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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 8.6
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् ।
तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावित: ॥ ६ ॥
yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ
Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Whatever state of being you remember at death, you will certainly attain.
Prabhupāda explains that remembering Kṛṣṇa at death brings one to His spiritual nature; remembering something else does not.
Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and practice remembering Kṛṣṇa throughout life to help you remember Him at death.
Mentions the “General Law at the time of death”
One’s state of mind at the time of death determines the destination attained in the next life
Text 8.6 establishes:
“Process of changing one’s nature” at the critical moment of death – Srila Prabhupada explains that the best process is chanting Hare Krishna
Also establishes that the transcendental absorption in Krishna’s service assures next body to be spiritual and not material
How to make sure that one thinks of Krishna at death — Practice remembrance during one’s life; not just at death
Refutes — “Thinking anything will give the same result” (Preaching Application)
Example — Bharat Maharaja becoming a deer
Texts 8.6 & 8.7
Arjuna may think — “Remembering may be better advice than fighting”;
Krishna clears this misconception in Text 8.7. The Lord does not recommend giving up prescribed duties
One attains whatever one remembers at the time of death
Krishna recommends Arjuna to undeviatingly meditate on Him, dedicate his activities to Him and thus attain Him
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: bhakti, śaraṇāgati.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 8.6 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to bhakti & surrender?
Offer one act today with devotion.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.