BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 1 of 12

Bhagavad Gita – Chapter 8 – Attaining the Supreme

Chapter Summary as given in the text book:

In this chapter Lord Kåñëa answers these different questions of Arjuna beginning with,
"What is Brahman?" The Lord also explains karma, fruitive activities, devotional service and
yoga principles, and devotional service in its pure form (BG 8.1 purport)
==============================================================
Section wise chapter summary -The Eighthchapter of the Bhagavad Gita has 28verses
which can be divided into six sections as given below:

Section 1: Verses 1 to 4 – Krishna answers Arjuna’s questions

Arjuna enquires from the Supreme Lord: Brahman, self, fruitive activities, material
manifestation, demigods-what are they? Who is the Lord of sacrifice and how does he live in
the body? How can those engaged in devotional service know Krishna at the time of death?
Sri Krishna explains: The indestructible living entity who is originally part and parcel
of God is called Brahman. His constitutional nature is called 'adhyätma', the self. Due to
material consciousness the living entity takes on various bodies. This is 'karma' or fruitive
activities.
The changing physical nature is called 'adhibhüta' or material manifestation. The
conception of the universal form of the Lord which includes all the demigods and their
different planets is called 'adhidaivata'. Sri Krishna, who is represented by the Supersoul in
the heart of every living being is 'adhiyajïa'.

Section 2: Verses 5 to 8–Remembering Krishna at the time of death

Anyone who quits his body remembering Sri Krishna, is at once transferred to the
transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord without doubt. This is the importance of Krishna
Consciousness. Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he
will attain without fail. Therefore Arjuna should always think of Krishna and at the same time
carry out his prescribed duty of fighting. With his activities dedicated to Krishna and his
mind and intelligence fixed on him, he will attain Krishna without doubt. One who meditates
on Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in
remembering him, undeviated from the path, is sure to reach the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.

Section 3: Verses 9 to 13– How to remember Krishna

One should meditate on Krishna as: the one who knows everything, the oldest, the
controller, the smaller than the smallest, the maintainer of everything, beyond all material
conception, inconceivable, luminous like the sun, transcendental, beyond this material nature
and always the Supreme Person. The yogé who, by the strength of yoga, with undeviating
mind, fixes his life air between his eyebrows at the time of death and engages himself in
remembering the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna in full devotion, certainly attains to the Lord.
Those who are learned in the Vedas, who utter 'oà' and who are great sages in the renounced
order enter into Brahman. Desiring such perfection, one practices celibacy. Detached from all
sensual engagements, closing all the doors of the senses and fixing the mind on the heart and
the life air at the top of the head, establishing oneself in transcendence, vibrating the sacred
syllable 'oà', if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and quits his body, he will
certainly reach the spiritual planets.
BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 2 of 12

Section 4: Verses 14to 16 – Krishna is easy to obtain for the devotees

Because of constant engagement in devotional service, Krishna is easily attained by a
devotee who always remembers him without deviation. After attaining him, the great souls,
who are yogés in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries,
because they have attained the highest perfection in Krishna's abode. The highest planets in
the material world down to the lowest are all places of miseries wherein repeated birth and
death takes place. But one who attains to Sri Krishna's abode never takes birth again.

Section 5: Verses 17 to 22 – Material and Spiritual World

By human calculation, Brahma's day is a thousand cycles of four yugas. His night has
the same duration. At the beginning of Brahma's day all living beings become manifest from
the unmanifested stage. When night falls they are merged back. Again and again, when
Brahma's day arises all living entities come into being and at the arrival of Brahma's night,
they (the bodies) are helplessly annihilated. The Lord's abode is different from the material
nature. It is eternal and transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested material nature. It
is supreme and is never annihilated, even when all living beings in this world are annihilated.
That which the Vedantists describe as unmanifest and infallible, the supreme destination, is
Krishna's supreme abode. When one goes there, he never comes back. The Supreme Lord,
who is the greatest, is attainable by unalloyed devotion. Although he is present in his eternal
abode, he is all-pervading and everything is situated within him only.

