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Bhagavad Gita · 8.2 · Path of the Eternal God·2 of 28

अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदनप्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः

adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ ko ’tra dehe ’smin madhusūdana

prayāṇa-kāle cha kathaṁ jñeyo ’si niyatātmabhiḥ

Sanskrit recitation

What you remember at the end · 8.1–8.13 · Teaching

Translation

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

Meaning

Arjuna put seven questions to the Lord1. What is that Brahman Is it Brahman with the Upadhis (limiting adjuncts) or Brahman without them2. Is it the aggregate of the senses or individual consciousness (PratyakChaitanya) or distinct, pure consciousness3. What is Karma Is it Yajna Or, is it distinct from Yajna4. Adhibhuta is knowledge of the Bhutas. Is this the knowledge of the elements or something else5. Adhidaiva is that which is associated with the gods. Is this the meditation on the gods Or, is it the consciousness associated with the Suryamandala, etc.6. Adhiyajna is that which is associated with Yajnas or Vedic rituals. Is this the Para Brahman (Supreme Being) or any special god Is it of the same form (Tadatmyarupa) or is it entirely nondifferent (Abheda) Does it exist in the body or outside it If it exists in the body, is it the intellect (Buddhi) or distinct from it7. At the time of death, when the memory is lost and when the senses become cold (i.e., whenthey lose their vitality) how can the man of onepointedness and of steadfast mind know the LordO Lord Madhusudana Thou art allmerciful. Thou hast killed Madhu and removed the miseries of the people. Even so Thou canst remove my difficulties and doubts very easily. This is nothing for Thee, the omniscient Lord. (This is the reason why Arjuna addresses the Lord by the name Madhusudana.)

After Swami Sivananda

What you remember at the end· 8.1–8.13

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

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

Related verses

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