Bhagavad-gītā 8.27

Explain simply

Speaker: Śrī Kṛṣṇa

नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन ।
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन ॥२७॥

naite sṛtī pārtha jānan
yogī muhyati kaścana
tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu
yoga-yukto bhavārjuna

Word for word (synonyms)

na
never
ete
all these
sṛtī
different paths
pārtha
O son of Pṛthā
jānan
even if they know
yogī
the devotees of the Lord
muhyati
bewildered
kaścana
anyone
tasmāt
therefore
sarveṣu kāleṣu
always
yoga-yuktaḥ
being engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness
bhava
just become
arjuna
O Arjuna

Translation

The devotees who know these two paths, O Arjuna, are never bewildered. Therefore be always fixed in devotion.

Purport

Kṛṣṇa is here advising Arjuna that he should not be disturbed by the different paths the soul can take when leaving the material world. A devotee of the Supreme Lord should not worry whether he will depart either by arrangement or by accident. The devotee should be firmly established in Krṣṇa consciousness and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. He should know that concern over either of these two paths is troublesome. The best way to be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is to be always dovetailed in His service, and this will make one's path to the spiritual kingdom safe, certain, and direct. The word yoga-yukta is especially significant in this verse. One who is firm in yoga is constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in all his activities. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī advises that one should be unattached in the material world and that all affairs should be steeped in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In this way one attains perfection. Therefore the devotee is not disturbed by these descriptions because he knows that his passage to the supreme abode is guaranteed by devotional service.

What this verse teaches

Path of devotees

Themes
Death
In thematic compilations 1

Death

  • Devotional process: Since a devotee of Kṛṣṇa is completely dependent on the Lord, he is beyond the considerations of auspicious and inauspicious times. Lord Kṛṣṇa personally takes charge of him (8.27 naite sṛtī pārtha jānan..., 12.7 ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi...)
Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures 1

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.