Chapter Summary
Arjuna asks about Brahman, karma, the material world, the demigods, and the Lord of sacrifice. Lord Krishna explains these concepts and emphasizes the importance of remembering Him at the time of death to attain His supreme abode. He describes the different paths of leaving the body—one in light leading to no return, and one in darkness leading to return.
Verses
Verse 8.5
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् |
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ||
anta-kāle ca mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram |
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ ||
Translation: And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.
Verse 8.6
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् |
तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः ||
yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram |
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ ||
Translation: Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail.
Verse 8.16
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन |
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ||
ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino ’rjuna |
mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate ||
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.