Dr. Suka Dev

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Chapter Eight: The Journey Beyond; Remembering God at Life's End

In our last chapter, Lord Krishna explained His divine energies and how to find Him. Now, Arjuna has some incredibly important questions about what happens when we die, and how we can remember God at that crucial moment to reach the very best place. This chapter is like a secret guide to the spiritual journey at the very end of life!

Arjuna Asks: What Happens When We Die?¹

graph TD B[Arjuna asks for definitions: Brahman, Self, Karma, Material world, Gods.] B --> C[He asks how the Lord of sacrifice is in the body.] C --> D[Most importantly: How can You be known by the self-controlled at death?]

The chapter begins with Arjuna, seeking profound answers about life, death, and the universe's biggest mysteries: "Arjunaḥ uvāca: kim tat brahma kim adhyātmam kim karma puruṣa-uttama adhibhūtam ca kim proktam adhidaivam kim ucyate."¹ Arjuna said: "O Supreme Person, puruṣa-uttama! What is Brahman, kim tat brahma? What is the self, kim adhyātmam? What are fruitive activities, kim karma? What is called the material manifestation, adhibhūtam ca kim proktam? And what is called the gods, adhidaivam kim ucyate?"

"Adhiyajñaḥ katham kaḥ atra dehe asmin madhusūdana prayāṇa-kāle ca katham jñeyaḥ asi niyata-ātmabhiḥ."² "O Madhusudana, madhusūdana! How is the Lord of sacrifice, adhiyajñaḥ, here, atra, in this body, asmin dehe? And how, katham, can You be known, jñeyaḥ asi, by the self-controlled, niyata-ātmabhiḥ, at the time of death, prayāṇa-kāle?" Arjuna asks for some very deep definitions and, most importantly, how to remember God at the very end.

Krishna Explains Life's Big Spiritual Words³

graph TD B[Brahman is the indestructible; the self is eternal nature.] B --> C[Karma creates material bodies.] C --> D[Material world is changing; gods represent universal forms.] D --> E[Krishna is the Lord of sacrifice; present in the body.]

Śrī Bhagavān (Bhag-a-vahn), God Himself, then patiently replied, defining all those important terms for Arjuna: "Akṣaram brahma paramam svabhāvaḥ adhyātmam ucyate bhūta-bhāva-udbhava-karaḥ visargaḥ karma saṁjñitaḥ."³ Lord Krishna said: "The indestructible, akṣaram, is the supreme, paramam, truth, Brahman! Your eternal nature, svabhāvaḥ, is called the self (Adhyatma), adhyātmam ucyate! The creation, visargaḥ, which produces the material bodies of living beings, bhūta-bhāva-udbhava-karaḥ, is called Karma, karma saṁjñitaḥ!"

Dr. Suka Dev's Insight: Akṣaram (ak-sha-ram) is important here, kids! It means 'indestructible' or 'imperishable.' So, Brahman is that ultimate, never-ending spiritual truth. And your svabhāvaḥ (sva-bhaa-vah)—your eternal nature—is your true self. Karma here refers to the actions that lead to new bodies.

"Adhibhūtam kṣaraḥ bhāvaḥ puruṣaḥ ca adhidaivatam adhiyajñaḥ aham eva atra dehe deha-bhṛtām vara."⁴ "The changing nature of the material world, kṣaraḥ bhāvaḥ, is called the material manifestation (Adhibhuta), adhibhūtam! The universal form, including all the gods like the sun and moon, puruṣaḥ, is called the gods (Adhidaiva), adhidaivatam! And O best of embodied beings, deha-bhṛtām vara, I Myself, aham eva, am the Lord of sacrifice (Adhiyajña), adhiyajñaḥ, right here in this body, atra dehe!"

Dr. Suka Dev's Insight: So, Krishna clarifies these big ideas:

What You Think At Death Is What You Get⁵

graph TD B[Remembering Krishna at death means attaining His nature; no doubt.] B --> C[Whatever one remembers at death, that state is attained.] C --> D[Always think of Krishna and fight; you will attain Him without doubt.] D --> E[Constant meditation on God leads to Him; He is all-knowing, oldest, controller, smaller than atom, maintainer, luminous.]

