Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 8, Verse 1-2

अर्जुन उवाच |
किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम |
अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते || 1||
अधियज्ञ: कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन |
प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभि: || 2||

arjuna uvācha
kiṁ tad brahma kim adhyātmaṁ kiṁ karma puruṣhottama
adhibhūtaṁ cha kiṁ proktam adhidaivaṁ kim uchyate
adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ ko ’tra dehe ’smin madhusūdana
prayāṇa-kāle cha kathaṁ jñeyo ’si niyatātmabhiḥ

arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; kim—what; tat—that; brahma—Brahman; kim—what; adhyātmam—the individual soul; kim—what; karma—the principle of karma; puruṣha-uttama—Shree Krishna, the Supreme Divine Personality; adhibhūtam—the material manifestation; cha—and; kim—what; proktam—is called; adhidaivam—the Lord of the celestial gods; kim—what; uchyate—is called; adhiyajñaḥ—the Lord all sacrificial performances; katham—how; kaḥ—who; atra—here; dehe—in body; asmin—this; madhusūdana—Shree Krishna, the killer of the demon named Madhu; prayāṇa-kāle—at the time of death; cha—and; katham—how; jñeyaḥ—to be known; asi—are (You); niyata-ātmabhiḥ—by those of steadfast mind

Translation

BG 8.1-2: Arjun said: O Supreme Lord, what is Brahman (Absolute Reality), what is adhyatma (the individual soul), and what is karma? What is said to be adhibhuta, and who is said to be Adhidaiva? Who is Adhiyajna in the body and how is He the Adhiyajna? O Krishna, how are You to be known at the time of death by those of steadfast mind?

Commentary

Toward the end of the previous chapter, Shree Krishna had mentioned a few words like Brahman, adhibhuta, adhiyatma, adhidaiva, and adhiyajna. Also, that the enlightened souls are in full consciousness of Him even at the time of their death. Hearing this, Arjun is curious and wants to know more. In these two verses, he puts forth to Shree Krishna seven questions, out of which six are about these words, and the seventh question is regarding remembering God at the time of death. Since Shree Krishna had Himself introduced these subjects, Arjun wants Him to elaborate upon them.

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