Section 6: Verses 23 to 28 – Passing away from the world at different times

Those who know the Supreme Brahman attain that Supreme by passing away from
the world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious moment of the
day, during the fortnight of the waxing moon or during the six months when the sun travels in
the north.
Those who pass away from this world during the smoke, the night, the fortnight of the
waning moon, or in the six months when the sun passes to the south, reach the moon planet
but again come back. According to the Vedic scriptures, there are two ways of passing from
this world - one in light and the other in darkness. When one passes in light, he does not
come back; one who passes in darkness returns.
Knowing these facts, the devotees are never bewildered. Krishna advises Arjuna to be
always fixed in devotion. A person who accepts the path of devotional service automatically
receives the results derived from studying the Vedas, performing austerities and sacrifices,
giving charity or pursuing philosophical and fruitive activities. Simply by performing
devotional service, the devotee reaches the supreme eternal abode.

Assignment:
1. [BG 8.1 verse] What are Arjuna’s questions in this verse?
What is Brahman? What is the self? What are fruitive activities? What is this material
manifestation? And what are the demigods?
2. [BG 8.1 ppt] What does ätmä refer to?
Ätmä refers to body, soul and mind.
3. [BG 8.1 ppt] Arjuna knew Krishna to be the Supreme authority able to give definitive
answers. Therefore, Arjuna addressed Krishna as Puruñhottama.
4. [BG 8.2verse] What are Arjuna’s questions in this verse?
BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 3 of 12

How does the Lord of sacrifice live in the body, and in which part does He live? How can
those engaged in devotional service know Krishna at the time of death?
5. [BG 8.2 ppt]Krishna is referred to as Madhusüdana because Kåñëa once killed a demon
named Madhu.
6. [BG 8.2 ppt] What is the condition of the body and mind at the time of death, because of
which one may forget the Supreme Lord Krishna?
At the time of death, the bodily functions are disrupted and the mind is in a panic-stricken
state.
7. [BG 8.2ppt] What is the prayer of Mahäräja Kulaçekhara?
He prays, "My dear Lord, may I die immediately now that I'm healthy so that the swan of
my mind may enter into the stem of Thy lotus feet."
8. [BG 8.2 ppt]Arjuna questions how one's mind can remain fixed on Kåñëa's lotus feet at
the time of death.
9. [BG 8.3 verse] How does Krishna define brahman, self and karma?
The indestructible, transcendental living entity is called Brahman, and his eternal nature is
called the self. Action pertaining to the development of these material bodies is called
karma, or fruitive activities.
10. [BG 8.3 ppt] What is the difference between the position of the living entity in material
consciousness and spiritual consciousness?
In material consciousness, he tries to be the lord of the matter. In spiritual consciousness,
he serves the Supreme Lord.
11. [BG 8.3 ppt] The living entity sometimes identifies himself with matter, and sometimes
identifies himself with the superior spiritual nature. Therefore, he is called the Lord’s
marginal energy.
12. [BG 8.3 ppt] By a certain process of sacrifice, the living entity perpetually comes and
goes on the material path. The process is as follows:
i) The living entity makes specific sacrifice to attain specific heavenly planet.
ii) Then he reaches the specific heavenly planet, after which the merit of sacrifice is
exhausted.
iii) Then the living entity descends to earth in the form of rain.
iv) Then he takes the form of grains.
v) Grains are eaten by man and transformed into semen.
vi) The semen impregnates a woman and thus the living entity once again attains
human form.
vii) He performs the sacrifice and repeats the same cycle.
13. [BG 8.3ppt] The Krishna conscious person avoids such sacrifices because he directly
takes to Krishna consciousness and thereby prepares himself to go back to Godhead.
14. [BG 8.3ppt] Impersonalist commentators on the Gita wrongly assume that Brahman takes
the form of jiva in the material world. To substantiate this, they refer to the Bhagavad-
Gita chapter fifteen, verse seven.
15. [BG 8.4 verse] What is the characteristic of the physical nature?
Physical nature is endlessly mutable (constantly changing).
16. [BG 8.4 verse] The universe is the cosmic form of the Supreme Lord, and Krishna is
represented as the Supersoul, dwelling in the heart of every embodied being.
BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 4 of 12