Krishna now reveals a super important secret about the moment of death. It's like the ultimate test of what you've focused on in life!

"Anta-kāle ca mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram yaḥ prayāti saḥ mat-bhāvam yāti na asti atra saṁśayaḥ."⁵ "And at the end of life, anta-kāle ca, whoever, yaḥ, remembers Me, mām eva smaran, and leaves the body, muktvā kalevaram, he goes, prayāti, to My nature, saḥ mat-bhāvam yāti! There is no doubt about this, na asti atra saṁśayaḥ!"

Dr. Suka Dev's Insight: Anta-kāle (an-ta-kaa-le) means 'at the time of death.' This is a critical moment. Krishna is saying, whatever you think about, whatever you're deeply connected to at that very last moment, that's what you'll get in your next state of being!

"Yam yam vā api smaran bhāvam tyajati ante kalevaram tam tam eva eti kaunteya sadā tat-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ."⁶ "O son of Kunti, kaunteya! Whatever state of being, yam yam vā api bhāvam, one remembers, smaran, when leaving the body, tyajati ante kalevaram, at the end—that very state, tam tam eva eti, one attains, always absorbed in that state, sadā tat-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ!" This is a huge law of the universe: your final thoughts shape your next journey!

"Tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu mām anusmara yudhya ca mayi arpita-manaḥ-buddhiḥ mām eva eṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ."⁷ "Therefore, tasmāt, at all times, sarveṣu kāleṣu, remember Me, mām anusmara, and fight, yudhya ca! With your mind and intelligence surrendered to Me, mayi arpita-manaḥ-buddhiḥ, you will surely, eva, attain Me, mām eṣyasi, without a doubt, asaṁśayaḥ!"

"Abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena cetasā na anya-gāminā paramam puruṣam divyam yāti pārtha anucintayan."⁸ "O son of Pritha, pārtha! By practicing meditation, abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena, with a mind that doesn't deviate, cetasā na anya-gāminā, and by constantly thinking of Him, anucintayan, one achieves the Supreme, divine Being, paramam puruṣam divyam yāti!"

How to Focus Your Mind When Life Ends⁹

graph TD A{How to Focus Your Mind When Life Ends.} A --> B[At death, with unwavering mind and devotion; establish life air between eyebrows.] B --> C[One achieves the supreme, divine Being.] C --> D[Vedas describe Om as the imperishable syllable; sages enter it.] D --> E[Those desiring freedom practice celibacy to reach that state.] E --> F[Control body's doors; confine mind in heart; fix life air on head; in yogic concentration.] F --> G[Vibrating Om and remembering Krishna when leaving body leads to supreme destination.]

Krishna gives very specific instructions on how to meditate on God at the time of death. It's like a secret technique for a peaceful and perfect departure.

"Kavim purāṇam anuśāsitāram aṇoḥ aṇīyāṁsam anusmaret yaḥ sarvasya dhātāram acintya-rūpam āditya-varṇam tamasaḥ parastāt."⁹ "One who always thinks of God, anusmaret, as the one who knows everything, kavim, the oldest, purāṇam, the controller, anuśāsitāram, smaller than the atom, aṇoḥ aṇīyāṁsam, the maintainer of everything, sarvasya dhātāram, whose form is inconceivable, acintya-rūpam, luminous like the sun, āditya-varṇam, and transcendental to darkness, tamasaḥ parastāt—that person is very special."

Dr. Suka Dev's Insight: Aṇoḥ aṇīyāṁsam (a-noh a-nee-yaa-sam) is a wonderful description, kids! It means 'smaller than the atom' or 'the minutest.' God is both bigger than the biggest (the universe) and smaller than the smallest (the atom)! Tamasaḥ parastāt means 'transcendental to darkness,' showing God is pure light.

"Prayāṇa-kāle manasā acalena bhaktyā yuktaḥ yoga-balena ca eva bhruvoḥ madhye prāṇam āveśya samyak saḥ tam param puruṣam upaiti divyam."¹⁰ "At the time of death, prayāṇa-kāle, with a mind that doesn't waver, manasā acalena, engaged in full devotion, bhaktyā yuktaḥ, and by the power of mystic yoga, yoga-balena ca eva—establishing the life air, prāṇam āveśya, completely, samyak, between the two eyebrows, bhruvoḥ madhye—he achieves that supreme, divine Being, saḥ tam param puruṣam upaiti divyam!"

