Verse 8.2

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 8.2:

अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन् मधुसूदन ।
प्रयाण-काले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः ॥ २ ॥

adhiyajñaḥ kathaṃ ko'tra dehe'smin madhusūdana |
prayāṇa-kāle ca kathaṃ jñeyo'si niyatātmabhiḥ || 2 ||

adhiyajñaḥ–the Lord of sacrifice; katham–how (does He exist)?; kaḥ–who?; atra–here; dehe–body; asmin–in this; madhusūdana–O killer of the demon Madhu; prayāṇa-kāle–at the time of death; ca–and; katham–how?; jñeyaḥ–to be known; asi–are You; niyata-ātmabhiḥ–by those of self-disciplined mind.

O Madhusūdana, who is adhiyajña, the presiding deity of sacrifice? How does He dwell within the body? And by what means are You to be known at the time of death by persons whose mind is controlled?

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

In this Eighth Chapter, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa responds to Arjuna’s questions. In doing so, He also describes bhakti that is mixed with the practice of yoga (yoga-miśrā-bhakti). He also describes pure devotion (śuddha-bhakti).

At the end of the last chapter, Bhagavān spoke on seven topics such as brahma. Now, in this chapter, in this and the previous verse, Arjuna is inquiring about those topics, beginning with the words kiṃ tad. Who is the presiding deity of yajña (adhiyajña)? Who resides within this body? And how can He be known? The answers are given in the following verses.