BHAGAVAD-GITA 8:2

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 8:2

 

adhiyajnah katham ko 'tra

dehe 'smin madhusudana

prayana-kale ca katham

jneyo 'si niyatatmabhih

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

adhiyajnah--the Lord of sacrifice; katham--how; kah--who; atra--here;

dehe--in the body; asmin--this; madhusudana--O Madhusudana;

prayana-kale--at the time of death; ca--and; katham--how; jneyah

asi--You can be known; niyata-atmabhih--by the self-controlled.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Who is the Lord of sacrifice, and how does He live in the body, O

Madhusudana? And how can those engaged in devotional service know You

at the time of death?

 

PURPORT

 

"Lord of sacrifice" may refer to either Indra or Visnu. Visnu is the chief

of the primal demigods, including Brahma and Siva, and Indra is the

chief of the administrative demigods. Both Indra and Visnu are

worshiped by yajna performances. But here Arjuna asks who is actually

the Lord of yajna

(sacrifice) and how the Lord is residing within the body of the living

entity.

 

Arjuna addresses the Lord as Madhusudana because Krsna once killed a

demon named Madhu. Actually these questions, which are of the nature

of doubts, should not have arisen in the mind of Arjuna, because

Arjuna is a Krsna conscious devotee. Therefore these doubts are like

demons. Since Krsna is so expert in killing demons, Arjuna here

addresses Him as Madhusudana so that Krsna might kill the demonic

doubts that arise in Arjuna's mind.

 

Now the word prayana-kale in this verse is very significant because

whatever we do in life will be tested at the time of death. Arjuna is

very anxious to know of those who are constantly engaged in Krsna

consciousness. What should be their position at that final moment? At

the time of death all the bodily functions are disrupted, and the mind

is not in a proper condition. Thus disturbed by the bodily situation,

one may not be able to remember the Supreme Lord. Maharaja

Kulasekhara, a great devotee, prays, "My dear Lord, just now I am

quite healthy, and it is better that I die immediately so that the

swan of my mind can seek entrance at the stem of Your lotus feet." The

metaphor is used because the swan, a bird of the water, takes pleasure

in digging into the lotus flowers; its sporting proclivity is to enter

the lotus flower. Maharaja Kulasekhara says to the Lord, "Now my mind

is undisturbed, and I am quite healthy. If I die immediately, thinking

of Your lotus feet, then I am sure that my performance of Your

devotional service will become perfect. But if I have to wait for my

natural death, then I do not know what will happen, because at that

time the bodily functions will be disrupted, my throat will be choked

up, and I do not know whether I shall be able to chant Your name.

Better let me die immediately." Arjuna questions how a person can fix

his mind on Krsna's lotus feet at such a time.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.