Bhagavad-gita As It Is
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
CHAPTER EIGHT
Bg8.15
TEXT 15
mam upetya punar janma
duhkhalayam asasvatam
napnuvanti mahatmanah
samsiddhim paramam gatah
mam—unto Me; upetya—achieving; punah—again; janma—birth; duhkha-alayam—place of miseries; asasvatam—temporary; na—never; apnuvanti—attain; mahatmanah—the great souls; samsiddhim—perfection; paramam—ultimate; gatah—achieved.
TRANSLATION
After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.
PURPORT
Since this temporary material world is full of the miseries of birth, old age, disease and death, naturally he who achieves the highest perfection and attains the supreme planet, Krsnaloka, Goloka Vrndavana, does not wish to return. The supreme planet is described in Vedic literature as beyond our material vision, and it is considered the highest goal. The mahatmas (great souls) receive transcendental messages from the realized devotees and thus gradually develop devotional service in Krsna consciousness and become so absorbed in transcendental service that they no longer desire elevation to any of the material planets, nor do they even want to be transferred to any spiritual planet. They only want Krsna’s association and nothing else. Such great souls in Krsna consciousness attain the highest perfection of life. In other words, they are the supreme souls. Bg8.16 TEXT 16 a-brahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino ’rjuna mam upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate abrahma—up to the Brahmaloka planet; bhuvanat—from the planetary systems; lokah—planets; punah—again; avartinah—returning; arjuna—O Arjuna; mam—unto Me; upetya—arriving; tu—but; kaunteya—O son of Kunti; punah janma—rebirth; na—never; vidyate—takes to. TRANSLATION From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again. PURPORT All kinds of yogis—karma, jnana, hatha, etc.—eventually have to attain devotional perfection in bhakti-yoga, or Krsna consciousness, before they can go to Krsna’s transcendental abode and never return. Those who attain the highest material planets or the planets of the demigods are again subjected to repeated birth and death. As persons on earth are elevated to higher planets, people in higher planets such as Brahmaloka, Candraloka and Indraloka fall down to earth. The practice of sacrifice called pancagni-vidya, recommended in the Katha Upanisad, enables one to achieve Brahmaloka, but if, in Brahmaloka, one does not cultivate Krsna consciousness, then he must return to earth. Those who progress in Krsna consciousness in the higher planets are gradually elevated to higher and higher planets and at the time of universal devastation are transferred to the eternal spiritual kingdom. When there is devastation of this material universe, Brahma and his devotees, who are constantly engaged in Krsna consciousness, are all transferred to the spiritual universe and to specific spiritual planets according to their desires. Bg8.17 TEXT 17 sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh ratrim yuga-sahasrantam te ’ho-ratra-vido janah sahasra—thousand; yuga—millenniums; prayantam—including; ahah—day; yat—that; brahmanah—of Brahma; viduh—know it; ratrim—night; yuga—millenniums; sahasra-antam—similarly, at the end of one thousand; te—that; ahah-ratra—day and night; vidah—understand; janah—people. TRANSLATION By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together is the duration of Brahma’s one day. And such also is the duration of his night. PURPORT The duration of the material universe is limited. It is manifested in cycles of kalpas. A kalpa is a day of Brahma, and one day of Brahma consists of a thousand cycles of four yugas or ages: Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali. The cycle of Satya is characterized by virtue, wisdom and religion, there being practically no ignorance and vice, and the yuga lasts 1,728,000 years. In the Treta-yuga vice is introduced, and this yuga lasts 1,296,000 years. In the Dvapara-yuga there is an even greater decline in virtue and religion, vice increasing, and this yuga lasts 864,000 years. And finally in Kali-yuga (the yuga we have now been experiencing over the past 5,000 years) there is an abundance of strife, ignorance, irreligion and vice, true virtue being practically nonexistent, and this yuga lasts 432,000 years. In Kali-yuga vice increases to such a point that at the termination of the yuga the Supreme Lord Himself appears as the Kalki avatara, vanquishes the demons, saves His devotees, and commences another Satya-yuga. Then the process is set rolling again. These four yugas, rotating a thousand times, comprise one day of Brahma, the creator god, and the same number comprise one night. Brahma lives one hundred of such “years” and then dies. These “hundred years” by earth calculations total to 311 trillion and 40 million earth years. By these calculations the life of Brahma