avyaktāt—from the unmanifested; vyaktayaḥ—the manifested; sarvāḥ—all; prabhavanti—emanate; ahaḥ-āgame—at the advent of Brahma’s day; rātri-āgame—at the fall of Brahma’s night; pralīyante—they dissolve; tatra—into that; eva—certainly; avyakta-sanjñake—in that which is called the unmanifest
English translation
From the Unmanifested, all the manifested worlds proceed upon the arrival of the 'day'; upon the arrival of the 'night', they dissolve indeed into that which is known as the Unmanifested.
Translation by Swami Sivananda
Hindi meaning
।।8.18।। (ब्रह्माजी के) दिन का उदय होने पर अव्यक्त से (यह) व्यक्त (चराचर जगत्) उत्पन्न होता है; और (ब्रह्माजी की) रात्रि के आगमन पर उसी अव्यक्त में लीन हो जाता है।।
Hindi rendering by Swami Tejomayananda
English meaning
At the dawn of that day, all objects in manifestation stream forth from the Unmanifest, and when evening falls, they are dissolved back into it again.
Shri Purohit Swami
As the day approaches, all manifestations emerge from the unmanifest, and as the night approaches, they dissolve into the same, which is known as the 'unmanifest.'
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Detailed explanation
When Brahma awakes, all manifestations, moving and unmoving (animate and inanimate) stream forth at the coming of the day from the Avyakta or the Unmanifested. When Brahma goes to sleep, all the manifestations merge in the Unmanifested, for the cosmic night has set in.Coming of the day Commencement of creation.Coming of the night Commencement of dissolution. (Cf.IX.7and8)
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
Hindi commentary
।।8.18।। See Commentary under 8.19.,
Swami Chinmayananda
।।8.18।। व्याख्या--'अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः ৷৷. तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके'--मात्र प्राणियोंके जितने शरीर हैं, उनको यहाँ 'व्यक्तयः'और चौदहवें अध्यायके चौथे श्लोकमें 'मूर्तयः' कहा गया है। जैसे, जीवकृत सृष्टि अर्थात् 'मैं' और 'मेरापन' को लेकर जीवकी जो सृष्टि है, जीवके नींदसे जगनेपर वह सृष्टि जीवसे ही पैदा होती है और नींदके आ जानेपर वह सृष्टि जीवमें ही लीन हो जाती है। ऐसे ही जो यह स्थूल समष्टि सृष्टि दीखती है, वह सब-की-सब ब्रह्माजीके जगनेपर उनके सूक्ष्मशरीरसे अर्थात् प्रकृतिसे पैदा होती है और ब्रह्माजीके सोनेपर उनके सूक्ष्मशरीरमें ही लीन हो जाती है। तात्पर्य यह हुआ कि ब्रह्माजीके जगनेपर तो 'सर्ग' होता है और ब्रह्माजीके सोनेपर 'प्रलय' होता है। जब ब्रह्माजीकी सौ वर्षकी आयु बीत जाती है, तब 'महाप्रलय' होता है, जिसमें ब्रह्माजी भी भगवान्में लीन हो जाते हैं। ब्रह्माजीकी जितनी आयु होती है, उतना ही महाप्रलयका समय रहता है। महाप्रलयका समय बीतनेपर ब्रह्माजी भगवान्से प्रकट हो जाते हैं तो 'महासर्ग' का आरम्भ होता है (गीता 9। 7 8)।
Swami Ramsukhdas
Key teachings
When Brahma awakes, all manifestations, moving and unmoving (animate and inanimate) stream forth at the coming of the day from the Avyakta or the Unmanifested.
When Brahma goes to sleep, all the manifestations merge in the Unmanifested, for the cosmic night has set in.Coming of the day Commencement of creation.Coming of the night Commencement of dissolution.
Spiritual significance
In Akshara Brahma Yoga (Path of the Eternal God), this verse belongs to the Gita’s teaching on bhakti yoga. Here the text presents that teaching through these words: From the Unmanifested, all the manifested worlds proceed upon the arrival of the 'day'; upon the arrival of the 'night', they dissolve indeed into that which is known as the Unmanifested.
Chapter 8, verse 18 is part of Akshara Brahma Yoga. In the English translation used on this page, it says: From the Unmanifested, all the manifested worlds proceed upon the arrival of the 'day'; upon the arrival of the 'night', they dissolve indeed into that which is known as the Unmanifested.
What is the spiritual context of this verse?
It appears in Akshara Brahma Yoga, a chapter associated with Bhakti Yoga. The last thought at death.
