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Chapter 8 · Attaining the Supreme · 28 verses

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Liberation & destinyChapter 8 · Attaining the Supreme
8.168.18

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 8.17

Mortality, cosmic cycles and eternal destination

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदु: ।

रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जना: ॥ १७ ॥

sahasra-yuga-paryantam

ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ

rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ

te ’ho-rātra-vido janāḥ

Translation

By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together form the duration of Brahmā’s one day. And such also is the duration of his night.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Brahmā’s Day and Night

  1. 1By human calculation, Brahmā’s day lasts a thousand ages, and his night lasts just as long.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that the material universe has a limited duration. Even Brahmā is subject to death.
  3. 3Brahmā directly serves the Supreme Lord by managing the universe, and therefore he attains liberation.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 8, Attaining the Supreme: mortality, cosmic cycles and eternal destination.

What it teaches

Theme summary

The soul's true destination is eternal.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: mokṣa, dhāma.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 8.17 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to liberation & destiny?

Practice

Reflect on what you want to remember at life's end.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 8 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 8.16Mortality, cosmic cycles and eternal destinationBG 8.18Mortality, cosmic cycles and eternal destination

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.