Chapter 8
Shloka 1
arjuna uvaca
kim tad brahma kim adhyatmam
kim karma purusottama
adhibhutam ca kim proktam
adhidaivam kim ucyate
Arjuna said: What this Brahman, what (is) adhyatma, what (is) karma O Best among men (Krishna), and adhibhutam what (is) declared to be, adhidaivam what is said to be?
Shloka 2
adhiyajnah katham ko ‘tra
dehe ‘smin madhusudana
prayana-kale ca katham
jneyo ‘si niyatatmabhih
Adhiyagna how, what here (in) this body Madhusudana, and at the time of departure how (are) to be known by self-controlled.
Shloka 3
sri-bhagavan uvaca
aksaram brahma paramam
svabhavo ‘dhyatmam ucyate
bhuta-bhavodbhava-karo
visargah karma-samjnitah
Shri Bhagavan said : imperishable Supreme brahman inherent nature is Adhyatma said to be, cause of origin of beings; creative-power (that causes rebirth) karma known as.
Shloka 4
adhibhutam ksaro bhavah
purusas cadhidaivatam
adhiyajno ‘ham evatra
dehe deha-bhrtam vara
Adhibutham (is) perishable being, and purusha (spirit?) adhidaivam, adhiyagna I (am indeed) here in body, O chosen of the embodied (Arjuna).
Shloka 5
anta-kale ca mam eva
smaran muktva kalevaram
yah prayati sa mad-bhavam
yati nasty atra samsayah
And (at) end-time me indeed thinking having released the body who departs, he my-state attains, there is no here doubt.
Shloka 6
yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya
sada tad-bhava-bhavitah
Moreover, whatever indeed thinking state of being abandons at end the body, that indeed (he) attains, O Kaunteya; always that state of being (is) caused to become.
Shloka 7
tasmat sarvesu kalesu
mam anusmara yudhya ca
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mam evaisyasy asamsayah
Therefore at all times think of me and fight, in me dedicated your mind and intellect, me indeed you’ll attain, without doubt.
Shloka 8
abhyasa-yoga-yuktena
cetasa nanya-gamina
paramam purusam divyam
yati parthanucintayan
By practice (of) yoga (with) disciplined mind not anywhere (else) going (i.e., not wandering), Supreme person divine he goes O Partha, meditating (on Him).
Shloka 9
kavim puranam anusasitaram
anor aniyamsam anusmared yah
sarvasya dhataram acintya-rupam
aditya-varnam tamasah parastat
Poet (sage), ancient, ruler, than atom smaller (subtler) meditates who, of all the support, of unthinkable form, of the color of sun, beyond darkness.
Shloka 10
prayana-kale manasacalena
bhaktya yukto yoga-balena caiva
bhruvor madhye pranam avesya samyak
sa tam param purusam upaiti divyam
At the time of departure, by mind unwavering devotion yoked and (by) yoga-strength indeed between the two brows prana (life-principle) stabilizing correctly, he goes to this supreme person divine.
Shloka 11
yad aksaram veda-vido vadanti
visanti yad yatayo vita-ragah
yad icchanto brahmacaryam caranti
tat te padam sangrahena pravaksye
Which imperishable Veda-knowing call, enter which ascetics freed of passion, which desiring brahmacharya-path they follow, that to you path briefly I shall explain.
Shloka 12
sarva-dvarani samyamya
mano hrdi nirudhya ca
murdhny adhayatmanah pranam
asthito yoga-dharanam
All-gates (senses) controlling, and mind into heart confining, in the head placing self (one’s) prana, establishing in yoga-concentration.
Shloka 13
om ity ekaksaram brahma
vyaharan mam anusmaran
yah prayati tyajan deham
sa yati paramam gatim
AUM, thus one-syllabled brahman uttering, me thinking, who goes forth abandoning body, he goes to supreme goal.
Shloka 14
ananya-cetah satatam
yo mam smarati nityasah
tasyaham sulabhah partha
nitya-yuktasya yoginah
Whose mind does not go anywhere else, always who me thinks of constantly, to him I easy to attain O Partha, ever yoked Yogi.
