Bhagavad Gita · 8.18 · Path of the Eternal God·18 of 28
अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे।रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके ॥
avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ
prabhavantyahar-āgame rātryāgame pralīyante tatraivāvyakta-sanjñake
Sanskrit recitation
The path of light · 8.14–8.22 · Teaching
Translation
From the Unmanifested, all the manifested worlds proceed upon the arrival of the 'day'; upon the arrival of the 'night', they dissolve indeed into that which is known as the Unmanifested.
Meaning
When Brahma awakes, all manifestations, moving and unmoving (animate and inanimate) stream forth at the coming of the day from the Avyakta or the Unmanifested. When Brahma goes to sleep, all the manifestations merge in the Unmanifested, for the cosmic night has set in.Coming of the day Commencement of creation.Coming of the night Commencement of dissolution. (Cf.IX.7and8)
After Swami Sivananda
The path of light· 8.14–8.22→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 8.14I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast yogi who constantly and daily remembers me for a long time, not thinking of anything else with a single-minded or one-pointed focus, O Partha.
- 8.15Having attained Me, these great souls do not take birth again here—a place of pain and impermanence—but have reached the highest perfection of liberation.
- 8.16All the worlds, including the world of Brahma, are subject to return again, O Arjuna; but he who reaches Me, O son of Kunti, has no rebirth.
- 8.17Those who know the day of Brahma, which lasts a thousand Yugas, and the night, which also lasts a thousand Yugas, know day and night.
8.18From the Unmanifested, all the manifested worlds proceed upon the arrival of the 'day'; upon the arrival of the 'night', they dissolve indeed into that which is known as the Unmanifested.
- 8.19This same multitude of beings, being born again and again, helplessly dissolves, O Arjuna, into the Unmanifested at the coming of the night and comes forth at the coming of the day.
- 8.20But verily, there exists higher than this Unmanifested, another Unmanifested Eternal, which is not destroyed even when all beings are destroyed.
- 8.21What is known as the Unmanifested and the Imperishable, That is said to be the highest goal. Those who reach It do not return (to this Samsara). That is My supreme abode (place or state).
- 8.22That highest Purusha, O Arjuna, is attainable by unswerving devotion to Him alone, within Whom all beings dwell and by Whom all this is pervaded.
Word-by-word→
- eva
- certainly
- tatra
- into that
- avyaktāt
- from the unmanifested
- sarvāḥ
- all
- prabhavanti
- emanate
- pralīyante
- they dissolve
- vyaktayaḥ
- the manifested
- ahaḥ-āgame
- at the advent of Brahma’s day
- rātri-āgame
- at the fall of Brahma’s night
- avyakta-sanjñake
- in that which is called the unmanifest
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