And recalling again and again that most marvelous form of Hari, great is my astonishment, O King, and I rejoice again and again.
तच्च संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य रूपमत्यद्भुतं हरेः | विस्मयो मे महान् राजन्हृष्यामि च पुनः पुनः ||१८-७७||
Remembrance
Remembrance refers to the practice of recalling and reflecting on spiritual truths and experiences. Across traditions, there is convergence on the importance of remembrance for spiritual growth and self-awareness. However, traditions diverge in their approaches and emphasis, offering unique perspectives on this practice.
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O King, recalling again and again this wondrous and holy dialogue of Keshava and Arjuna, I rejoice over and over.
राजन्संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य संवादमिममद्भुतम् | केशवार्जुनयोः पुण्यं हृष्यामि च मुहुर्मुहुः ||१८-७६||
whoever departs, leaving the body while uttering Om, the single syllable that is Brahman, and remembering me, reaches the supreme goal.
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् | यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम् ||८-१३||
And whoever, at the hour of death, departs leaving the body while remembering me alone, attains my state of being — of this there is no doubt.
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् | यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ||८-५||
For the yogi who is ever steadfast and constantly disciplined, who thinks of nothing else and remembers me perpetually, I am easy to reach, Arjuna.
अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः | तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः ||८-१४||
Therefore, at all times remember me, and fight. With your mind and intellect fixed on me, you will surely come to me alone.
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च | मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयः (orसंशयम्) ||८-७||
Whatever state of being one remembers as one leaves the body at the end, that alone one reaches, son of Kunti, having always dwelt on that state.
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् | तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः ||८-६||
Those who know me together with the physical realm, the divine realm, and the sacrificial realm — they, their minds steadfast, know me even at the moment of departure.
साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः | प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतसः ||७-३०||
'One who meditates on memory as Brahman can move about at will as far as memory reaches — such is the reward of one who meditates on memory as Brahman.' 'Sir, is there anything greater than memory?' 'There is indeed something greater than memory.' 'Then please tell it to me, sir.'
स यः स्मरं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावत्स्मरस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यः स्मरं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवः स्मराद्भूय इति स्मराद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
God whose presence is the source of happiness has been taken as absent. How can God, the Omnipresent, be absent? This absence relates to our minds. When we forget it, it becomes absent from the mind.
To remember God all the time while doing normal work is the real Simran. The very realisation of the existence of God is Simran in true sense.
By Simran it is meant to remember God all the time, to keep the Almighty in mind. It does not mean the repetition of God's name as such.
Whosoever makes his mind the dwelling place for God, remembers it for ever, he receives the real happiness. If the mind concentrates on God, one receives joy that is free from pains.
May this breath return to the immortal air; and let this body end in ashes. Om. Mind, remember! Remember what has been done! Mind, remember! Remember what has been done!
वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तꣳ शरीरम् । ॐ क्रतो स्मर कृतꣳ स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतꣳ स्मर
If the human mind is not attached or integrated with the source, the Almighty-Nirankar, mere repetition of the divine name is just like the bulb that is seen very much there but is not connected with the main supplying the current.
To remember God all the time while doing our normal work is the real devotion. Only the realisation of the existence of the omnipresent, being aware that it is in the know of all our actions, rather oversees them, is the real devotion.
'Memory is indeed greater than space. That is why, even if many people were gathered together, if they had no memory they would hear nothing, think nothing, understand nothing; but once they remember, then they hear, think, and understand. By memory one recognizes one's children, by memory one's cattle. Meditate on memory.'
स्मरो वावाकाशाद्भूयस्तस्माद्यद्यपि बहव आसीरन्न स्मरन्तो नैव ते कंचन शृणुयुर्न मन्वीरन्न विजानीरन्यदा वाव ते स्मरेयुरथ शृणुयुरथ मन्वीरन्नथ विजानीरन्स्मरेण वै पुत्रान्विजानाति स्मरेण पशून्स्मरमुपास्स्वेति
We have to run the family but with the condition that while doing everything we would always remember this God. There will be peace in the family only if we remember God. If we incorporate God in our family, our home can be filled with joys.
This teaching Ghora Angirasa imparted to Krishna, son of Devaki—and Krishna became free of craving—saying: "At the final hour one should take refuge in these three: You are the indestructible, you are the unshaken, you are the finely sharpened prana." On this there are two Rig verses:
तद्धैतद्घोर् आङ्गिरसः कृष्णाय देवकीपुत्रायोक्त्वोवाचापिपास एव स बभूव सोऽन्तवेलायामेतत्त्रयं प्रतिपद्येताक्षितमस्यच्युतमसि प्राणसꣳशितमसीति तत्रैते द्वे ऋचौ भवतः
Gnosis is the life of the heart through God, and the turning away of one's inmost thoughts from all that is not God. The worth of everyone is in proportion to gnosis, and he who is without gnosis is worth nothing.