Bhagavad Gita BG 8.19
Chapter 8, Verse 19 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते । रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे ॥
bhuta-gramah sa evayam bhutva bhutva praliyate ratry-agame 'vashah partha prabhavaty ahar-agame
Meaning
This very same multitude of beings, arising again and again, is dissolved at the coming of night, and arises again at the coming of day, O Partha — helplessly.
Understanding
The fate of the mass of beings who do not reach the Absolute. Sa eva ayam bhuta-gramah (this very same multitude of beings — the same creatures, not new ones) — bhutva bhutva praliyate (arises again and again and is dissolved). The cycle: ratry-agame (at the coming of Brahma's night — the cosmic night of pralaya) they dissolve; ahar-agame (at the coming of day — the new kalpa) they arise again. The devastating qualifier: avashaha (helplessly, without will — the beings have no say in this, they are driven by vasanas and karma). This is the condition of those who have not reached the divine — perpetual, helpless cycling.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| भूतग्रामः | bhuta-gramah | the multitude/host of beings, the aggregate of creatures |
| भूत्वा भूत्वा | bhutva bhutva | having come into being again and again (repeated gerund — cyclical) |
| प्रलीयते | praliyate | is dissolved, merges back, is extinguished |
| अवशः | avashaha | helpless, without will/control, not one's own master |
| प्रभवति | prabhavati | arises, manifests, comes forth |
| भूत-ग्रामः | bhūta-grāmaḥ | the multitude of beings |
| सः | saḥ | that same |
| एव | eva | indeed |
| अयम् | ayam | this |
| भूत्वा | bhūtvā | having come into being |
| भूत्वा | bhūtvā | again and again |
| प्रलीयते | pralīyate | is dissolved |
| रात्र्य्-आगमे | rātry-āgame | at the coming of night |
| अवशः | avaśaḥ | helplessly, without control |
| पार्थ | pārtha | O Arjuna |
| अहर्-आगमे | ahar-āgame | at the coming of day |
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