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Bhagavad-gītā 8.5

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् । य: प्रयाति स मद्भ‍ावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशय: ॥ ५ ॥
anta-kāle ca mām eva
[anta-kaale cha maam eva]
smaran muktvā kalevaram
[smaran muktvaa kalevaram]
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
[yah prayaati sa mad-bhaavam]
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ
[yaati naasty atra samshayah]
Word-for-word
anta - kāle — at the end of life ca — also mām — Me eva — certainly smaran — remembering muktvā — quitting kalevaram — the body yaḥ — he who prayāti — goes saḥ — he mat - bhāvam — My nature yāti — achieves na — not asti — there is atra — here saṁśayaḥ — doubt .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
anta-kāle ca mām eva
anta - kāle
at the end of life
ca
also
mām
Me
eva
certainly
smaran muktvā kalevaram
smaran
remembering
muktvā
quitting
kalevaram
the body
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
yaḥ
he who
prayāti
goes
saḥ
he
mat - bhāvam
My nature
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ
yāti
achieves
na
not
asti
there is
atra
here
saṁśayaḥ
doubt .
Important Words
  • anta - kāle — at the end of life
    Anta (end) + kāla (time). The final moment, the closing seal. The Gītā teaches that this moment is uniquely consequential — not because Kṛṣṇa is partial to it but because the soul's accumulated bhāva surfaces there with peculiar clarity.
  • mām — Me
    Accusative of aham. Personal. Not Brahman in the abstract, not the impersonal light — Kṛṣṇa Himself. The whole devotional weight of the chapter rests on this short word: remembrance is directed at a Person, not a principle.
  • smaran — remembering
    Present participle from smṛ — to remember, hold in mind, recollect. Not visualizing, not imagining — calling back to mind what one has already known. Implies prior cultivation: you can only remember what was once present.
  • muktvā — quitting
    Absolutive of muc — to release. The same root as mokṣa. The body is not taken from the soul; the soul lets it go. The dying person is grammatically the agent of the release, not its victim — at least for those who have prepared.
  • mat - bhāvam — My nature
    Mat (mine) + bhāva (nature, state of being). What the verse promises is not merely Kṛṣṇa's planet or His association — it is participation in His own bhāva, His mode of being. The strongest possible attainment, compressed into one compound.
  • saṁśayaḥ — doubt
    From sam + śī — 'lying together', i.e. two possibilities lying side by side. Kṛṣṇa explicitly closes the door: na asti atra saṁśayaḥ — there is no double possibility here. The certainty is unusually emphatic for the Gītā.
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.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Kṛṣṇa now answers Arjuna's death-question. The verse is the chapter's thesis: whoever, remembering Me alone at the final moment, releases the body — attains My very state. The emphatic 'eva' (Me alone) and the rare flat denial 'no doubt about it' give the line its force.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The vocabulary is deliberately ordinary: 'smaran' (remembering) is the verb of bhakti, not yogic absorption. 'Kalevaram' (body, corpse) underlines that death is just a body-shedding. The verse anchors what 8.6-7 will generalize: thought at death determines destination. 'Mad-bhāva' — sharing the very being of the Lord — anticipates 14.26 and 18.55.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
अन्त-काले च माम् एव स्मरन् कलेवरम् मुक्त्वा यः प्रयाति, सः मद्-भावम् याति; अत्र संशयः न अस्ति।
anta-kāle ca mām eva smaran kalevaram muktvā yaḥ prayāti, saḥ mad-bhāvam yāti; atra saṃśayaḥ na asti|
And whoever, remembering Me alone at the time of the end, leaves the body and departs — he attains My state; in this there is no doubt.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
अन्त-काले च माम् एव स्मरन् मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् । यः प्रयाति सः मद्-भावम् याति न अस्ति अत्र संशयः ॥
anta-kāle ca mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram | yaḥ prayāti saḥ mad-bhāvam yāti na asti atra saṃśayaḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
अन्त-काले anta-kāle अन्त (m.) + काल (m.) loc.sg. (locative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) at the time of the end (death)
च ca ind. (indeclinable) and
माम् mām अस्मद् pron. (pronoun) acc.sg. (accusative singular) Me
एव eva ind. (indeclinable), emphatic alone, only
स्मरन् smaran √स्मृ pres. (present) act. participle (śatṛ) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. remembering
मुक्त्वा muktvā √मुच् abs. (ktvā) having released, having left
कलेवरम् kalevaram कलेवर (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) the body
यः yaḥ यद् rel. pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. who
प्रयाति prayāti प्र + √या pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) departs, goes forth
सः saḥ तद् dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. he
मद्-भावम् mad-bhāvam मद् (pron. (pronoun)-stem) + भाव (m.) acc.sg. (accusative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) My nature, My state of being
याति yāti √या pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) goes, attains
न na ind. (indeclinable), negation not
अस्ति asti √अस् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) is
अत्र atra ind. (indeclinable) in this matter
संशयः saṃśayaḥ सम् + √शी → संशय (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) doubt
Purport

