mayy eva mana ādhatsva
mayi buddhiḿ niveśaya
nivasiṣyasi mayy eva
ata ūrdhvaḿ na saḿśayaḥ
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 12.8
Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
One who is engaged in Lord Krishna’s devotional service lives in a direct relationship with the Supreme Lord, so there is no doubt that his position is transcendental from the very beginning. A devotee does not live on the material plane—he lives in Krishna. The holy name of the Lord and the Lord are nondifferent; therefore when a devotee chants Hare Krishna, Krishna and His internal potency are dancing on the tongue of the devotee. When he offers Krishna food, Krishna directly accepts these eatables, and the devotee becomes Krishna-ized by eating the remnants. One who does not engage in such service cannot understand how this is so, although this is a process recommended in the Bhagavad-gita and in other Vedic literatures.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
“Since bhakti is the best, please perform only bhakti.” He teaches this bhakti in three verses.
The word eva excludes the impersonal aspect of the Lord. Concentrate your mind on me only, remember only me (mayy eva mana adhatsva), that form of Syamasundara, with yellow cloth and forest garland, and not the impersonal brahman. And also, fix your intelligence which discriminates in me. This means to continually reflect on the statements of scripture using intelligence which will result in meditation. Such contemplation is called manana. Thus, you will attain residence near me. Nivasisyasi is a poetic form of nivatsyasi (future of nivas) for metrical purpose.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
12.8 ‘Focus your mind on Me alone,’ on account of My being the unsurpassed end of human endeavour and on My being easily attainable without delay. Focus your mind in meditation on Me alone. Let your Buddhi ‘enter into Me,’ strengthened by the conviction that I alone am the supreme object to be attained. Then you will ‘live in Me alone,’ i.e., You will live in Me alone immediately after focusing your mind on Me by forming the conviction that I alone am the supreme object to be attained.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
7 Since Lord Krishna has revealed that He quickly redeems His devotees from samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death then one without delay should focus their minds upon Him exclusively in full cognisance directing the intellect which is determinate to absorb itself in the Supreme Lord. Acting in this way by His grace one will receive spiritual knowledge empowering one to join in communion with Him in this very life and after death be transported to the immortal spiritual worlds for all eternity of this there is no doubt.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
The Supreme Lord Krishna Himself is the savior of His surrendered devotees who exclusively perform bhakti or loving devotion to Him. He rescues them from samsara or the perpetual cycle of birth and death devouring all in material existence and bestows upon them His own nature of endless bliss. Here Lord Krishna is instructing Arjuna to act as His devotees do. By focusing His mind on the Supreme Lord alone, which is the most auspicious abode for the mind, He is adored and beloved by His devotees and the Lord of all lords. One should establish their intellect decisively and resolve in their mind that the Supreme Lord Krishna is the paramount object of worship and the ultimate goal to be attained. With the mind and intellect absorbed in the Supreme Lord one will certainly abide with Him in His eternal spiritual abode at the end of this flickering physical existence along with countless others of similar determination and sharing in communion with Him will not be separated from the Supreme Lord ever again.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
12.8 Adhatsva, fix manah, the mind-possessed of the power of thinking and doubting; mayi, on Me, on God as the Cosmic Person; eva, alone. Mayi, in Me; eva, alone; nivesaya, rest; the buddhim, intellect, which engages in determining (things). Listen to what will happen to you thereby: Na samsayah, there is no doubt-no doubt should be entertained with regard to this; that atah urdhvam, hereafter, after the fall of the body; nivasisyasi, you will dwell; mayi, in Me, live in identity withMe; eva, alone.
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
12.6-8 Ye tu etc. upto asthitah. Those who renounce all (all actions) in Me according to the instruction related above – of them I am the redeemer from all the afflictions like obstacles [on the way to realisation] etc. The act of causing the mind to enter [into the Supreme] has been explained (under XII, 2 above). Therefore, this alone is the highest form of Yoga, because it is natural. Hence [I have said] in my Hymn : ‘If, during [one’s] concentration, reflecting with high esteem and remaining in a [particular] posture, and the best process (karana), a person causes a certain awakening to shine forth, that is not the Consciousness of Yours (i.e. of the Goddess) that rises up perennially and flows with its own (unadulterated) taste; for, here (in the former) too the presence of the triad is distinctly felt. On the other hand, when [glowing] without fuel; holding to its independence; following horripilation, [bodily] shake and tears, [all] breaking forth spontaneously; and clearly assuming the indifference [even] to the body; the awakening fire of Consciousness suddely shines, on its own accord simultaneously; then alone, O Goddess, that body of Yours, the mightly Lord (Mahesa) is realised – a body which is devoid of [all] supports, and which breaks the bondage of the dependent.’ And so on.
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
mayy eva mana adhatsva
mayi buddhim nivesaya
nivasisyasi mayy eva
ata urdhvam na samsayah
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
mayi — upon Me; eva — certainly; manaḥ — mind; ādhatsva — fix; mayi — upon Me; buddhim — intelligence; niveśaya — apply; nivasiṣyasi — you will live; mayi — in Me; eva — certainly; ataḥ ūrdhvam — thereafter; na — never; saḿśayaḥ — doubt.
