kim tad brahma kim adhyatmam

kim karma purusottama

Arjuna inquired: O my Lord, O Supreme Person, what is Brahman? What is the self? What are fruitive activities? What is this material manifestation? And what are the demigods? Please explain this to me.

dehe ‘smin madhusudana

prayana-kale ca katham

jneyo ‘si niyatatmabhih

adhiyajñaḥ—the Lord of sacrifice; katham—how; kaḥ—who; atra—here; dehe—in the body; asmin—in this; madhusūdana—O Madhusūdana; prayāṇa-kāle—at the time of death; ca—and; katham—how; jñeyaḥ—be known; asi—You can; niyata-ātmabhiḥ—by the self-controlled.

How does this Lord of sacrifice live in the body, and in which part does He live, O Madhusūdana? And how can those engaged in devotional service know You at the time of death?

aksaram brahma paramam

svabhavo ‘dhyatmam ucyate

bhuta-bhavodbhava-karo

visargah karma-samjnitah

śrī bhagavān uvāca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; akṣaram—indestructible; brahma—Brahman; paramam—transcendental; svabhāvaḥ—eternal nature; adhyātmam—the self; ucyate—is called; bhūta-bhāva-udbha