17. [BG 8.4 ppt] Describe the six stages that a material body generally passes through.
Material bodies generally pass through the below-mentioned six stages:
i) they are born,
ii) they grow,
iii) they remain for some duration,
iv)they produce some by-products,
v) they dwindle, and
vi)they vanish.
18. [BG 8.4 ppt] What is Adhibhütam and Adhiyajïa?
The physical nature is called adhibhütam.The Supersoul, a plenary representation of Lord
Kåñëa, is called the Paramätmä or adhiyajïa
19. [BG 8.4 ppt] What is Adhidaivatam?
The conception of the universal form of the Supreme Lord that includes all the demigods
and their different planets is called adhidaivatam.
20. [BG 8.4 ppt] The Supersoul or Paramätmä is non-different from Krishna.
21. [BG 8.4ppt] What are the two functions of the Supersoul who is seated beside the
individual soul?
He is the witness of the individual soul’s activities and He is the source of consciousness.
22. [BG 8.4 ppt] The universal form is contemplated by the neophyte because he cannot
approach the Supreme Lord in His form as Supersoul.
23. [BG 8.4 ppt] The lower planets are considered the legs of the Universal form.
24. [BG 8.4 ppt] The sun and moon are considered the eyes of the Universal form.
25. [BG 8.4 ppt] The upper planetary systems are considered the head of the Universal form.
26. [BG 8.5 verse] What category of persons attain Krishna’s nature?
Whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Krishna alone, at once attains
to Krishna’s nature.
27. [BG 8.5 ppt] As taught by Lord Chaitanya, what is the method to remember Krishna?
One should chant the mahämantra, Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/
Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare.
28. [BG 8.5 ppt] What is the method of chanting Hare Kåñëa incessantly so that one can
successfully remember Krishna at the time of death?
One should be more tolerant than the tree, humbler than the grass and offer all respect to
others without requiring respect in return.
29. [BG 8.6 verse] What is the effect of quiting the body in a particular state of being?
The person will attain that state without fail.
30. [BG 8.6 ppt] What was the reason Mahäräja Bharata was transferred to the body of a
deer?
Mahäräja Bharata thought of a deer at the time of death and so was transferred to the
body of a deer.
31. [BG 8.6 ppt] What is the best process for successfully changing one’s state of being to
transcendental life?
The best process is to chant Hare Kåñëa.
32. [BG 8.6 ppt] What influences one’s thoughts at the moment of death?
BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 5 of 12

The cumulative effects of the thoughts and actions of one’s life influence one’s thoughts
at the moment of death.
33. [BG 8.7 verse] In this verse, what is the method suggested by Krishna to attain Him
without a doubt?
One should always think of the form of Kåñëa and at the same time carry out his
prescribed duty. With the activities dedicated to Krishna and the mind and intelligence
fixed on Him, one will attain Krishna without doubt.
34. [BG 8.7 ppt] How can a person who is engaged in material activities transfer himself to
Kåñëaloka?
One can continue to do his prescribed duties and at the same time think of Kåñëa by
chanting Hare Kåñëa. This will free one from material contamination and engage the
mind and intelligence in Kåñëa. By chanting Kåñëa's names, one will be transferred to the
supreme planet, Kåñëaloka, without a doubt.
35. [BG 8.8 verse] What is the sure path of reaching Krishna as described in this verse?
He has to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with his mind constantly
engaged in remembering Krishna, without deviation.
36. [BG 8.8 ppt] What is the meaning of the word Puruñam used in this verse?
Puruñam means enjoyer.
37. [BG 8.8 ppt] By chanting and hearing Hare Kåñëa, which are the three senses that are
engaged?
Ear, tongue and mind are engaged by chanting and hearing Hare Kåñëa.
38. [BG 8.8 ppt] What is the material contamination of the living entities in this world?
They think themselves as enjoyers.
39. [BG 8.8 ppt] What is the example given in the purport to illustrate engaging the mind by
force?
Example given is that, a caterpillar thinks of becoming a butterfly and so is transformed
into a butterfly in the same life.
40. [BG 8.8 ppt] Yoga practice is meditation on the Supersoul within. Similarly by chanting
Hare Kåñëa, one fixes his mind always on the Supreme Lord.
41. [BG 8.9 verse] One should meditate upon the Supreme Person as the one
i) who knows everything,
ii) who is the oldest,
iii) who is the controller,
iv) who is smaller than the smallest,
v) who is the maintainer of everything,
vi) who is beyond all material conception,
vii) who is inconceivable,
viii) who is always a person,
ix) who is luminous like the sun,
x) who is transcendental beyond this material nature.
42. [BG 8.9 ppt]How does the Supreme Person know everything?
He knows past, present and future and therefore knows everything.
43. [BG 8.9 ppt] How is the Supreme Person the oldest personality?
BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 6 of 12

