:: Chapter 8 :: Attaining the Supreme

Text 4

adhibhutam ksaro bhavah
purusas cadhidaivatam
adhiyajno 'ham evatra
dehe deha-bhrtam vara

Synonyms

adhibhutam--the physical manifestation; ksarah--constantly changing; bhavah--nature; purusah--the universal form, including all the demigods, like the sun and moon; ca--and; adhidaivatam--called adhidaiva; adhiyajnah--the Super soul ; aham--I (Krisna); eva--certainly; atra--in this; dehe--body; deha-bhrtam--of the embodied; vara--O best.

Translation

O best of the embodied beings, the physical nature, which is constantly changing, is called adhibhuta [the material manifestation]. The universal form of the Lord, which includes all the demigods, like those of the sun and moon, is called adhidaiva. And I, the Supreme Lord, represented as the Super soul  in the heart of every embodied being, am called adhiyajna [the Lord of sacrifice].

Purport

The physical nature is constantly changing. Material bodies generally pass through six stages: they are born, they grow, they remain for some duration, they produce some by-products, they dwindle, and then they vanish. This physical nature is called adhibhuta. It is created at a certain point and will be annihilated at a certain point. The conception of the universal form of the Supreme Lord, which includes all the demigods and their different planets, is called adhidaivata. And present in the body along with the individual soul is the Super soul , a plenary representation of Lord Krisna. The Super soul is called the Paramatma or adhiyajna and is situated in the heart. The word eva is particularly important in the context of this verse because by this word the Lord stresses that the Paramatma is not different from Him. The Super soul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, seated beside the individual soul, is the witness of the individual soul's activities and is the source of the soul's various types of consciousness. The Super soul gives the individual soul an opportunity to act freely and witnesses his activities. The functions of all these different manifestations of the Supreme Lord automatically become clarified for the pure Krisna conscious devotee engaged in transcendental service to the Lord. The gigantic universal form of the Lord called adhidaivata is contemplated by the neophyte who cannot approach the Supreme Lord in His manifestation as Super soul . The neophyte is advised to contemplate the universal form, or virat-purusa, whose legs are considered the lower planets, whose eyes are considered the sun and moon, and whose head is considered the upper planetary system.

Text 5

anta-kale ca mam eva
smaran muktva kalevaram
yah prayati sa mad-bhavam
yati nasty atra samsayah

Synonyms

anta-kale--at the end of life; ca--also; mam--Me; eva--certainly; smaran--remembering; muktva--quitting; kalevaram--the body; yah--he who; prayati--goes; sah--he; mat-bhavam--My nature; yati--achieves; na--not; asti--there is; atra--here; samsayah--doubt.

Translation

And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body, remembering me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.

Purport

In this verse the importance of Krisna consciousness is stressed. Anyone who quits his body in Krisna consciousness is at once transferred to the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is the purest of the pure. Therefore anyone who is constantly Krisna conscious is also the purest of the pure. The word smaran ("remembering") is important. Remembrance of Krisna is not possible for the impure soul who has not practiced Krisna consciousness in devotional service. Therefore one should practice Krisna consciousness from the very beginning of life. If one wants to achieve success at the end of his life, the process of remembering Krisna is essential. Therefore one should constantly, incessantly chant the maha-mantra--Hare Krisna, Hare Krisna, Krisna Krisna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Lord Caitanya has advised that one be as tolerant as a tree (taror iva sahisnuna). There may be so many impediments for a person who is chanting Hare Krisna. Nonetheless, tolerating all these impediments, one should continue to chant Hare Krisna, Hare Krisna, Krisna Krisna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, so that at the end of one's life one can have the full benefit of Krisna consciousness.

Text 6

yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya
sada tad-bhava-bhavitah

Synonyms

yam yam--whatever; va api--at all; smaran--remembering; bhavam--nature; tyajati--gives up; ante--at the end; kalevaram--this body; tam tam--similar; eva--certainly; eti--gets; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; sada--always; tat--that; bhava--state of being; bhavitah--remembering.

Translation

Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail.

Purport

The process of changing one's nature at the critical moment of death is here explained. A person who at the end of his life quits his body thinking of Krisna attains the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord, but it is not true that a person who thinks of something other than Krisna attains the same transcendental state. This is a point we should note very carefully. How can one die in the proper state of mind? Maharaja Bharata, although a great personality, thought of a deer at the end of his life, and so in his next life he was transferred into the body of a deer. Although as a deer he remembered his past activities, he had to accept that animal body. Of course, one's thoughts during the course of one's life accumulate to influence one's thoughts at the moment of death, so this life creates one's next life. If in one's present life one lives in the mode of goodness and always thinks of Krisna, it is possible for one to remember Krisna at the end of one's life. That will help one be transferred to the transcendental nature of Krisna. If one is transcendentally absorbed in Krisna's service, then his next body will be transcendental (spiritual), not material. Therefore the chanting of Hare Krisna, Hare Krisna, Krisna Krisna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is the best process for successfully changing one's state of being at the end of one's life.