158
Bhagavad-gītā  As It Is
[Ch. 2 .
living entity is the eternal part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa in spiritual identity, and therefore the eternal position of the living entity is never on the level of Kṛṣṇa or greater than Him. This understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the basic principle of real peace.
TEXT 72
एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति । स्थित्वास्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति ॥७२॥
eṣā brāhmī sthitiḥ pārtha naināṁ prāpya vimuhyati sthitvāsyām anta-kāle’pi brahma-nirvānam rcchati
eṣā —this;  brāhmī —spiritual;  sthitiḥ —situation;  pārtha —O son of Pṛthā;  na —never;  enām —this;  prāpya —achieving;  vimuhyati —bewilders;  sthitvā —being so situated;  asyām —being so;  anta-kāle —at the end of life;  api —also;  brahma-nirvāṇam —spiritual (kingdom of God);  ṛcchati —attains.
TRANSLATION
That is the way of the spiritual and godly life, after attaining which a man is not bewildered. Being so situated, even at the hour of death, one can enter into the kingdom of God.
PURPORT
One can attain Kṛṣṇa consciousness or divine life at once, within a second—or one may not attain such a state of life even after millions of births. It is only a matter of understanding and accepting the fact. Khaṭvāṇga Mahārāja attained this state of life just a few minutes before his death, by surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa.  Nirvāṇa  means ending the process of materialistic life. According to Buddhist philosophy, there is only void after the completion of this material life, but  Bhagavad-gītā  teaches differently. Actual life begins after the completion of this material life. For the gross materialist it is sufficient to know that one has to end this materialistic way of life, but for persons who are spiritually advanced, there is another life after this materialistic life. Before ending this life, if one fortunately becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he at once attains the stage