BHAGAVAD-GITA 8:5

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 8:5

 

anta-kale ca mam eva

smaran muktva kalevaram

yah prayati sa mad-bhavam

yati nasty atra samsayah

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

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 Krsna consciousness is stressed.

Anyone who quits his body in Krsna 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 Krsna conscious is also the purest of the pure. The word

smaran ("remembering") is important. Remembrance of Krsna is not

possible for the impure soul who has not practiced Krsna consciousness

in devotional service. Therefore one should practice Krsna

consciousness from the very beginning of life. If one wants to achieve

success at the end of his life, the process of remembering Krsna is

essential. Therefore one should constantly, incessantly chant the

maha-mantra--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, 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 Krsna. Nonetheless,

tolerating all these impediments, one should continue to chant Hare

Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, 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 Krsna consciousness.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.