Shloka 15
mam upetya punar janma
duhkhalayam asasvatam
napnuvanti mahatmanah
samsiddhim paramam gatah
Me approaching again birth (into) misfortune-house impermanent (does) not incur; great souls perfection Supreme gone (attained).
Shloka 16
abrahma-bhuvanal lokah
punar avartino ‘rjuna
mam upetya tu kaunteya
punar janma na vidyate
Up to Brahma’s world realm rebirth cycles, O Arjuna, me approaching, but Kaunteya (Arjuna) again birth is not found.
Shloka 17
sahasra-yuga-paryantam
ahar yad brahmano viduh
ratrim yuga-sahasrantam
te ‘ho-ratra-vido janah
Thousand-yuga-as far as, (is) day which of Brahma, (who) know, night a thousand yuga-ending, they day-night knowing men.
Shloka 18
avyaktad vyaktayah sarvah
prabhavanty ahar-agame
ratry-agame praliyante
tatraivavyakta-samjnake
From the unmanifest manifestations all come forth day-arrival, night-arrival (manifestations) dissolve, that (case) unmanifest (it is) known as.
Shloka 19
bhuta-gramah sa evayam
bhutva bhutva praliyate
ratry-agame ‘vasah partha
prabhavaty ahar-agame
Beings-multitude this indeed, this coming in existence again and again (and) dissolves (with) night-arrival without will (inevitably), O Partha (Arjuna), comes into existence (with) day-arrival.
Shloka 20
paras tasmat tu bhavo ‘nyo
‘vyakto ‘vyaktat sanatanah
yah sa sarvesu bhutesu
nasyatsu na vinasyati
Higher than this but state of being another, unmanifest, than the unmanifest, primeval, which this all beings perishing, not perishes.
Shloka 21
avyakto ‘ksara ity uktas
tam ahuh paramam gatim
yam prapya na nivartante
tad dhama paramam mama
Unmanifest imperishable thus declared, this (they) call supreme goal, which attaining not return that dwelling supreme (of) mine.
Shloka 22
purusah sa parah partha
bhaktya labhyas tv ananyaya
yasyantah-sthani bhutani
yena sarvam idam tatam
Supreme purusha (spirit) He, O Partha (Arjuna) by unwavering devotion is obtainable, indeed; of which within standing (i.e., existing) (all) beings; by which all this pervaded.
Shloka 23
yatra kale tv anavrttim
avrttim caiva yoginah
prayata yanti tam kalam
vaksyami bharatarsabha
Where (in) time indeed no-return, and return the yogis; (upon) departing where they go, (of) this time I will speak O Bull among men (Arjuna).
Shloka 24
agnir jyotir ahah suklah
san-masa uttarayanam
tatra prayata gacchanti
brahma brahma-vido janah
Fire, brightness, day, bright-fortnight (of moon phases) six months (of) northward-movement of sun; there departing they go (to) Brahman (the) Brahman-knowing men.
Shloka 25
dhumo ratris tatha krsnah
san-masa daksinayanam
tatra candramasam jyotir
yogi prapya nivartate
Smoke, night and the dark-phase of moon, six months of right-side (i.e., south) movement of sun, there lunar brightness, yogi attaining returns (i.e., has rebirth).
Shloka 26
sukla-krsne gati hy ete
jagatah sasvate mate
ekaya yaty anavrttim
anyayavartate punah
Bright (and) dark paths indeed these two, of the universe eternal thought to be; by one one goes to non-return (no rebirth), by the other he returns again.
Shloka 27
naite srti partha janan
yogi muhyati kascana
tasmat sarvesu kalesu
yoga-yukto bhavarjuna
Not these two paths O Partha (Arjuna) knowing yogi (is) confused at all, therefore all the time yoked-to-yoga be Arjuna.
Shloka 28
vedesu yajnesu tapahsu caiva
danesu yat punya-phalam pradistam
atyeti tat sarvam idam viditva
yogi param sthanam upaiti cadyam
In the Veda, in the sacrifice, and in austerity indeed in charity which sacred-fruit (result) ordained, he transcends that all this having known and (the) yogi attains primal supreme abode.
Bhagavad Gita translated 