At the start of Brahma's day, all beings arise from the unmanifest; at the start of Brahma's night, they dissolve back into that same unmanifest.
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 8.18
Hindi · हिन्दी
ब्रह्माजीके दिनके आरम्भकालमें अव्यक्त ब्रह्माजीके सूक्ष्मशरीर से सम्पूर्ण प्राणी पैदा होते हैं और ब्रह्माजीकी रातके आरम्भकालमें उसी अव्यक्तमें सम्पूर्ण प्राणी लीन हो जाते हैं ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
अव्यक्तात्from the unmanifestव्यक्तयःmanifest beingsसर्वाःallप्रभवन्तिariseअहरागमेat the coming of dayरात्र्यागमेat the coming of nightप्रलीयन्तेdissolveतत्रैवthere aloneअव्यक्तसंज्ञकेin the one called unmanifest
Read literallyfrom the unmanifest · manifest beings · all · arise · at the coming of day · at the coming of night · dissolve · there alone · in the one called unmanifest
Understanding the verse
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It shifts the mind from panic about endings to seeing change as part of a larger cycle.
All beings emerge from the unmanifest at the beginning of Brahma's day and return to it at the beginning of Brahma's night.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
On the battlefield, Krishna is answering Arjuna's fear of endings with a cosmic pattern. He explains that beings rise from the unmanifest when Brahma's day begins and return there when night begins, showing that birth and dissolution are part of a vast cycle.
03
In your life
Why this verse still matters
You watch a relationship, a job, or even your own plans fall apart and feel like everything is ending. This verse zooms out: forms come, forms go, and the deeper pattern continues.
The takeaway
“What appears solid is temporary. Life keeps rising and dissolving in a larger rhythm.”
All beings emerge from the unmanifest at the beginning of Brahma's day and return to it at the beginning of Brahma's night.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 8.18?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Akshara Brahma Yoga" (The Imperishable Absolute).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 8.18?
Verse 18 sits in Chapter 8 of the Bhagavad Gita — Akshara Brahma Yoga, "The Imperishable Absolute". The chapter has 28 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 8.18 matter today?
You watch a relationship, a job, or even your own plans fall apart and feel like everything is ending. This verse zooms out: forms come, forms go, and the deeper pattern continues.
It shifts the mind from panic about endings to seeing change as part of a larger cycle.
What this verse means
All beings emerge from the unmanifest at the beginning of Brahma's day and return to it at the beginning of Brahma's night.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield, Krishna is answering Arjuna's fear of endings with a cosmic pattern. He explains that beings rise from the unmanifest when Brahma's day begins and return there when night begins, showing that birth and dissolution are part of a vast cycle.
Why this verse still matters
You watch a relationship, a job, or even your own plans fall apart and feel like everything is ending. This verse zooms out: forms come, forms go, and the deeper pattern continues.
“What appears solid is temporary. Life keeps rising and dissolving in a larger rhythm.”
Explore related themes: avyakta (10 verses)