Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8, Verse 7

English Translation

Therefore, think of Me at all times and fight. There is no doubt that by dedicating your mind and intellect to Me, you will attain Me alone.

Detailed Commentary

।।8.7।। Explanation -- 'Tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu mām anusmara yudhya ca' -- Here, the phrase 'sarveṣu kāleṣu' (at all times) relates to remembrance (smarana), not to fighting (yuddha), because war cannot be continuous. No action can be ceaseless; it can only occur periodically. Every action has a beginning and an end – this is everyone's experience. However, since the goal is Bhagavatprāpti (attainment of the Divine), remembrance of God is constant, because the awareness of the goal is ever-present. To remember at all times means that while every other activity has a divided time – like sleeping, waking, daily rituals (nityakarma), work, eating, etc. – there should be no division of time for the remembrance of God. God should be remembered at every moment. 'Yudhya ca' (and fight) means that for Arjuna, war is his dharma, which came to him unsought – 'yadṛcchayā copapannam' (occurred of its own accord). Similarly, whatever duty (kartavya) comes to an individual, they should perform it while remembering God. However, in this, the remembrance of God is principal, and the duty is secondary. The meaning of 'Anusmara' is that remembrance should follow remembrance, implying continuous recollection. Another meaning is that Bhagavan does not forget any being. In the seventh chapter, Bhagavan, by stating 'Vedāham' (I know), spoke of knowing all beings. When Bhagavan knows everyone, His remembrance of all beings is natural. If a jīva (individual soul) remembers Bhagavan, then that jīva attains liberation (uddhāra). For the awakening of remembrance of Bhagavan, there must be a sense of intimacy (apnapan) with Him. The stronger this sense of intimacy, the more frequently the memory (smṛti) of Bhagavan will arise. 'Mayyarpitamanobuddhiḥ' (with mind and intellect dedicated to Me) -- The general meaning of dedicating mind and intellect to Bhagavan is that the mind should contemplate Bhagavan and the intellect should ascertain the Paramātma (Supreme Self). However, the real meaning is that the mind, intellect, senses, body, and so forth, all belong to Bhagavan; one should not consider them as one's own. The reason is that all prākṛta padārthas (material elements/objects) belong to Bhagavan. To consider material elements as one's own is the fundamental error. As long as a sādhaka (spiritual aspirant) considers them their own, they will not become pure, because this very ownership is impurity (aśuddhi). A human being's relationship is solely with Prabhu (the Lord). There was never, is never, and will never be a relationship with Prakriti (primordial nature) and its effects. Humans are the eternal parts (sanātana aṃśa) of Paramātma; therefore, they cannot have a relationship with Prakriti. A sādhaka should understand the mind and intellect as belonging to Bhagavan and offer them to Him. They will naturally attain Bhagavan, because it is by forming connections with the body, mind, intellect, etc., that they have become estranged from Bhagavan. In reality, prākṛta padārthas are not ours, and we are not theirs – all philosophers accept this truth. Those who are Ishwaravādī (theists) consider these prākṛta padārthas to belong to Īśvara (God) alone. Hence, if a sādhaka understands these elements as belonging to Īśvara and dedicates them to Īśvara, their eternal relationship (nityasambandha) with Bhagavan will awaken. 'Māmevaiṣyasyasaṁśayam' (you will undoubtedly come to Me) -- The person who dedicates their mind and intellect to Me will attain Me – there is no doubt in this. The reason is, I am in your eternal experience (nitya anubhūti). The experience of non-attainment (aprāpti) occurs when one forms a connection with the body and the world, considering them as one's own. An eternally attained reality (nitya prāpta tattva) is never absent. A special point regarding remembrance (smarana): Remembrance is of three types – bodhajanya (born of awareness), sambandhajanya (born of relationship), and kriyājanya (born of action). (1) Bodhajanya Smarana (Remembrance born of awareness) -- One does not need to remember one's own inherent 'beingness'. However, the assumed identification with the body is an error. Upon the awakening of true awareness (bodha), that error is erased, and one's intrinsic 'beingness' remains self-evident. As long as the mutable aspect is not discriminatively relinquished, the awareness of one's own being persists. This bodhajanya smarana is never destroyed because it is the remembrance of one's eternal nature (nitya svarūpa). (2) Sambandhajanya Smarana (Remembrance born of relationship) -- That which we consider our very self (svayam) is sambandhajanya smarana. Bhagavan is truly ours; whether we accept it or not, He remains ours. We are His parts (aṃśa), and He is the Whole (Aṃśī). When we accept the absolute absence of connection with the body and the world, then the eternal relationship (nityasambandha) with Bhagavan awakens. (3) Kriyājanya Smarana (Remembrance born of action) -- This is remembrance that arises from practice (abhyāsajanya). For example, women walk with pots on their heads, yet they remain mindful of the pot. Similarly, to continuously remember Bhagavan amidst all actions is abhyāsajanya smarana. Abhyāsajanya smarana also has three types: remembering Bhagavan while performing worldly duties; performing worldly duties while remembering Bhagavan; and understanding the work itself as belonging to Bhagavan. In such cases, the remembrance of Bhagavan remains primary. Work related to Bhagavan (Bhagavatsambandhī kārya) is of two types: by its form (svarūpa) and by its attitude (bhāva). By svarūpa – performing Japa (repetition), Kīrtana (chanting) of Bhagavan's name, etc. By bhāva – even while performing worldly tasks, understanding everything as belonging to Bhagavan. In this way, the memory (smṛti) of Bhagavan is sustained.