आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन।
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते।।8.16।।
8.16 O Arjuna, all the worlds together with the world of Brahma are subject to return. But, O son of Kunti, there is no rirth after reaching Me.
8.16 (All) the worlds including the world of Brahma are subject to return again, O Arjuna; but he who reaches Me, O son of Kunti, has no rirth.
8.16. Till the Brahman [is attained], people do return from [each and every] world, O Arjuna ! But there is no rirth for one who has attained Me, O son of Kunti !
8.16 आब्रह्मभुवनात् up to the world of Brahma? लोकाः worlds? पुनरावर्तिनः subject to return? अर्जुन O Arjuna? माम् Me? उपेत्य having attained? तु but? कौन्तेय O Kaunteya? पुनर्जन्म rirth? न not? विद्यते is.Commentary Those devotees who practise Daharopasana (a kind of meditation on the mystic space in the heart) and other devotees who reach Brahmaloka through the path of the gods (Devayana) and attain gradual liberation (KramaMukti) will not return again to this world. But those who reach Brahmaloka through the practice of the Panchagni Vidya (a ritual) will enjoy life in Brahmaloka and come back to this world.All the worlds are subjected to return because they are limited or conditioned by time.
8.16 O Arjuna, all the lokah, worlds; abrahma-bhuvanat, together with the world of Brahma-bhuvana is that (place) in which creatures are born, and brahma-bhuvana means the world of Brahma; punah avartinah, are subject to return, are by nature liable to come again; Tu, but; kaunteya, O son of Kunti, na vidyate, there is no; punarjanma, rirth; upetya, after reaching; mam, Me alone. Why are all the worlds together with the realm of Brahma subject to return? Becuase they are limited by time. How?
8.16 A Brhma etc. [This verse] has been interpreted by all as There is rirth even for those who have reached the world of Brhma (the personal god). If this interpretation is accepted, then it would amount to the proposition that going to the worlds that are higher than that [of Brahma], is emancipation [from rirth]. However according to us, with our inner sight blurred by the powerful darkness of doubt, this interpretation does not seem to touch the heart [of the text]. Hence, the following is the wick of the lamp brought from the Agama literature : Till Brahman : Till the status of the Supreme Brahman is attained. Till then all are subject to return (to rirth) from each and every world, whether it lies adjacently, or above or below [the world of Brahman]; men run round like a wheel wandering without stop from one place to another. But who knows in this manner viz., from all the world there is return ? For, it is heard [in the Puranas] that [the personal gods like] Brahma etc., themselves exist indeed for a very long period. How is it that they too are subject to return again ? If they are subject to return, will they not be of the nature of having birth and death ? Expecting this objection, [the Lord] says :
8.16 All the worlds, from the realm of Brahma included in the Brahmanda (cosmic sphere), are spheres in which experiences conferring Aisvarya (prosperity and power) can be obtained. But they are destructible and those who attain them are subject to return. Therefore destruction, i.e., return is unavoidable for the aspirants for Aisvarya, as the regions where it is attained perish. On the contrary there is no rirth to those who attain Me, the Omniscient, who has true resolves, whose sport is creation, sustentation and dissolution of the entire universe, who is supremely compassionate and who is always of the same form. For these reasons there is no destruction in the case of those who attain Me. He now elucidates the time-period settled by the Supreme Persons will in regard to the evolution and dissolution of the worlds upto the cosmic sphere of Brahma and of those who are within them.
All jivas take rebirth even if they have great punyas. But my devotees do not take such rebirth. Even the inhabitants of the planet of Brahma (a brahma bhuvanam lokah) take rebirth.
