Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 Verse 13 Meaning
Uttering the one-syllabled Om, the Brahman, and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the Supreme Goal.
BG 8.13
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्। यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्
oṁ ityekākṣharaṁ brahma vyāharan mām anusmaran yaḥ prayāti tyajan dehaṁ sa yāti paramāṁ gatim
Meaning
Uttering the one-syllabled Om, the Brahman, and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the Supreme Goal.
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What Does Bhagavad Gita 8.13 Mean?
The Gita addresses the imperishable with characteristic directness here. Uttering the one-syllabled Om, the Brahman, and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the Supreme Goal. Within the broader arc of Chapter 8, this verse builds on Krishna's systematic exposition of remembrance. What distinguishes this verse is its integration of the imperishable with the broader framework of the Gita's philosophy.
Rather than treating spiritual life as separate from worldly engagement, Krishna shows how remembrance can be realized through every aspect of human experience. For the modern practitioner, this verse suggests a concrete experiment: approach today's responsibilities with the awareness this teaching describes. The Gita's promise is that even imperfect practice in the right direction yields real results.
— Explained by the Nitya Team
What Is the Context of Bhagavad Gita 8.13?
The nature of the Supreme Being and what happens to the soul at the time of death.
Key themes in this chapter include Death, Remembrance, Liberation.
How Can I Apply Bhagavad Gita 8.13 in Daily Life?
- •When you need steadiness while dealing with death
- •When practicing remembrance amid uncertainty
- •When applying liberation to real-life choices
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Related Verses
BG 8.5
And whoever, leaving their body, goes forth remembering Me alone at the time of death, they will attain My Being; there is no doubt about this.
BG 8.6
Whoever at the end leaves the body, thinking of any being, to that being only does he go, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), due to his constant thought of that being.
BG 1.1
Dhritarashtra said, "What did my people and the sons of Pandu do when they had assembled together, eager for battle, on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya?"
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