"Yat akṣaram veda-vidaḥ vadanti viśanti yat yatayaḥ vīta-rāgāḥ yat icchantaḥ brahma-caryam caranti tat te padam saṅgraheṇa pravakṣye."¹¹ "I shall explain to you in summary, tat te padam saṅgraheṇa pravakṣye, that supreme state, yat akṣaram, which those who know the Vedas speak of, veda-vidaḥ vadanti! It is the place that great sages, yatayaḥ, who are free from attachment, vīta-rāgāḥ, enter, viśanti yat! And desiring which, yat icchantaḥ, they practice celibacy, brahma-caryam caranti!"

"Sarva-dvārāṇi saṁyamya manaḥ hṛdi nirudhya ca mūrdhni ādhāya ātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthitaḥ yoga-dhāraṇām."¹² "Controlling all the doors of the body, sarva-dvārāṇi saṁyamya, and confining the mind in the heart, manaḥ hṛdi nirudhya ca—fixing the life air of the soul on the head, mūrdhni ādhāya ātmanaḥ prāṇam, one is situated in the yogic state of concentration, āsthitaḥ yoga-dhāraṇām."

"Om iti eka-akṣaram brahma vyāharan mām anusmaran yaḥ prayāti tyajan deham saḥ yāti paramām gatim."¹³ "Anyone who leaves this body, yaḥ prayāti tyajan deham, by vibrating the sacred syllable Om, oṁ iti eka-akṣaram brahma vyāharan, and remembering Me, mām anusmaran, achieves the supreme destination, saḥ yāti paramām gatim!"

No More Rebirth: Reaching God's Home¹⁴

graph TD B[One whose mind is always on Krishna easily achieves Him.] B --> C[Great souls achieving God never return to this temporary, miserable world.] C --> D[Even from Brahma's planet, one returns; but reaching God means no more rebirth.]

Krishna assures Arjuna that once a great soul reaches Him, they never have to return to this temporary, miserable material world.

"Ananya-cetāḥ satatam yaḥ mām smarati nityaśaḥ tasya aham su-labhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ."¹⁴ "O son of Pritha, pārtha! One whose mind is not deviated, ananya-cetāḥ, and who always, satatam, remembers Me, mām smarati nityaśaḥ, regularly—for him, tasya, I am very easy to achieve, aham su-labhaḥ, for that constantly engaged devotee, nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ!"

"Mām upetya punaḥ janma duḥkha-ālayam aśāśvatam na āpnuvanti mahā-ātmānaḥ saṁsiddhim paramām gatāḥ."¹⁵ "Achieving Me, mām upetya, the great souls, mahā-ātmānaḥ, who have attained the ultimate perfection, saṁsiddhim paramām gatāḥ, never again, na āpnuvanti punaḥ janma, come to this temporary, aśāśvatam, world, which is a place of miseries, duḥkha-ālayam!"

"Ā-brahma-bhuvanāt lokāḥ punaḥ āvartinaḥ arjuna mām upetya tu kaunteya punaḥ janma na vidyate."¹⁶ "From the highest planet, ā-brahma-bhuvanāt lokāḥ (Brahma-loka, Brahma's planet), all planetary systems, lokāḥ, are places of repeated return, punaḥ āvartinaḥ, O Arjuna, arjuna! But, tu, O son of Kunti, kaunteya, upon arriving at Me, mām upetya, there is never rebirth, punaḥ janma na vidyate!"

The Universe's Big Sleep and Wake-Up Cycle¹⁷

graph TD B[Brahma's day is 1000 ages long; his night is also 1000 ages.] B --> C[At Brahma's day, all beings manifest from unmanifested state.] C --> D[At Brahma's night, all are annihilated back into unmanifested state.] D --> E[Living entities repeatedly take birth and are annihilated; automatically manifest again at day's arrival.]