In this verse the importance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is stressed. Anyone who quits his body in Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa conscious is also the purest of the pure. The word smaran (“remembering”) is important. Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa is not possible for the impure soul who has not practiced Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service. Therefore one should practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning of life. If one wants to achieve success at the end of his life, the process of remembering Kṛṣṇa is essential. Therefore one should constantly, incessantly chant the mahā-mantra – Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Lord Caitanya has advised that one be as tolerant as a tree ( taror api sahiṣṇunā ). There may be so many impediments for a person who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Nonetheless, tolerating all these impediments, one should continue to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, so that at the end of one’s life one can have the full benefit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
5. At the point of death, he who leaves the body while knowing Me in truth, attains a nature similar to Mine. Of this there is no doubt.
Commentary

This verse answers the question “How are you to be known at the time of death?” Smaran means remembering Me, knowing Me in truth, not like knowing pots or cloth. The method of knowing or remembering the Lord is now explained in fourteen verses.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
5. At the point of death he who leaves the body remembering Me attains a nature like Mine. Of this there is no doubt.
Commentary

This verse answers the question “How can one know you at the time of dying?” I , being known at that time by knowledge in the form of remembrance, bestow the result—your attainment of My nature (mad bhāvam). Mad bhāvam in this verse means “My nature.” He who remembers Me attains a nature like Mine, with eight qualities: he becomes sinless, ageless, deathless, without grief, without hunger, without thirst, blissful, and his desires are instantly fulfilled.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Krsna answers to the question of Arjuna: 'How can we know You at the time of death?' Krsna says "By remembering ", because remembering is devotional service. And one who knows Krsna as the adhidaiva, adhiyajna and adhibhuta, can thus remember Krsna at the time of death.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

This verse stresses the importance of Krishna Consciousness – Whoever remembers the Supreme

(Krishna) at the point of death will attain the Supreme destination (attains “My Nature”)

Focus of Learning

(a) Krishna consciousness means being ‘Purest of the Pure’ – because of constant remembrance of

the Supreme Lord who is the ‘Purest of the Pure’

(b) Smaran (Remembrance)

It is not possible for an impure soul
Purify yourself by practicing remembrance
If not practiced, one cannot remember Krishna at the end of his life

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION II

To attain Krishna, one must remember Him at the time of death. This remembrance is more than a mental trick. The word used in Text 8.5 – 8.6 is ‘bhava’ which means mood. At death, one will automatically remember the mood he cultivated throughout his life
The most effective means for fixing the mind on Krishna is ‘Harinama sankirtana’

(a) Adhibhuta – Constantly changing physical nature which manifests as six changes of body: birth,

growth, sustenance, by-products, dwindling and death

(b) Adhidaivata – Universal form

Contemplated by neophytes who cannot approach the Supreme Lord in manifestation as Supersoul
Contemplated as follows:
Legs – lower planets
Head – upper plants
Eyes – sun and moon

