Bg. 8.15 · Bhagavad-gita As It Is

Devanagari

मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दु:खालयमशाश्वतम् । नाप्‍नुवन्ति महात्मान: संसिद्धिं परमां गता: ॥ १५ ॥

Verse text

mām upetya punar janma duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ

Synonyms

mām — Me ; upetya — achieving ; punaḥ — again ; janma — birth ; duḥkha-ālayam — place of miseries ; aśāśvatam — temporary ; na — never ; āpnuvanti — attain ; mahā-ātmānaḥ — the great souls ; saṁsiddhim — perfection ; paramām — ultimate ; gatāḥ — having achieved.

Translation

After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

15. Attaining Me, those great souls do not return to a birth which is full of suffering and temporary, having attained the highest goal of personal service to Me.

Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

15. Attaining Me, those great souls do not return to birth which is filled with suffering and temporary. They attain Me, the highest goal.

Purport

Since this temporary material world is full of the miseries of birth, old age, disease and death, naturally he who achieves the highest perfection and attains the supreme planet, Kṛṣṇaloka, Goloka Vṛndāvana, does not wish to return. The supreme planet is described in Vedic literature as avyakta and akṣara and paramā gati; in other words, that planet is beyond our material vision, and it is inexplicable, but it is the highest goal, the destination for the mahātmās (great souls). The mahātmās receive transcendental messages from the realized devotees and thus gradually develop devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and become so absorbed in transcendental service that they no longer desire elevation to any of the material planets, nor do they even want to be transferred to any spiritual planet. They only want Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s association, and nothing else. That is the highest perfection of life. This verse specifically mentions the personalist devotees of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. These devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness achieve the highest perfection of life. In other words, they are the supreme souls.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

“What happens to that person who attains You?” Attaining Me, they do not attain birth again which is full of suffering (duḥkhālayam) and temporary, but attain a birth similar to Mine, which is full of joy, because it is eternal. According to the Amara Kośa, śāśvata means certain, eternal, continual, everlasting. When I take My birth, which is full of joy, spiritual, and eternal, in the house of Vasudeva, My devotees, being My eternal associates, will also take such birth, and not at other times (caused by karma). Other devotees attain perfection, but those who exclusively think of Me (ananya-cetāḥ) attain the very highest perfection (paramāṁ saṁsiddhim)—a position as an assistant in My pastimes. This indicates the observable superiority of the kevala-bhakta over all other types of devotees mentioned.

Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

What is the result for a person who has attained this stage? Attaining Me, whose qualities have been described, great souls do not take birth again in the material world. What is this birth? It is filled with many pains, such as staying in the womb (duḥkhālayam). That birth is not permanent. As soon as one is born one disappears. According to Amara Kośa śaśvata means permanent or eternal. They do not take birth because they have attained the most excellent refuge (paramam saṁsiddham), Me. The Lord will later say avyakto’kṣara ity uktas tam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim: that is called the highest goal which is unmanifest and eternal. (BG 8.21) What persons attain Me? They are very noble minded and generous persons (mahātmanaḥ). This means that they concentrate only on Me, the ocean of knowledge and bliss, who am inclined to give mercy to the devotees, who totally depend on My devotees. They do not consider such things as sārṣṭi— attaining great powers like Mine, [Note: The other benedictions are sārūpya, similar form; sālokya, same planet; samīpya, nearness to the Lord; and sāyujya, merging with the Lord. Mixed devotees and practitioners of aṣṭaṅga yoga (the culminating process of the saniṣṭhas) attain these.] and they take Me as their life-sustaining medicine. These persons attain Me, the highest perfection. This verse declares the superior position of those devotees who are dedicated solely to the Lord (ananya cetasaḥ) to His other devotees, such as the saniṣṭhas. [Note: The pariniṣṭha devotee also performs prescribed duties, like the saniṣṭha, but only to teach others. His main activity is worship of the Lord. If the prescribed duties interfere with the worship, he can avoid those duties with no ill effect. Bhagavat dharma is his main occupation and varṇāśrama is secondary. The saniṣṭha devotee performs his prescribed duties as worship of the Lord, and by that becomes purified. The nirapekṣa devotee does not depend at all on prescribed duties of karma for purification or realization of the Lord. His advancement depends solely on association of devotees and grace of God.]

Surrender Unto Me

This means that they take birth,...but happily. And Krsna explains 'as I take birth, with no difficulties as the son of Vasudeva, they also take their birth.' The highest perfection: to enter in the eternal Krsna lila ‑ paramam gatah.