Krishna now explains the incredibly vast cycles of time in the universe, describing Brahma's very long day and night, and how all living beings appear and disappear within these cycles.

"Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahaḥ yat brahmaṇaḥ viduḥ rātrim yuga-sahasra-antām te ahaḥ-rātra-vidaḥ janāḥ."¹⁷ "Those who understand the true nature of day and night, ahaḥ-rātra-vidaḥ janāḥ, know that Brahma's day, brahmaṇaḥ ahaḥ, lasts for one thousand ages, sahasra-yuga-paryantam! And his night, rātrim, also lasts for one thousand ages, yuga-sahasra-antām!"

Dr. Suka Dev's Insight: Yuga (yoo-ga) means 'age.' One thousand of these ages is a mind-boggling amount of time! This shows us that Brahma lives for an incredibly long time, and our entire human history is just a tiny blink in his day.

"Avyaktāt vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavanti ahaḥ-āgame rātri-āgame pralīyante tatra eva avyakta-saṁjñake."¹⁸ "At the beginning of Brahma's day, ahaḥ-āgame, all living entities, vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ, come into being, prabhavanti, from the unmanifested state, avyaktāt! At the fall of his night, rātri-āgame, they are annihilated, pralīyante, into that very unmanifested state, avyakta-saṁjñake!"

"Bhūta-grāmaḥ saḥ eva ayam bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate rātri-āgame avaśaḥ pārtha prabhavati ahaḥ-āgame."¹⁹ "The aggregate of all living entities, bhūta-grāmaḥ, this same multitude, saḥ eva ayam, repeatedly taking birth, bhūtvā bhūtvā, is annihilated, pralīyate, at the arrival of night, rātri-āgame! O son of Pritha, pārtha, they are automatically, avaśaḥ, manifested again, prabhavati, at the arrival of day, ahaḥ-āgame!"

The Two Paths When You Leave Your Body²⁰

graph TD B[Beyond Brahma's unmanifested state is another eternal, unmanifested nature.] B --> C[This eternal nature never perishes, even when all else is destroyed.] C --> D[This unmanifested, infallible state is the ultimate destination; attaining it means no return.] D --> E[That is Krishna's supreme abode.] E --> F[The Supreme Being is achieved only by undivided devotion; all manifestations are within Him; He pervades everything.]

Krishna now introduces a higher, eternal nature that exists beyond these cycles of creation and destruction. He then explains two different paths souls can take when they leave their bodies at death: one leads to no return, and the other leads back to the material world.

"Paraḥ tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ avyaktaḥ avyaktāt sanātanaḥ yaḥ saḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati."²⁰ "But beyond that unmanifested state of Brahma's night, paraḥ tasmāt avyaktāt, there is another, anyaḥ, unmanifested, avyaktaḥ, eternal, sanātanaḥ, nature, bhāvaḥ! That which, yaḥ saḥ, even when all manifestations are annihilated, sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu, never perishes, na vinaśyati!"

"Avyaktaḥ akṣaraḥ iti uktaḥ tam āhuḥ paramām gatim yam prāpya na nivartante tat dhāma paramam mama."²¹ "This unmanifested and infallible, avyaktaḥ akṣaraḥ, is called the ultimate destination, paramām gatim! Achieving which, yam prāpya, one never comes back, na nivartante! That is My supreme abode, tat dhāma paramam mama!"

"Puruṣaḥ saḥ paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyaḥ tu ananyayā yasya antaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni yena sarvam idam tatam."²² "O son of Pritha, pārtha! That supreme Being, saḥ paraḥ puruṣaḥ, can be achieved only by undivided devotion, bhaktyā ananyayā labhyaḥ! All material manifestations, bhūtāni, are within Him, yasya antaḥ-sthāni, and He pervades everything, yena sarvam idam tatam!"

Knowing the Paths of Return and No Return²³

graph TD B[Krishna will describe the times mystics depart for no return or for return.] B --> C[Those who know the Absolute, departing during fire, light, daytime, bright fortnight, or northern sun, go to the Absolute.] C --> D[One departing during smoke, night, dark fortnight, or southern sun, goes to the moon planet's light and comes back.] D --> E[These two paths of light and darkness are eternal for the material world; one leads to no return, the other to return.]

