Chapter 15, Verse 8 (Bhagavad Gita 15.8)
Chapter 15: Puruṣhottam Yog – The Yoga of the Supreme Divine Personality
Sanskrit Shloka
शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः।गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्
Transliteration
śharīraṁ yad avāpnoti yach chāpy utkrāmatīśhvaraḥ gṛihītvaitāni sanyāti vāyur gandhān ivāśhayāt
Word Meanings
śharīram—the body; yat—as; avāpnoti—carries; yat—as; cha api—also; utkrāmati—leaves; īśhvaraḥ—the Lord of the material body, the embodied soul; gṛihītvā—taking; etāni—these; sanyāti—goes away; vāyuḥ—the air; gandhān—fragrance; iva—like; āśhayāt—from seats
Translation
When the Lord, who is the individual soul (Jiva), acquires a body or departs from one, He carries with Him the senses and the mind, just as the wind carries scents away from their source.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound revelation, Bhagwan Shri Krishna explains the mechanism of transmigration, illustrating how the soul remains inextricably linked to the subtle body consisting of the mind and senses. The Lord, as the indwelling witness, does not abandon the mental impressions and desires accumulated through past actions, but carries them into the next vessel like a breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers. This wisdom serves as a reminder to Arjuna and all seekers that our current state is a continuation of our past intentions. Shri Krishna invites us to purify our consciousness, for what we harbor in our minds today determines the nature of our journey hereafter. True liberation, or moksha, is attained only when the soul transcends these subtle attachments and realizes its eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord Krishna.