Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15, Verse 8 (BG 15.8) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

The individual soul is the master of the body, senses, and mind. As long as it dwells in a particular body, it carries with it the subtle form—comprising the senses and the inner faculties—and performs countless actions. According to its desires and tendencies, the soul acts; and in accordance with the fruits of those actions, it must assume various bodies to experience their results. When it abandons one body, it gathers up the subtle form and departs; entering another body, it continues its former patterns of behavior anew. The permanent separation of the subtle body from the gross body is what we call death for the physical form. The corpse may retain its former appearance, yet it has lost the capacity to perceive objects, to experience, and to think—for all these functions belong to the subtle body. It is the presence of the soul that grants the body its status as a living person. Just as the moving wind carries the fragrance of flowers, sandalwood, and perfumes from one place to another—though neither the wind nor the scent is visible to the eye—so too does the soul depart, bearing all the senses with it. The subtle soul cannot be seen by the eyes as it leaves the body, just as the wind and fragrance cannot be perceived. All the soul's desires and tendencies accompany it as well. In this verse, calling the soul the master of the body and senses means simply this: through its presence alone do perception, thought, and all functions proceed smoothly and naturally. It is the ruler and regulator of these instruments. Just as a government official, upon transfer, packs all his household belongings into trunks and carries them to his new posting, then unpacks and arranges them in his new home—precisely so does the individual soul, upon abandoning one gross body, gather all the senses, depart, and then, assuming a new body, resumes all its functions through the subtle form once more. In Vedanta, the body is called the temple of experience. This verse is indeed a summary of the very principles taught in the Upanishads.