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Chapter 8

Bhagavad-gītā 8.19

Read once with your eyes. Read again aloud.

भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते। रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे।।8.19।।

bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate rātryāgame ’vaśhaḥ pārtha prabhavatyahar-āgame

Verse translation

The same multitude of beings, which have lived on earth so often, all are dissolved as the night of the universe approaches, to issue forth anew when morning breaks. Thus, it is ordained.

English rendering by Shri Purohit Swami. Each source voice remains named.

A sepia engraved study panorama for Bhagavad-gītā 8.19, centred on remembrance and destination
Chapter 8 memory scene
Word by word

Build the sentence from its parts

Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.

11word links
Sanskrit formMeaning here
bhūta-grāmaḥthe multitude of beings
saḥthese
evacertainly
ayamthis
bhūtvā bhūtvārepeatedly taking birth
pralīyatedissolves
rātri-āgamewith the advent of night
avaśhaḥhelpless
pārthaArjun, the son of Pritha
prabhavatibecome manifest
ahaḥ-āgamewith the advent of day
Explanation and elucidation

Avidya (ignorance), Kama (desire) and Karma (action) are the three knots that bind the individual to Samsara. Man exerts to attain and enjoy the objects of his desires.

Attributed explanatory witness: Swami Sivananda. Chapter lens: Track Arjuna’s questions and Kṛṣṇa’s answers about Brahman, action, remembrance, destination and cosmic time.

Commentary perspectives

Three named reading witnesses

Sources stay separate

Śaṅkara edition witness

Swami Gambirananda

O son of Prtha, after being born again and again, that very multitude of beings disappears of its own accord at the approach of night. It comes to life again at the approach of day.

Rāmānuja edition witness

Swami Adidevananda

O son of Prtha, after being born again and again, that very multitude of beings disappears of its own accord at the approach of night. It comes to life again at the approach of day.

Sivananda commentary witness

Swami Sivananda

Avidya (ignorance), Kama (desire) and Karma (action) are the three knots that bind the individual to Samsara. Man exerts to attain and enjoy the objects of his desires.

These are concise, attributed reading witnesses from identified editions. They are presented for comparison and are not merged into one anonymous interpretation.

Diagram

Meaning map

Flow chart

Follow the thought

  1. 1

    The same multitude of beings, which have lived on earth so often, all are dissolved as the night of the universe approaches, to issue forth anew when morning breaks

  2. 2

    Thus, it is ordained

  3. 3

    bhūta-grāmaḥ: the multitude of beings

A sepia engraved visual memory cue for Bhagavad-gītā 8.19
Easy way to remember

Look, link, cover, teach

1

Look

Picture remembrance and destination.

2

Link

Use the line starts: bhūta-grāmaḥ sa / rātryāgame ’vaśhaḥ.

3

Cover

Hide the verse and rebuild one line at a time.

4

Teach

Explain the flow to another person without looking.

Keep what you learned

Turn this reading into a study record

Save it, return from memory, and write one idea in your own words. Your record stays in this browser unless you export it.

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A simple learning rhythm

Do more than reread

  1. 1ReadTake in one small piece.
  2. 2RememberClose it and bring it back.
  3. 3UseConnect it to a real choice.
  4. 4ExplainSay it clearly in your own words.