He is the oldest personality because He is the origin of everything; everything is born out
of Him.
44. [BG 8.9 ppt] How is He smaller than the smallest?
The living entity is one 10,000th part of the tip of a hair, but the Lord is so inconceivably
small that He enters into the heart of this particle. Therefore He is called smaller than the
smallest.
45. [BG 8.9 ppt] How is He all-pervading?
He enters into every atom and every living entity’s heart.
46. [BG 8.9 ppt] Why is God called as inconceivable?
By His inconceivable energy, God is sustaining all these big planets and systems of
galaxies.God's energy is beyond our conception, beyond our thinking jurisdiction, and is
therefore called inconceivable (acintya).
47. [BG 8.10 trans] What are the two conditions mentioned in this verse to attain the Supreme
Personality of Godhead?
One who, at the time of death, (i) fixes his life air between the eyebrows and (ii) in full
devotion engages himself in remembering the Supreme Lord, will certainly attain to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
48. [BG 8.10 ppt] What are the different recommendations for a mystic yogi and a pure
devotee to remember the Supreme during the time of death?
For those practiced in yoga, it is recommended that they raise the life force between the
eyebrows, but for a pure devotee who does not practice such yoga, the mind should
always be engaged in Kåñëa consciousness.
49. [BG 8.10 ppt] What does yoga-balena indicate?
Without practice of yoga one cannot come to the transcendental state of being at the time
of death. One cannot suddenly remember the Supreme Lord at death unless he is
practiced in some yoga system.
50. [BG 8.11 verse] Persons learned in the Vedas, who utter omkära and who are great sages
in the renounced order, enter into Brahman. Desiring such perfection, one practices
celibacy.
51. [BG 8.11 ppt] For the impersonalists, the syllable om is identical with Brahman.
52. [BG 8.11 ppt] Which aspect of the Absolute Truth is referred by Krishna in this verse?
Impersonal Brahman.
53. [BG 8.11 ppt] Eventhough there are many institutions for different departments of
knowledge, but there is no recognized institution where students can be educated in the
brahmacäré principles.
54. [BG 8.11 ppt] According to the scriptural injunctions for the age of Kali, Lord Chaitanya
has stated that no process of realizing the Supreme is possible except the chanting of the
holy name.
55. [BG 8.12 verse] As suggested in this verse, what are the four things one should do to
establish himself in yoga?
One should
i) detach from all sensual engagements
ii) close all the doors of the senses
iii) fix the mind on the heart, and
BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 7 of 12

iv) fix the life air at the top of the head

56. [BG 8.12 ppt] Closing the doors of all sense enjoyment is also called as pratyähära. This
means one has to withdraw the senses from the sense objects.
57. [BG 8.12 ppt] Sense organs for acquiring knowledge such as eyes, ears, nose, tongue and
touch, should be fully controlled and should not be allowed to engage in self-gratification.
58. [BG 8.12 ppt] In this way the mind focuses on the Supersoul in the heart and the life force
is raised to the top of the head.
59. [BG 8.12 ppt] If one is not able to practice mystic yoga, one can very easily practice
bhakti-yoga by fixing his mind on Krishna.
60. [BG 8.13verse] After being situated in this yoga practice, what else should one do to
reach the spiritual planets?
One should chant oà and think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
61. [BG 8.13 ppt] It is clearly stated here that oà, Brahman, and Lord Kåñëa are not different.
62. [BG 8.13 ppt] The impersonal sound of Kåñëa is oà.
63. [BG 8.13 ppt] Devotees of Kåñëa enter the Kåñëa planet.The impersonalists enter the
brahmajyoti. Devotees of Narayana enter the Vaikuëöha planets.
64. [BG 8.14 verse] Krishna is easy to obtain for the devotees because of their constant
engagement in devotional service.
65. [BG 8.14 ppt] This verse describes the bhakti-yoga of the pure devotees of Krishna.
66. [BG 8.14 ppt] In the Caitanya-caritämåta the pure devotee is called niñkäma, which
means he has no desire for self-interest.
67. [BG 8.14 ppt] The special qualification of the pure devotee is that he is always thinking
of Kåñëa without considering the time or place.
68. [BG 8.14 ppt] Generally the bhakti-yogis are engaged in five different ways:
i) Devotional service in neutrality
ii) Devotional service as servant
iii) Devotional service as friend
iv) Devotional service as parent
v) Devotional service as conjugal lover
69. [BG 8.14 ppt] A pure devotee can live anywhere and create the atmosphere of Våndävana
by his devotional service.
70. [BG 8.15 verse] In this verse, the material world is described as temporary and full of
miseries.
71. [BG 8.15 verse] The great souls who are yogis in devotion never return to this world
because they have attained the highest perfection.
72. [BG 8.15 ppt] The mahätmäs or great souls do not desire elevation to any of the material
planets or spiritual planets. They only want Krishna’s association and nothing else.
73. [BG 8.15 ppt] The supreme planet, Kåñëaloka, is also calledGoloka Våndävana.
74. [BG 8.16 verse] What is the common characteristic of all the material planets?
All material planets are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place.
75. [BG 8.16 ppt] Karma yogis, jïäna yogis andhaöha yogis have to attain devotional
perfection in Krishna Consciousness before they can go to Krishna’s transcendental
abode.
BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 8 of 12

