Shloka

अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन |
प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः ||८-२||

Transliteration

adhiyajñaḥ kathaṃ ko.atra dehe.asminmadhusūdana .
prayāṇakāle ca kathaṃ jñeyo.asi niyatātmabhiḥ ||8-2||

Translations

Dr.S.Sankaranarayan

8.2. Who is Lord-of-sacrifices (adhiyajna) [and] how ? Who in this body ? O slayer of Madhu ! How are You to be realised by the self-controlled ones at the time of their journey (i.e., death) also ?

Shri Purohit Swami

8.2 Who is it who rules the spirit sacrifice in many; and at the time of death how may those who have learned self-control come to the knowledge of Thee?

Sri Abhinav Gupta

8.1-2 What has been introduced by the Bhagavat by saying ‘They know that Brahmn etc.,’ [at the end of the last chapter], the same [the Sage] decides by raising nine estions [as follows] :

Kim tad Brahman etc. Adhiyajnah etc. Who and how is the adhiyajna ? Who in this body ? : ‘does reside’ may be supplimented.

Sri Ramanuja

8.1 8.2 Arjuna said What are that brahman, Adhyatma and Karma which have been mentioned as what should be known by those who aspire for release from old age and death while they take refuge with the Lord? What are Adhibuta and Adhidaiva, which should be known by the aspirants for wealth? Who is Adhiyajna that is to be known by the three groups as their dying hour. In what manner are You to be known by these three groups who are self-controlled?

Sri Shankaracharya

8.2 In order to settle these estions seriatim -

Swami Adidevananda

8.2 O Madhusudana, how, and who, is the entity existing in the sacrifice here in this body? And at the time of death, how are You to be known by people of concentrated minds?

8.2 Who and how is Adhiyajna here in this body, O destroyer of Madhu (Krishna)? And how at the time of death, art Thou to be known by the self-controlled?

8.2 In order to settle these estions seriatim -

Swami Gambirananda

8.2 O Madhusudana, how, and who, is the entity existing in the sacrifice here in this body? And at the time of death, how are You to be known by people of concentrated minds?

Swami Sivananda

8.2 Who and how is Adhiyajna here in this body, O destroyer of Madhu (Krishna)? And how at the time of death, art Thou to be known by the self-controlled?

Commentaries

Swami Sivananda

8.2 अधियज्ञः Adhiyajna? कथम् how? कः who? अत्र here? देहे in body? अस्मिन् this? मधुसूदन O Madhusudana? प्रयाणकाले at the time of death? च and? कथम् how? ज्ञेयः knowable? असि art? नियतात्मभिः by the selfcontrolled.Commentary Arjuna put seven estions to the Lord1. What is that Brahman Is it Brahman with the Upadhis (limiting adjuncts) or Brahman without them2. Is it the aggregate of the senses or individual consciousness (PratyakChaitanya) or distinct? pure consciousness3. What is Karma Is it Yajna Or? is it distinct from Yajna4. Adhibhuta is knowledge of the Bhutas. Is this the knowledge of the elements or something else5. Adhidaiva is that which is associated with the gods. Is this the meditation on the gods Or? is it the consciousness associated with the Suryamandala? etc.6. Adhiyajna is that which is associated with Yajnas or Vedic rituals. Is this the Para Brahman (Supreme Being) or any special god Is it of the same form (Tadatmyarupa) or is it entirely nondifferent (Abheda) Does it exist in the body or outside it If it exists in the body? is it the intellect (Buddhi) or distinct from it7. At the time of death? when the memory is lost and when the senses become cold (i.e.? whenthey lose their vitality) how can the man of onepointedness and of steadfast mind know the LordO Lord Madhusudana Thou art allmerciful. Thou hast killed Madhu and removed the miseries of the people. Even so Thou canst remove my difficulties and doubts very easily. This is nothing for Thee? the omniscient Lord. (This is the reason why Arjuna addresses the Lord by the name Madhusudana.)