410
Bhagavad-णोंवे As  It Is
LCh 88
TRANSITION
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.
प्रारंभिक परिचय
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.
TEXT 2
अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुमूदन । प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः ॥ २ ॥
adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ ko’tra dehe’smin madhusūdana prayāṇa-kāle ca kathaṁ jñeyo’si niyatātmabhiḥ
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 —bc known;  asi —You can;  niyata-ātmabhiḥ —by the self-controlled.
TRANSLATION
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?