Bhagavad Gita · Akshara Brahma YogaChapter 8, Shloka 16 (8.16)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते
॥ 8.16 ॥
ābrahmabhuvanāllokāḥ punarāvartino'rjuna
māmupetya tu kaunteya punarjanma na vidyate
Translation
"O Arjuna, all worlds up to Brahmaloka are subject to return; but, O Kaunteya, having attained me there is no rebirth."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. Ā brahma-bhuvanāt … saha brahma-bhuvanena lokāḥ sarve … punar-āvartana-svabhāvāḥ — all worlds, including Brahmaloka, are by nature subject to return; why? kāla-paricchinnatvāt — because they are limited by time.
Acharya Ramanuja — the difference between the seeker of prosperity and the wise one. Brahmaloka-paryantāḥ brahmāṇḍodara-vartinaḥ sarve lokāḥ bhogaiśvaryālayāḥ punar-āvartinaḥ vināśinaḥ — all the worlds within the cosmic egg up to Brahmaloka, homes of enjoyment and power, are subject to return and perishable; therefore aiśvarya-gatiṃ prāptānāṃ prāpya-sthāna-vināśād vināśitvam avarjanīyam — return is unavoidable for those who attain power, because the very place they attain is perishable. But māṃ sarvajñaṃ satya-saṃkalpaṃ … parama-kāruṇikaṃ sadā eka-rūpaṃ prāptānāṃ vināśa-prasaṅgābhāvāt — for those who attain me, all-knowing, true in resolve, supremely compassionate, ever the same, the question of perishing does not arise.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.