seems fantastic and interminable, but from the viewpoint of eternity it is as brief as a lightning flash. In the causal ocean there are innumerable Brahmas rising and disappearing like bubbles in the Atlantic. Brahma and his creation are all part of the material universe, and therefore they are in constant flux. In the material universe not even Brahma is free from the process of birth, old age, disease and death. Brahma, however, is directly engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord in the management of this universe—therefore he at once attains liberation. Elevated sannyasis are promoted to Brahma’s particular planet, Brahmaloka, which is the highest planet in the material universe and which survives all the heavenly planets in the upper strata of the planetary system, but in due course Brahma and all inhabitants of Brahmaloka are subject to death, according to the law of material nature. Bg8.18 TEXT 18 avyaktad vyaktayah sarvah prabhavanty ahar-agame ratry-agame praliyante tatraivavyakta-samjnake avyaktat—from the unmanifest; vyaktayah—living entities; sarvah—all; prabhavanti—come into being; ahah-agame—at the beginning of the day; ratri-agame—at the fall of night; praliyante—are annihilated; tatra—there; eva—certainly; avyakta—the unmanifest; samjnake—called. TRANSLATION When Brahma’s day is manifest, this multitude of living entities comes into being, and at the arrival of Brahma’s night they are all annihilated. PURPORT The less intelligent jivas try to remain within this material world and are accordingly elevated and degraded in the various planetary systems. During the daytime of Brahma they exhibit their activities, and at the coming of Brahma’s night they are annihilated. In the day they receive various bodies for material activities, and at night these bodies perish. The jivas (individual souls) remain compact in the body of Visnu and again and again are manifest at the arrival of Brahma’s day. When Brahma’s life is finally finished, they are all annihilated and remain unmanifest for millions and millions of years. Finally, when Brahma is born again in another millennium, they are again manifest. In this way the jivas are captivated by the material world. However, those intelligent beings who take to Krsna consciousness and chant Hare Krsna, Hare Rama in devotional service transfer themselves, even in this life, to the spiritual planet of Krsna and become eternally blissful there, not being subject to such rebirths. Bg8.19 TEXT 19 bhuta-gramah sa evayam bhutva bhutva praliyate ratry-agame ’vasah partha prabhavaty ahar-agame bhuta-gramah—the aggregate of all living entities; sah—they; eva—certainly; ayam—this; bhutva bhutva—taking birth; praliyate—annihilate; ratri—night; agame—on arrival; avasah—automatically; partha—O son of Prtha; prabhavanti—manifest; ahah—during daytime; agame—on arrival. TRANSLATION Again and again the day comes, and this host of beings is active; and again the night falls, O Partha, and they are helplessly dissolved. Bg8.20 TEXT 20 paras tasmat tu bhavo ’nyo ’vyakto ’vyaktat sanatanah yah sa sarvesu bhutesu nasyatsu na vinasyati parah—transcendental; tasmat—from that; tu—but; bhavah—nature; anyah—another; avyaktah—unmanifest; avyaktat—from the unmanifest; sanatanah—eternal; yah—that; sah—which; sarvesu—all; bhutesu—manifestation; nasyatsu—being annihilated; na—never; vinasyati—annihilated. TRANSLATION Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is. PURPORT Krsna’s superior spiritual energy is transcendental and eternal. It is beyond all the changes of material nature, which is manifest and annihilated during the days and nights of Brahma. Krsna’s superior energy is completely opposite in quality to material nature. Superior and inferior nature are explained in the Seventh Chapter. Bg8.21 TEXT 21 avyakto ’ksara ity uktas tam ahuh paramam gatim yam prapya na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama avyaktah—unmanifested; aksarah—infallible; iti—thus; uktah—said; tam—that which; ahuh—is known; paramam—ultimate; gatim—destination; yam—that which; prapya—gaining; na—never; nivartante—comes back; tat-dhama—that abode; paramam—supreme; mama—Mine. TRANSLATION That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode. PURPORT The supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is described in the Brahma-samhita as cintamani-dhama, a place where all desires are fulfilled. The supreme abode of Lord Krsna known as Goloka Vrndavana is full of palaces made of touchstone. There are also trees which are called “desire trees” that supply any type of eatable upon demand, and there are cows known as surabhi cows which supply a limitless supply of milk. In this abode, the Lord is served by hundreds of thousands of goddesses of fortune (Laksmis), and He is called Govinda, the primal Lord and the cause of all causes. The Lord is accustomed to blow His flute (venum kvanantam). His