अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् ।यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥
antakāle ca mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram | yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṃ yāti nāsty atra saṃśayaḥ ||
- अन्तकाले · antakāle
- at the final hour
- माम् · mām
- me
- एव · eva
- alone, indeed
- स्मरन् · smaran
- remembering
- मुक्त्वा · muktvā
- having left
- कलेवरम् · kalevaram
- the body
- यः · yaḥ
- whoever
- प्रयाति · prayāti
- departs
- मद्भावम् · madbhāvam
- my state of being
- संशयः · saṃśayaḥ
- doubt
“Whoever leaves the body at the final hour remembering me alone departs to my state of being — there is no doubt about this.”
— Original plain-language translation
IN SHORT What you hold dear at the end shapes you, so practice love daily.
Here is the direct answer to Arjuna's question about death. The last thought is given decisive weight, which is both a promise and a warning. What fills the mind at the end reveals — and seals — a lifetime's direction. Like the final ball of a match deciding where the whole innings is remembered.
— Reader's notes (original)