Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8
(Compiled notes)
Note: This is a series of study notes from the translation of Bhagavad Gita by Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada (ISKCON founder) and titled as "Bhagvad Gita as it is". The copyright and content is that of Prabhupada & publishers. My part is simply distilling the knowledge from my self study and notes to share here in simple abridged form.
Akshar Brahma Gyan Yoga - Yoga of the Supreme
The undeniable fact in life is death. One who is born will one day die. All animals, birds, plants, aquatics even celestials like planets, moons and stars are subject to this Truth. The question then is how to undergo this process properly so there is no repetition of this endless cycle. Human life is the only form of life where this endless cycle can be broken by Yoga as taught by Lord Sri Krishna. In this chapter we learn the process..
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8.5 - अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् । य: प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशय: ॥ ५ ॥
At the time of death one who leaves his body meditating on Me, he certainly comes to My abode.
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8.6 - यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् । तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावित: ॥ ६ ॥
As the last thought of a living entity at the time of death, so does that living entity attain that state in next birth.
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8.7 - तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च । मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशय: ॥ ७ ॥
Therefore at all times remember Me and perform your prescribed duty. By surrendering the mind and intelligence to Me, you will certainly come to Me.
The summary of the above three verses is the yogic process of living in the body and leaving the body.
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Death is inevitable
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The prevailing thought at the time of death begets our next body
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To attain the abode of the Lord, thus ,one ought to remember the Lord always in a mood of surrender -- especially at the time of death. This requires lifelong practice and thats why being in a meditative state of mind always through devotional service is recommended. This is also known as Sthitapragya. A discussion of the same can be found here.
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8.14:
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Q - Do you have to be physically in a holy place to practice devotional service?
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A - The special qualification of the pure devotee is that he is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa without deviation and without considering the time or place. There should be no impediments. He should be able to carry out his service anywhere and at any time. Some say that the devotee should remain in holy places like Vṛndāvana or some holy town where the Lord lived, but a pure devotee can live anywhere and create the atmosphere of Vṛndāvana by his devotional service. It was Śrī Advaita who told Lord Caitanya, “Wherever You are, O Lord – there is Vṛndāvana.”
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8.15 - मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दु:खालयमशाश्वतम् । नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मान: संसिद्धिं परमां गता: ॥ १५ ॥
Once having attained Me, there is no return for the realized souls to this material world full of temporary joys and miseries.
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8.16 - आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोका: पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन । मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ॥ १६ ॥
In this material world from the highest to lowest places, there is no end to miseries of repeated birth and death. But only in My spiritual abode does this cycle cease.
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8.13 - ॐ = the impersonal sound of Kṛṣṇa
My chosen verse from this chapter:
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च ।
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशय: ॥ 8.7॥
Therefore at all times remember Me and perform your prescribed duty. By surrendering the mind and intelligence to Me, you will certainly come to Me.
We all know that in the material world, that death is inevitable -- ie anyone who is born will have to transmigrate to another body one day. From Gita, we learn that the prevailing thought at the time of death begets our next body. This cycle is endless and the only loophole to break free from this endless cycle is in the human body. And thus for those who seek the permanent freedom, the single prime goal of human life becomes the attainment of freedom from this endless cycle of birth death old-age disease and to attain to the abode of the Lord (ie no more birth in any species of life in material world).
To attain the abode of the Lord, thus, one ought to remember the Lord always in a mood of surrender -- especially at the time of death. This requires lifelong practice and thats why being in a meditative state of mind always, through devotional service is recommended. This conditioning of the mind is also known as Sthitapragya. Here the Lord is guaranteeing that one who is able to attain this Sthitapragya state, without doubt attains to perfection of human life.
