Krishna is the refuge beyond temporary sorrow.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम् |नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः ||८-१५||
māmupetya punarjanma duḥkhālayamaśāśvatam . nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṃsiddhiṃ paramāṃ gatāḥ ||8-15||
Use this verse when life’s impermanence feels heavy.
Meaning
Having attained Me, great souls do not again take birth in this temporary abode of sorrow, having reached supreme perfection.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Reaching Krishna frees the soul from repeated temporary suffering.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna describes worldly birth as temporary and mixed with sorrow. This does not mean life has no beauty; it means worldly existence cannot provide permanent security. The great soul seeks Krishna as the final refuge beyond repeated instability.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna now describes the fruit of that constant remembrance. The great souls (mahatmanah) who attain him do not return to rebirth, which he characterizes vividly as duhkhalayam ashashvatam — 'the abode of sorrow and impermanence.' Having reached the highest perfection (samsiddhim paramam), they are free.
The phrase 'abode of sorrow and impermanence' is a clear-eyed assessment of worldly existence. The cycle of birth and death, however filled with fleeting pleasures, is ultimately marked by suffering and instability — nothing here lasts. This is not pessimism but realism, meant to loosen our grip on what cannot satisfy.
The liberated souls have not merely escaped pain; they have reached supreme fulfillment by attaining the Lord himself. Krishna sets before Arjuna the highest possibility for human life: to transcend the restless wheel of becoming and rest forever in the imperishable.
In daily life
Use suffering as a reminder to seek the eternal, not as a reason for despair.
A person facing loss can use pain to deepen devotion rather than only become bitter.
Try this today
Name one temporary attachment and one eternal refuge.
I seek Krishna beyond temporary sorrow.Reflect
What temporary thing am I expecting permanent happiness from?
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Quick check
What does ‘अशाश्वतम्’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on rebirth, in other chapters
- Verse 13.24Right understanding of self and nature liberates you wherever you stand — no special circumstance required.
- Verse 18.12Clinging to results binds you to their consequences; releasing them sets you free.
- Verse 3.4Walking away from your duties does not free you — freedom is found by acting without attachment, not by avoiding action.
- Verse 2.27Accept the inevitability of birth and death as natural law, and redirect the energy spent on grief toward present purposeful action.
Swipe left for 8.16 · Temporary elevation is not final liberation.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 8.15
Who says Bhagavad Gita 8.15, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 8.15, in Chapter 8, Aksara Brahma Yoga (Aksara Brahma Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 8.15 mean?
Having attained Me, great souls do not again take birth in this temporary abode of sorrow, having reached supreme perfection. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 8.15 for daily life?
Use suffering as a reminder to seek the eternal, not as a reason for despair. A person facing loss can use pain to deepen devotion rather than only become bitter.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 8.15 mean?
माम् उपेत्य — having attained Me; पुनर्जन्म — rebirth; दुःखालयम् — the abode of pain; अशाश्वतम् — impermanent, transient; न आप्नुवन्ति — they do not attain (again).
Where does verse 8.15 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 15 of 28 in Chapter 8, Aksara Brahma Yoga. The next verse is 8.16.