Krishna explains the specific times and conditions for mystics to leave their bodies, leading to either return to the material world or no return to it.

"Yatra kāle tu anāvṛttim āvṛttim ca eva yoginaḥ prayātāḥ yānti tam kālam vakṣyāmi bharata-ṛṣabha."²³ "O best of the Bharatas, bharata-ṛṣabha! Now I shall describe to you the time, kālam vakṣyāmi, at which mystics, yoginaḥ, having departed, prayātāḥ, go to either no return, anāvṛttim, or to a return, āvṛttim!"

"Agniḥ jyotiḥ ahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṭ-māsāḥ uttara-ayanam tatra prayātāḥ gacchanti brahma brahma-vidaḥ janāḥ."²⁴ "Those who know the Absolute, brahma-vidaḥ janāḥ, and pass away during fire, agniḥ, light, jyotiḥ, daytime, ahaḥ, the bright fortnight of the moon, śuklaḥ, or during the six months when the sun travels to the north, ṣaṭ-māsāḥ uttara-ayanam—they go to the Absolute, tatra prayātāḥ gacchanti brahma!" This is called the path of light.

"Dhūmaḥ rātriḥ tathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṭ-māsāḥ dakṣiṇa-ayanam tatra cāndramasam jyotiḥ yogī prāpya nivartate."²⁵ "Smoke, dhūmaḥ, night, rātriḥ, also, tathā, the dark fortnight of the moon, kṛṣṇaḥ, or the six months when the sun travels to the south, ṣaṭ-māsāḥ dakṣiṇa-ayanam—a yogi who attains the moon planet's light, tatra cāndramasam jyotiḥ yogī prāpya, comes back, nivartate!" This is called the path of darkness, which leads to rebirth.

"Śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hi ete jagataḥ śāśvate mate ekayā yāti anāvṛttim anyayā āvartate punaḥ."²⁶ "Indeed, hi, these two paths of light, śukla, and darkness, kṛṣṇe gatī, are considered eternal for the material world, jagataḥ śāśvate mate! By one, ekayā, one goes to no return, yāti anāvṛttim; by the other, anyayā, one comes back again, āvartate punaḥ!"

Always Think of God, O Arjuna!²⁷

graph TD B[A Yogi, knowing these two paths, is never bewildered.] B --> C[Therefore, Arjuna, always be engaged in God consciousness!] C --> D[A devotee knowing this surpasses all results from Vedas, sacrifices, austerities, and charities.] D --> E[He achieves the supreme, original abode.]

Krishna concludes the chapter by emphasizing that truly knowing these paths should make one fearless and encourage constant devotion, which is the ultimate way to surpass all other good deeds and reach God.

"Na ete sṛtī pārtha jānan yogī muhyati kaścana tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu yoga-yuktaḥ bhava arjuna."²⁷ "O son of Pritha, pārtha! A devotee of the Lord, yogī, knowing these two paths, na ete sṛtī jānan, is never bewildered, na muhyati kaścana! Therefore, tasmāt, O Arjuna, arjuna, always, sarveṣu kāleṣu, be engaged in God consciousness, yoga-yuktaḥ bhava!"

"Vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu ca eva dāneṣu yat puṇya-phalam pradiṣṭam atyeti tat sarvam idam viditvā yogī param sthānam upaiti ca ādyam."²⁸ "A devotee, yogī, knowing all this, idam viditvā, surpasses, atyeti, all the results of pious work, yat puṇya-phalam pradiṣṭam, from studying the Vedas, vedeṣu, performing sacrifices, yajñeṣu, austerities, tapaḥsu, and charities, dāneṣu! He achieves the supreme, original abode, param sthānam upaiti ca ādyam!"

Wow, kids! What an incredibly deep chapter! Krishna revealed the secret to passing away perfectly: remembering Him at the very end of life. He also showed us the massive cycles of time in the universe and the two paths souls can take after death. The ultimate lesson? Always keep God in your mind, and you'll find your way back to His eternal home!

Next time, we'll dive into Chapter Eight of the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna explains more about His supreme glories! Get ready for more amazing lessons!