76. [BG 8.16 ppt] By practice of sacrifice called païcägni-vidyä, one can achieve
Brahmaloka. In Brahmaloka, if one does not cultivate Kåñëa consciousness, then he must
return to earth.
77. [BG 8.17 verse] What is the duration of Brahma’s one day?
By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together is the duration of Brahmä's one
day.
78. [BG 8.17 ppt] Thousand ages refers to thousand cycles of four yugas which are Satya,
Tretä, Dväpara, and Kali.
79. [BG 8.17 ppt] The duration of each of the four yugas are 1,728,000 years, 1,296,000
years, 864,000 years, 432,000 years.
80. [BG 8.17 ppt] By earthly calculations, Brahma’s duration of life totals to 311 trillion and
40 million earth years.
81. [BG 8.17 ppt] By these calculations the life of Brahmä seems fantastic and interminable,
but from the viewpoint of eternity it is as brief as a lightning flash.
82. [BG 8.17 ppt] In the causal ocean there are innumerable Brahmäs rising and disappearing
like bubbles in the Atlantic.
83. [BG 8.18 verse] What happens when Brahmä's day is manifest? What happens at the
arrival of Brahmä's night?
When Brahmä's day is manifest, the multitude of living entities comes into being. At the
arrival of Brahmä's night, they are all annihilated.
84. [BG 8.18 ppt] Trace the cycle of the repeated birth of the less intelligent jivas who try to
remain within this material world.
i) During the daytime of Brahma, the living entities exhibit their activities.
ii) At the coming of Brahma’s night, they are annihilated.
iii) The jivas remain compact in the body of Vishnu.
iv) At the arrival of Brahma’s day, they are again and again manifest.
v) When Brahma’s life is finally finished, they are all annihilated.
vi) They remain unmanifest for millions and millions of years.
vii) Finally when Brahma is born again in another millennium, they are again
manifest.
viii) In this way, the less intelligent jivas are captivated by the material world.
85. [BG 8.18 ppt] In contrast to the above, what is the destination of intelligent jivas who take
to Krishna consciousness?
The intelligent jivas transfer themselves, even in this life, to the spiritual planet of Kåñëa
and become eternally blissful there, not being subject to rebirths.
86. [BG 8.20 verse] What are the characteristics of the spiritual nature?
i) It is eternal
ii) It is transcendental to the manifested and unmanifested matter
iii) It is supreme
iv) It is never annihilated even when everything in this world is annihilated.
87. [BG 8.20 ppt] Kåñëa's superior spiritual energy is completely opposite in quality to
material nature.
88. [BG 8.21 verse] What are the characteristics of Krishna’s Supreme abode?
i) The Supreme abode is called unmanifested
BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 9 of 12

