Exhibiting the qualities of an attentive listener, Arjuna asks 7 questions pertaining to the ultimate governing principle of existence and our disposition in relation to that understanding. Arjuna addresses Krishna as the Supreme Person (puruṣottama) while posing these questions. (BG 8.1–2)
- What is Brahman (brahma)?
- What is Higher Self (adhyātmaṁ)?
- What is action (karma)?
- What is the higher principle of nature or the material manifestation (adhibhūtaṁ)?
- What is the governing principle of all gods or the divine (adhidaivaṁ)?
- Who is the governing principle of sacrifice (adhiyajñaḥ) here in this body (atra dehe ’smin)?
- How can a self-controlled soul (niyatātmabhiḥ) know Krishna (jñeyo ’si) at the time of death (prayāṇa-kāle)?
Krishna precisely and succinctly answers these questions in the chronological order as follows (BG 8.3–5):
- Brahman (brahma) is the supreme (paramaṁ) indestructible (akṣaraṁ).
- The nature of Brahman (svabhāvo) is said to be Higher Self (adhyātmaṁ). Clearly, this means Brahman is ultimately a Supreme Eternal Person.
- Any creation (visargaḥ) pertaining to the generation of the state of material manifestation or development of material bodies (bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo) is defined as action (karma).
- An ever-changing state (kṣaro bhāvaḥ) is the higher principle of material manifestations (adhibhūtaṁ).
- The governing principle of all gods or divinity (adhidaivaṁ) is the Person (puruṣaḥ).
- For all embodied souls (deha-bhṛtāṁ), Krishna alone (aham eva), here in this body (atra dehe), is the governing principle of sacrifice (adhiyajñaḥ).
- And, at the end of life (anta-kāle), one who quits one’s body (muktvā kalevaram) remembering (smaran) Krishna alone (mām eva) undoubtedly (yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ) attains Krishna’s nature (mad-bhāvaṁ). (BG 8.5) Recall that Krishna delivered exactly the same message of surrendering to Him alone (mām eva) for escaping illusion. (BG 7.14) The general principle is that whatever state of being one remembers at the time of death, one attains to that state in the next life. (BG 8.6)
In summary, the governing principle of divinity is a Person (puruṣaḥ). The supreme indestructible factor in existence is Brahman and its nature is personality (adhyātmaṁ). Therefore, Brahman is ultimately the Supreme Eternal Person. That Supreme Person, who is non-different from Krishna, dwells within everyone’s body as the governing principle of sacrifice (adhiyajñaḥ). And therefore, we are meant to lead a life in the spirit of sacrifice for Krishna. If we, somehow or other, remember Krishna exclusively (mām eva) at the time of quitting this body, we will attain to Krishna’s nature, i.e., eternal life full of knowledge and bliss. In other words, by remembering Krishna at the time of death, one becomes liberated from the cycle of actions that continually generates material bodies entrapping us in this world.