The proof that there is no more returning to the material existence is confirmed by Lord Krishna by the evidence that all the denizens of all the material worlds from the highest being the abode of Brahma the architect of creation in Brahmaloka down to the lowest in the subterranean planetary system in Pataloka; all are subjected to samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death. Thus all the material worlds are subject to destruction and rebirth is inevitable to those who have taken birth in any planetary system and have not achieved atma tattva or realisation of the soul. Brahma who designed and constructed material creation certainly achieves moksa or liberation during his lifetime and those souls who have achieved Brahmaloka through meditation by which gradual emancipation is the result and who have gained spiritual knowledge and realised atma tattva then they attain moksa along with Brahma at the time of universal dissolution. But the devotees of Lord Krishna have no need to go to Brahmaloka after attaining Him because wherever they may be there is never any rebirth for they go directly to the eternal spiritual worlds is association with Him.
Starting with Brahma the designer and architect of creation who resides on the crest of Mt. Meru in Brahmaloka which is the highest material planet all living entities are subjected to samsara or the perpetual cycle of birth and death. Therefore it is stated in the Narayana Kalpa that: In all cases concerning the material worlds from the highest Brahmaloka down through the heavenly planets to the worlds of humans there is no possibility of attaining the Supreme Lord without moksa or liberation. Now begins the summation. Liberation from samsara and attaining the Supreme Lord Krishna is only possible through bhakti or exclusive loving devotion to Him exclusively. Those whose goal is to enjoy in the heavenly planets which is free from disease, decrepitude and old age will reach those worlds and enjoy; but they will take birth in a womb again for attainment of the Supreme Lord was not their goal; but the devotees of Lord Krishna whose only goal is Him attain moksa.
All the worlds throughout the Brahmanda or the levels of material creation from the topmost Brahmaloka down to lowest Pataloka are appointed realms where beings may taste as much as they are able material happiness in the form of wealth, power, dominion, etc. But these material realms are impermanent and perishable. Inasmuch as the very realms where such activities of enjoyment are unstable and transitory then it can be understood that the happiness and pleasures experienced there are fleeting and temporary and some time come to an end. This is inevitable. To the contrary those who perform bhakti or loving devotion to Lord Krishna who is omniscient and omnipotent and whom the complete cosmic manifestation of creation and dissolution is emanating from Him as mere sport. He who is the most compassionate, the most merciful, the most enduring being eternal; once His devotees attain Him there is no question of rebirth being reincarnated again in a womb in the material existence. By Lord Krishnas grace they directly attain the eternal spiritual worlds in His association. The next three verses will be a dissertation on the great cycles of created beings as willed by the Supreme Lord which periodically regulates the appearance and disappearance of all regions in the material existence beginning with the realm of Brahma the designer and architect of creation.
All the worlds throughout the Brahmanda or the levels of material creation from the topmost Brahmaloka down to lowest Pataloka are appointed realms where beings may taste as much as they are able material happiness in the form of wealth, power, dominion, etc. But these material realms are impermanent and perishable. Inasmuch as the very realms where such activities of enjoyment are unstable and transitory then it can be understood that the happiness and pleasures experienced there are fleeting and temporary and some time come to an end. This is inevitable. To the contrary those who perform bhakti or loving devotion to Lord Krishna who is omniscient and omnipotent and whom the complete cosmic manifestation of creation and dissolution is emanating from Him as mere sport. He who is the most compassionate, the most merciful, the most enduring being eternal; once His devotees attain Him there is no question of rebirth being reincarnated again in a womb in the material existence. By Lord Krishnas grace they directly attain the eternal spiritual worlds in His association. The next three verses will be a dissertation on the great cycles of created beings as willed by the Supreme Lord which periodically regulates the appearance and disappearance of all regions in the material existence beginning with the realm of Brahma the designer and architect of creation.
Aabrahmabhuvanaallokaah punaraavartino’rjuna; Maamupetya tu kaunteya punarjanma na vidyate.
ā-brahma-bhuvanāt—up to the abode of Brahma; lokāḥ—worlds; punaḥ āvartinaḥ—subject to rebirth; arjuna—Arjun; mām—Mine; upetya—having attained; tu—but; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; punaḥ janma—rebirth; na—never; vidyate—is