transcendental form is the most attractive in all the worlds—His eyes are like the lotus petals and the color of His body like clouds. He is so attractive that His beauty excels that of thousands of cupids. He wears saffron cloth, a garland around His neck and a peacock feather in His hair. In the Gita Lord Krsna gives only a small hint of His personal abode (Goloka Vrndavana) which is the supermost planet in the spiritual kingdom. A vivid description is given in the Brahma-samhita. Vedic literature states that there is nothing superior to the abode of the Supreme Godhead, and that that abode is the ultimate destination. When one attains to it, he never returns to the material world. Krsna’s supreme abode and Krsna Himself are nondifferent, being of the same quality. On this earth, Vrndavana, ninety miles southeast of Delhi, is a replica of that supreme Goloka Vrndavana located in the spiritual sky. When Krsna descended on this earth, He sported on that particular tract of land known as Vrndavana in the district of Mathura, India. Bg8.22 TEXT 22 purusah sa parah partha bhaktya labhyas tv ananyaya yasyantah-sthani bhutani yena sarvam idam tatam purusah—the Supreme Personality; sah—He; parah—the Supreme, than whom no one is greater; partha—O son of Prtha; bhaktya—by devotional service; labhyah—can be achieved; tu—but; ananyaya—unalloyed, undeviating devotion; yasya—His; antahsthani—within; bhutani—all this material manifestation; yena—by whom; sarvam—all; idam—whatever we can see; tatam—distributed. TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than all, is attainable by unalloyed devotion. Although He is present in His abode, He is all-pervading, and everything is situated within Him. PURPORT It is here clearly stated that the supreme destination from which there is no return is the abode of Krsna, the Supreme Person. The Brahma-samhita describes this supreme abode as ananda-cinmaya-rasa, a place where everything is full of spiritual bliss. Whatever variegatedness is manifest there is all of the quality of spiritual bliss—there is nothing material. All variegatedness is expanded as the spiritual expansion of the Supreme Godhead Himself, for the manifestation there is totally of the spiritual energy, as explained in Chapter Seven. As far as this material world is concerned, although the Lord is always in His supreme abode, He is nonetheless all-pervading by His material energy. So by His spiritual and material energies He is present everywhere—both in the material and in the spiritual universes. Yasyantahsthani means that everything is sustained by Him, whether it be spiritual or material energy. It is clearly stated here that only by bhakti, or devotional service, can one enter into the Vaikuntha (spiritual) planetary system. In all the Vaikunthas there is only one Supreme Godhead, Krsna, who has expanded Himself into millions and millions of plenary expansions. These plenary expansions are four-armed, and they preside over the innumerable spiritual planets. They are known by a variety of names—Purusottama, Trivikrama, Kesava, Madhava, Aniruddha, Hrsikesa, Sankarsana, Pradyumna, Sridhara, Vasudeva, Damodara, Janardana, Narayana, Vamana, Padmanabha, etc. These plenary expansions are likened unto the leaves of a tree, and the main tree is likened to Krsna. Krsna, dwelling in Goloka Vrndavana, His supreme abode, systematically conducts all affairs of both universes (material and spiritual) without a flaw by power of His all-pervasiveness. Bg8.23 TEXT 23 yatra kale tv anavrttim avrttim caiva yoginah prayata yanti tam kalam vaksyami bharatarsabha yatra—in that; kale—time; tu—but; anavrttim—no return; avrttim—return; ca—also; eva—certainly; yoginah—of different kinds of mystics; prayatah—one who goes; yanti—departs; tam—that; kalam—time; vaksyami—describing; bharatarsabha—O best of the Bharatas. TRANSLATION O best of the Bharatas, I shall now explain to you the different times at which, passing away from this world, one does or does not come back. PURPORT 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 Krsna’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, jnana-yoga, hatha-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 yogi 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 Acarya Baladeva Vidyabhusana, the Sanskrit word kala used herein refers to the presiding deity of time. Bg8.24 TEXT 24 agnir jyotir ahah suklah san-masa uttarayanam tatra prayata gacchanti brahma brahma-vido janah agnih—fire; jyotih—light; ahah—day; suklah—white; sat-masah—six months; uttarayanam—when the sun passes on the northern side; tatra—there; prayatah—one who goes; gacchanti—passes away; brahma—the Absolute; brahma-vidah—one who knows the Absolute; janah—person. TRANSLATION 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. PURPORT 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 jiva 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 Krsna