VIII: 16

Chapter 8, Verse 16

"All realms,
Up to the realm of Brahmaa,
Are subject to rebirth,
But those who reach me, Arjuna,
Will never be reborn."

Krishna Prem:

Between the Unmanifest and the manifest lies an abyss, which thought can never cross.  Up to the farthest edge of manifested being, here referred to as the world of Brahmaa, all things are transitory, though they may last a thousand ages.  The eternal rhythm of inbreath and outbreath is upon them.

Therefore, the wise ones sought to live in the Eternal, the Indestructible, the Changeless.  Like seeds scorched by fire, no cosmic dawn can bring them forth again to worlds of sorrow.  Swahaa [the Mantra through which offerings are made into the sacred fire, representing the ego's consumption in the fire of the Eternal].

The more that Yogis are able to enter elevated states of consciousness, and the longer that they are able to hold on to them in meditation and after meditation, the more they diminish their binding karmic reflexes and dream delusions.

When these are vanquished, Yogis dissolve the body-conscious ego into their souls and take their souls, astral and causal bodies alike, out of their physical bodies.  They then take their souls and causal bodies out of their astral bodies.  Finally, their souls ascend from their causal forms and merge into transcendental Spirit, from which there is no compulsory return to the vale of distressing dualities.

Sri Eknath Easwaran:

Arjuna's oldest brother is Yudhishthira.  One of his many names is Ajatashatru, he who has no enemies.  Before the great war, he was banned from his kingdom with his four brothers.  They lived in exile in the forest for twelve years.  During this time, they were visited by sages who came to cheer them up and bring news of their kingdom and countrymen.  One sage, curious about his nickname, asked Yudhishthira...

Sir, how can you claim to have no enemies when you have been driven from your kingdom and subjected to such difficulties?

Yudhishthira replied...

It is true that I have been exiled from those I love for many years, but I don't think of my usurpers as enemies.  I'm still prepared to serve them in any way that I can.  They may call me their enemy, but as far as I'm concerned, they're my friends.

He had learned to see God in every living creature, even in those who had cheated him out of his kingdom.  This is the lesson which we are all born to learn, sooner or later.  The scriptures go on to say that Yudhishthira was not born again.

[This story brings to mind the Dalai's Lama's attitude towards the Chinese.  While he makes sure that the world becomes aware of the atrocities perpetrated by the Chinese upon the Tibetans, he simultaneously remains full of compassion for all sentient beings, including the oppressors.]