(c) Adhiyajna – Function of Supersoul

Witness of soul’s activities
Source of soul’s various types of consciousness
Gives individual soul – free independence

(d) “Eva” – Stresses that Paramatma is non-different from Supreme Lord Krishna Himself

(e) Who understands the functions of all these manifestations of Supreme Personality of Godhead

clearly – only a pure Krishna conscious devotee

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
8.5 Ca, and ; anta-kale, at the time of death; yah, anyone who; prayati, departs; muktva, by giving up; the kalevaram, body; smaran, while thinking; mam eva, of Me alone, who am the supreme Lord Visnu; sah, he; yati, attains; madhavam, My state, the Reality that is Vishu, Asti, there is; na, no; samsayah, doubt; atra, about this, in this regard, as to whether he attains (Me) or not. 'This rule does not apply in relation to me alone.' 'What then?'
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
8.5 He who, at the last moment, while leaving the body, departs remembering Me alone, attains My being; he attains My condition. In whatever way he meditates on Me, he attains that very form, in the same manner as the royal sage Bharata attained the form of the deer remembered by him at death. Such is the meaning. Sri Krsna further elucidates that it is the nature of one's last thought that leads to the attainment of a similar form by the meditator:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
8.5 See Comment under 8.7
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
8.5 And whosoever, leaving the body, goes forth remembering Me alone, at the time of death, he attains My Being: there is no doubt about this.
Commentary

8.5 No Commentary.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
8.5 And at the time of death, anyone who departs by giving up the body while thinking of Me alone, he attains My state. There is no doubt about this.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
8.5 Whosoever at the time of death thinks only of Me, and thinking thus leaves the body and goes forth, assuredly he will know Me.
Related values & verses
Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)
Related verses
BG 8.6 BG 8.7 BG 9.34 SB 6.2.49 SB 2.1.6 SB 1.9.22 CC Madhya 22.37 CC Antya 6.261 CC Madhya 9.259 Praśna Upaniṣad 3.10BRS 1.2.234
Study Q&A referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Whoever, at the time of death, remembers Me alone — leaving the body, attains My nature; of this there is no doubt.
Practical Applications
  • Treat this verse as the central promise of the Gītā for moments of departure.
  • Practice remembrance now so it's available later.
  • Read this verse to dying loved ones, with mercy.
Reflection Questions
  • How available is Kṛṣṇa-remembrance to me right now?
  • What practice keeps Him most accessible?
Analogy

The last thought is like the final note a musician sounds before the instrument is set down — it lingers in the air and tells you what the whole evening's music meant. Kṛṣṇa promises: end on the note of Kṛṣṇa, and the music does not end at all; it joins the eternal raga.

Stories
Ajāmila's final cry

Ajāmila had spent the latter half of his life sunk in sin — drinking, gambling, attached to a low-born woman. At the moment of death, with Yamadūtas already approaching to drag him to hell, he called out the name 'Nārāyaṇa' — meaning only to summon his youngest son, whom he had affectionately named after the Lord.

The Bhāgavatam records that the Viṣṇudūtas immediately intervened, stopped the Yamadūtas, and granted Ajāmila release. The very name, spoken at the moment of death — even without conscious devotion — carried such force that it overrode the karma of a lifetime.

Kṛṣṇa's promise in 8.5 — 'remembering Me alone, attains My nature, of this there is no doubt' — is the principle; Ajāmila is the demonstration. The Bhāgavatam expands what the Gītā compresses.

Bharata Mahārāja and the deer

The great king Bharata renounced his throne and went to the forest for bhakti. There he rescued an orphaned fawn and grew attached to it, tending it, worrying over it, thinking of it constantly. At the moment of his death, his mind rested not on Kṛṣṇa but on the deer.

In his next life he was born as a deer — kept his memory, learned the lesson, and in the life after that returned as the renounced sage Jaḍa Bharata. The negative side of 8.6 made visible: whatever you remember at the end, you attain. Bharata recovered, but the detour cost him a body.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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