consciousness, there is no fear of returning, whether he leaves the body at an auspicious or inauspicious moment, by accident or arrangement. Bg8.25 TEXT 25 dhumo ratris tatha krsnah san-masa daksinayanam tatra candramasam jyotir yogi prapya nivartate dhumah—smoke; ratrih—night; tatha—also; krsnah—the fortnight of the dark moon; sat-masah—the six months; daksina-ayanam—when the sun passes on the southern side; tatra—there; candramasam—the moon planet; jyotih—light, yogi—the mystic; prapya—achieves; nivartate—comes back. TRANSLATION 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. PURPORT In the Third Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam 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. Bg8.26 TEXT 26 sukla-krsne gati hy ete jagatah sasvate mate ekaya yaty anavrttim anyayavartate punah sukla—light; krsne—darkness; gati—passing away; hi—certainly; ete—all these; jagatah—of the material world; sasvate—the Vedas; mate—in the opinion; ekaya—by one; yati—goes; anavrttim—no return; anyaya—by the other; avartate—comes back; punah—again. TRANSLATION 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. PURPORT The same description of departure and return is quoted by Acarya Baladeva Vidyabhusana from the Chandogya Upanisad. 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 Krsna. Bg8.27 TEXT 27 naite srti partha janan yogi muhyati kascana tasmat sarvesu kalesu yoga-yukto bhavarjuna na—never; ete—all these; srti—different paths; partha—O son of Prtha; janan—even if they know; yogi—the devotees of the Lord; muhyati—bewildered; kascana—anyone; tasmat—therefore; sarvesu kalesu—always; yoga-yuktah—being engaged in Krsna consciousness; bhava—just become; arjuna—O Arjuna. TRANSLATION The devotees who know these two paths, O Arjuna, are never bewildered. Therefore be always fixed in devotion. PURPORT Krsna 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 Krsna consciousness and chant Hare Krsna. He should know that concern over either of these two paths is troublesome. The best way to be absorbed in Krsna 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 Krsna consciousness in all his activities. Sri Rupa Gosvami advises that one should be unattached in the material world and that all affairs should be steeped in Krsna 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. Bg8.28 TEXT 28 vedesu yajnesu tapahsu caiva danesu yat punya-phalam pradistam atyeti tat sarvam idam viditva yogi param sthanam upaiti cadyam vedesu—in the study of the Vedas; yajnesu—in the performances of yajna, sacrifice; tapahsu—undergoing different types of austerities; ca—also; eva—certainly; danesu—in giving charities; yat—that which; punya-phalam—the result of pious work; pradistam—directed; atyeti—surpasses; tat—all those; sarvam idam—all those described above; viditva—knowing; yogi—the devotee; param—supreme; sthanam—abode; upaiti—achieved peace; ca—also; adyam—original. TRANSLATION 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. PURPORT This verse is the summation of the Seventh and Eighth Chapters, particularly as the chapters deal with Krsna 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 brahmacari 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 brahmacari 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 vanaprastha, he undergoes severe penances, such as living in forests, dressing with tree bark, not shaving, etc. By carrying out the orders of brahmacari, householder, vanaprastha and finally sannyasa, 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 Vaikuntha planets or Krsnaloka. This is the path outlined by Vedic literatures. The beauty of Krsna 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 Gita not by scholarship or mental speculation, but by hearing them in association with pure devotees. Chapters Six through Twelve are the essence of the Gita. If one is fortunate to understand the Gita—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 Gita from the devotee because at the beginning of the Fourth Chapter it is stated that the Gita can only be perfectly understood by devotees. Hearing the Gita from devotees, not from mental speculators, is called faith. Through association of devotees, one is placed in devotional service, and by this service Krsna’s activities, form, pastimes, name, etc., become clear, and all misgivings are dispelled. Then once doubts are removed, the study of the Gita becomes extremely pleasurable, and one develops a taste and feeling for Krsna consciousness. In the advanced stage, one falls completely in love with Krsna, and that is the beginning of the highest perfectional stage of life which prepares the devotee’s transferral to Krsna’s abode in the spiritual sky, Goloka Vrndavana, where the devotee enters into eternal happiness. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Eighth Chapter of the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Attaining the Supreme.