ii) It is called infallible

iii) It is the supreme destination
iv) When one goes there, he never comes back
89. [BG 8.21 ppt] In the Brahma-saàhitä, the supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead,
Kåñëa, is described as cintämaëi-dhäma.
90. [BG 8.21 ppt] Goloka Våndävana is full of palaces made of touchstone.
91. [BG 8.21 ppt] The trees in Goloka Våndävana are called desire trees and they supply any
type of eatable upon demand.
92. [BG 8.21 ppt] The cows in Goloka Våndävana are known as surabhi cows and they
supply a limitless supply of milk.
93. [BG 8.21 ppt] In this abode, the Lord is served by hundreds of thousands of goddesses of
fortune (Lakñmés), and He is called Govinda, the primal Lord and the cause of all causes.
94. [BG 8.21 ppt] The Lord is accustomed to blow His flute (venum kvanantam).
95. [BG 8.21 ppt] The Lord’s transcendental form is the most attractive in all the worlds-His
eyes are like the lotus petals and the color of His bodyis like clouds.
96. [BG 8.21 ppt] The Lord is so attractive that His beauty excels that of thousands of cupids.
97. [BG 8.21 ppt] The Lord wears saffron cloth, a garland around His neck and a peacock
feather in His hair.
98. [BG 8.21 ppt] A vivid description of Krishna’s personal abode (Goloka Våndävana),
which is the supermost planet in the spiritual kingdomis given in the Brahma-saàhitä.
99. [BG 8.21 ppt] What is the difference between Kåñëa's supreme abode and Kåñëa
Himself?
Kåñëa's supreme abode and Kåñëa Himself are nondifferent, being of the same quality.
100. [BG 8.21 ppt] On this earth, Våndävana, ninety miles southeast of Delhi, is a replica
of that supreme Goloka Våndävana located in the spiritual sky.
101. [BG 8.22 verse] How can one attain the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
He can be attained by unalloyed devotion.
102. [BG 8.22 verse] What are the characteristics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
i) He is greater than all
ii) Although He is present in His abode, He is all-pervading
iii) Everything is situated within Him
103. [BG 8.22 ppt] The Brahma-saàhitä describes the supreme abode as änanda-cinmaya-
rasa, a place where everything is full of spiritual bliss.
104. [BG 8.22 ppt] All variegatedness in Krishna’s abode is expanded as the spiritual
expansion of the Supreme Godhead Himself.
105. [BG 8.22 ppt] Although the Lord is always in His supreme abode, He is present
everywhere both in the material and the spiritual universes by His material and spiritual
energies.
106. [BG 8.22 ppt] What does Yasyäntaùsthäni mean?
Yasyäntaùsthäni means that everything is sustained by the Lord, whether it be spiritual or
material energy.
107. [BG 8.22 ppt] In all the Vaikuëöhas there is only one Supreme Godhead, Kåñëa, who
has expanded Himself into millions and millions of plenary expansions.
BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 10 of 12

108. [BG 8.22 ppt] Krishna is two-armed but His expansions in the Vaikuëöhas are four-
armed.
109. [BG 8.22 ppt] Write eight of the names of the residing deities of Vaikuëöha.
i) Puruñottama, ii) Trivikrama, iii) Keçava, iv) Mädhava, v) Aniruddha, vi) Håñékeça,
vii) Saìkarñaëa, viii) Pradyumna, ix) Çrédhara, x) Väsudeva, xi) Dämodara, xii)
Janärdana, xiii) Näräyaëa, xiv) Vämana, xv) Padmanäbha, etc.
110. [BG 8.22 ppt] These plenary expansions are likened to the leaves of a tree and
Krishna is likened to the main tree.
111. [BG 8.23 verse] The time of passing away from this material world determines
whether one does or does not come back.
112. [BG 8.23 ppt] The pure devotees of the Supreme Lord do not care when or by what
method they leave their body because they leave everything in Krishna’s hands, and
easily and happily return to Godhead.
113. [BG 8.23 ppt] Those who are karma-yogis or jïäna-yogis or haöha-yogis must leave
the body at a suitable timeto ensure that they will not return to the world of birth and
death.
114. [BG 8.23 ppt] What does the sanskrit word käla denote?
The Sanskrit word käla denotes the presiding deity of time.
115. [BG 8.23 ppt] Only if the yogi is perfect, he can select the time and place for leaving
this material world.
116. [BG 8.24 verse] Those who pass away from this world under certain conditions do not
to return to this world. What are those conditions?
Those who know the Supreme Brahman pass away from the world
i) during the influence of the fiery god
ii) in the light
iii) at an auspicious moment
iv) during the fortnight of the waxing moon
v) the six months when the sun travels in the north
117. [BG 8.24 ppt] If one leaves the body at the time mentioned in this verse, either
accidentally or by arrangement, he can attain the impersonal brahmajyoti.
118. [BG 8.24 ppt] What is the position of a pure devotee in regard to quiting his body?
For the pure devotee in Kåñëa consciousness, there is no fear of returning, whether he
leaves the body at an auspicious or inauspicious moment, by accident or arrangement.
119. [BG 8.25 verse] When a person quits his body under certain conditions, he rreturns to
this world? What are those conditions?
The mystic who passes away from this world
i) during the smoke or
ii) the night or
iii) the moonlight fortnight or
iv) in the six months when the sun passes to the south or
v) who reaches the moon planet
120. [BG 8.25 ppt] The elevated souls who are expert in fruitive activities, live on the
moon for about 10,000 years (by demigod calculations) and enjoy life by drinking soma-
rasa.
BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 11 of 12

