### Bg 8.1

> अर्जुन उवाच ।\
> किं तद् ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम ।\
> अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते ॥१॥

> arjuna uvāca\
> kiṁ tad brahma kim adhyātmaṁ\
> kiṁ karma puruṣottama\
> adhibhūtaṁ ca kiṁ proktam\
> adhidaivaṁ kim ucyate

*arjunaḥ uvāca*—Arjuna said; *kim*—what; *tat*—that; *brahma*—Brahman; *kim*—what; *adhyātmam*—the self; *kim*—what; *karma*—fruitive activities; *puruṣottama*—O Supreme Person; *adhibhūtam*—the material manifestation; *ca*—and; *kim*—what; *proktam*—is called; *adhidaivam*—the demigods; *kim*—what; *ucyate*—is called.

**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.**

In this chapter Lord Kṛṣṇa answers these different questions of Arjuna beginning with, "What is Brahman?" The Lord also explains *karma,* fruitive activities, devotional service and *yoga* principles, and devotional service in its pure form. The *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* explains that the Supreme Absolute Truth is known as Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. In addition, the living entity, individual soul, is also called Brahman. Arjuna also inquires about *ātmā,* which refers to body, soul and mind. According to the Vedic dictionary, *ātmā* refers to the mind, soul, body and senses also.

Arjuna has addressed the Supreme Lord as *Puruṣottama,* Supreme Person, which means that he was putting these questions not simply to a friend but to the Supreme Person, knowing Him to be the supreme authority able to give definitive answers.