Chapter 8: Akshara Brahma Yoga, verse 16
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन।
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ॥
Say itā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino ’rjuna
mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate
Translation
All the worlds, including the world of Brahma, are subject to return again, O Arjuna; but he who reaches Me, O son of Kunti, has no rebirth.
Swami Sivananda
O Arjuna, all the worlds together with the world of Brahma are subject to return. But, O son of Kunti, there is no return after reaching Me.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
O Arjuna, all the worlds together with the world of Brahma are subject to return. But, O son of Kunti, there is no rebirth after reaching Me.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
Till the Brahman is attained, people return from each and every world, O Arjuna! But there is no return for one who has attained Me, O son of Kunti!
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
The worlds, along with the entire realm of creation, come and go; but, O Arjuna, whoever comes to Me, for them there is no rebirth.
Shri Purohit Swami
हे अर्जुन ! ब्रह्मलोकतक सभी लोक पुनरावर्ती है; परन्तु हे कौन्तेय ! मुझे प्राप्त होनेपर पुनर्जन्म नहीं होता।
Swami Ramsukhdas
हे अर्जुन ! ब्रह्म लोक तक के सब लोग पुनरावर्ती स्वभाव वाले हैं। परन्तु, हे कौन्तेय ! मुझे प्राप्त होने पर पुनर्जन्म नहीं होता।
Swami Tejomayananda
Classical commentariesFor deeper study. Most are in the original Sanskrit.
Advaita
Non-dual: the self and the absolute are one.
Vishishtadvaita
Qualified non-dual: souls are real parts of the divine.
Dvaita
Dual: the soul and God are eternally distinct.
Shuddhadvaita
Pure non-dual, centred on grace and devotion.
Kashmir Shaivism
The Gita read through Trika Shaiva philosophy.
Modern teachers
20th-century teachers writing for today's readers.