121. [BG 8.26verse] According to the Vedas, what are the two ways of passing away from
this world? What is the result of passing away according to these two ways?
- According to the Vedas, there are two ways of passing from this world-one in
light and one in darkness.
- When one passes in light, he does not come back; but when one passes in
darkness, he returns.
122. [BG 8.26 ppt] The same description of departure and return is there in the Chandogya
Upaniñad.
123. [BG 8.26 ppt] Why do the fruitive laborers and philosophical speculators do not attain
ultimate salvation?
It is because they do not surrender to Kåñëa.
124. [BG 8.27verse]The devotees who know these two pathsare never bewildered.
Therefore one should always be fixed in devotion.
125. [BG 8.27 ppt] What is the method to ensurethat one’s path to the spiritual kingdom is
safe, certain and direct?
One should always be absorbed in Krishna consciousness by being always dovetailed in
the service of the Supreme Lord.
126. [BG 8.27 ppt] What is the meaning of the term yoga-yukta?
Yoga-yukta refers to one who is firm in yoga. Such a person is constantly engaged in
Kåñëa consciousness in all his activities.
127. [BG 8.27 ppt] What is Çré Rüpa Gosvämé’s advise in this purport?
Çré Rüpa Gosvämé advises that one should be unattached in the material world and that
all affairs should be steeped in Kåñëa consciousness.
128. [BG 8.28verse]A person who accepts the path of devotional service is not bereft of
the results derived from
i) studying the Vedas,
ii) performing austerities,
iii) performingsacrifices,
iv) giving charity or
v) pursuing philosophical and fruitive activities
129. [BG 8.28 ppt] What are some of the Vedic principles for observing brahmacarya?
A brahmacäré
- has to study the Vedas under the guidance of the spiritual master
- has to undergo many austerities and penances while living under his care
- has to live in the home of the spiritual master just like a servant
- has to he must beg alms from door to door and bring them to the spiritual master
- takes food only under the master's order
- If the master neglects to call the student for food that day, the student fasts.
130. [BG 8.28 ppt]Study of the Vedas is not meant for the recreation of armchair
speculators, but for the formation of character.
131. [BG 8.28 ppt]What is the path outlined by the Vedas to become elevated to the
perfectional stage of life?
One can become elevated to the perfectional stage of lifeby carrying out the orders of
brahmacäré, householder, vänaprastha and finally sannyäsa.
BG Chap-8 Worksheet Bhakti Shastri Course Page 12 of 12

132. [BG 8.28 ppt]How can one surpass all the rituals of the different orders of life?
One can surpass all the rituals of the different orders of lifein one stroke, by engaging in
devotional service.
133. [BG 8.28 ppt]Describe the path of Krishna consciousness as mentioned in the last
paragraph of this purport.
i) One should hear the Gita in the association of pure devotees
ii) By this service Kåñëa's activities, form, pastimes, name, etc., become clear, and all
misgivings are dispelled
iii) Then the study of the Gétä becomes extremely pleasurable, and one develops a
taste and feeling for Kåñëa consciousness
iv) In the advanced stage, one falls completely in love with Kåñëa
v) This prepares the devotee's transferral to Kåñëa's abode in the spiritual sky, Goloka
Våndävana, where the devotee enters into eternal happiness.
134. Memorise the following verses (with meaning): BG 8.6, BG 8.15, BG 8.28.
135. Write the verse BG 8.28, its meaning and explain the verse in ten sentences.