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अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन। प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः।।8.2।।

adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ ko ’tra dehe ’smin madhusūdana prayāṇa-kāle cha kathaṁ jñeyo ’si niyatātmabhiḥ

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 8, Verse 2
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
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?

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: Arjuna also asks how the Lord of sacrifice dwells in the body, and how he is to be known at the time of death by those of steady mind, tying the abstract definitions back to the very practical question of dying well.

In life: abstract philosophy only becomes useful once it connects back to an actual practical moment you'll eventually face.

Teaching: when learning something abstract, keep asking how it actually applies to a real moment you'll eventually face, that's what keeps the learning grounded rather than merely theoretical.

adhiyajñaḥthe Lord all sacrificial performances
kathamhow
kaḥwho
atrahere
dehein body
asminthis
madhusūdanaShree Krishna, the killer of the demon named Madhu
prayāṇa-kāleat the time of death
chaand
kathamhow
jñeyaḥto be known
asiare (you)
niyata-ātmabhiḥby those of steadfast mind

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
8.2 अधियज्ञः Adhiyajna? कथम् how? कः who? अत्र here? देहे in body? अस्मिन् this? मधुसूदन O Madhusudana? प्रयाणकाले at the time of death? च and? कथम् how? ज्ञेयः knowable? असि art? नियतात्मभिः by the selfcontrolled.Commentary Arjuna put seven estions 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.)