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
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.

Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| bhūta-grāmaḥ | the multitude of beings |
| saḥ | these |
| eva | certainly |
| ayam | this |
| bhūtvā bhūtvā | repeatedly taking birth |
| pralīyate | dissolves |
| rātri-āgame | with the advent of night |
| avaśhaḥ | helpless |
| pārtha | Arjun, the son of Pritha |
| prabhavati | become manifest |
| ahaḥ-āgame | with the advent of day |
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.
Three named reading witnesses
Śaṅkara edition witness
Swami GambiranandaO 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 AdidevanandaO 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 SivanandaAvidya (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.
Meaning map
Follow the thought
- 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
Thus, it is ordained
- 3
bhūta-grāmaḥ: the multitude of beings

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