that; but; but afterwards; distant; elevation to the heavenly planets or becoming one by merging into Brahman; enemies; far superior things; final; further supreme; Godhead; great; greater; greatest; heavy; higher; highest; liberation; merely; more supreme; most glorious; only; only or ultimately; only this earth; other; other thing; others; perfect; perfectly; sublime; superior; superior life; supreme; supreme, transcendental; that much only; the actual transcendental position; the best; the foremost; the goal of life; the greatest; the highest; the most exalted; the only means; the supreme; the supreme abode; the supreme knowledge (by which one can attain devotional service); the Supreme Lord; the Supreme Person; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the supreme whole; the transcendental world; the ultimate goal; to the transcendental spiritual kingdom; to the transcendental world; topmost; transcendence; transcendental; transcendental knowledge; transcendental to, beyond; transcendental world; ultimate; uncommon; under control; very great; very much; who are transcendental, beyond this material world; who is transcendental.—supreme; sthānamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsthānam

a place; abode; constructing places of residence; ground; own place; place; place, throne; that place; the abode; the land in possession; the maintenance of the creation; the place; the place where I am; the planetary systems; the proper place; to the place.—abode; upaitiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigupaiti

achieved peace; achieves; approaches; attains; can do; embraces the spirit soul; gains; gets; reaches; will obtain; will overtake.—achieved peace; caplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigca

ca; all these; also; also other bodily forms; also that I have not been able to ask; and (the five gross material elements and the ten acting and knowledge-gathering senses); and; and also; and Devahūti; and for all; and the paraphernalia; as also; as much as; as well; as well as; but; certainly; either; however; indeed; only; or; over and above; respectively; the word ca; this word ca; thus; totally; unlimitedly; verily.—also; ādyamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigadyam

original; the chief; the first of the kind; the original; the original cause of all causes; the original cause of everything; unto the original teacher of the universe (Lord Brahmā); You are the original cause.—original. ¶

A person who accepts the path of devotional service is not bereft of the results derived from studying the Vedas, performing austere sacrifices, giving charity or pursuing philosophical and fruitive activities. At the end he reaches the supreme abode. ¶

This verse is the summation of the Seventh and Eighth Chapters, particularly as the chapters deal with Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service. One has to study the Vedas under the guidance of the spiritual master and undergo many austerities and penances while living under his care. A brahmacārī has to live in the home of the spiritual master just like a servant, and he must beg alms from door to door and bring them to the spiritual master. He takes food only under the master’s order, and if the master neglects to call the student for food that day, the student fasts. These are some of the Vedic principles for observing brahmacarya. ¶

After the student studies the Vedas under the master for a period from five to twenty years, he may become a man of perfect character. Study of the Vedas is not meant for the recreation of armchair speculators, but for the formation of character. After this training, the brahmacārī is allowed to enter into household life and marry. When he is a householder, he also has to perform many sacrifices and strive for further enlightenment. Then after retiring from household life, upon accepting the order of vānaprastha, he undergoes severe penances, such as living in forests, dressing with tree bark, not shaving, etc. By carrying out the orders of brahmacārī, householder, vānaprastha and finally sannyāsa, one becomes elevated to the perfectional stage of life. Some are then elevated to the heavenly kingdoms, and when they become even more advanced they are liberated in the spiritual sky, either in the impersonal brahmajyoti or in the Vaikuṇṭha planets or Kṛṣṇaloka. This is the path outlined by Vedic literatures. ¶

The beauty of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, is that by one stroke, by engaging in devotional service, one can surpass all rituals of the different orders of life. ¶

One should try to understand the Seventh and Eighth Chapters of the Gītā not by scholarship or mental speculation, but by hearing them in association with pure devotees. Chapters Six through Twelve are the essence of the Gītā. If one is fortunate to understand the Gītā—especially these middle six chapters—in the association of devotees, then his life at once becomes glorified beyond all penances, sacrifices, charities, speculations, etc. One should hear the Gītā from the devotee because at the beginning of the Fourth Chapter it is stated that the Gīta can only be perfectly understood by devotees. Hearing the Gītā from devotees, not from mental speculators, is called faith. Through association of devotees, one is placed in devotional service, and by this service Kṛṣṇa’s activities, form, pastimes, name, etc., become clear, and all misgivings are dispelled. Then once doubts are removed, the study of the Gītā becomes extremely pleasurable, and one develops a taste and feeling for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the advanced stage, one falls completely in love with Kṛṣṇa, and that is the beginning of the highest perfectional stage of life which prepares the devotee’s transferral to Kṛṣṇa’s abode in the spiritual sky, Goloka Vṛndāvana, where the devotee enters into eternal happiness. ¶

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Eighth Chapter of the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā in the matter of Attaining the Supreme. ¶