आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन । मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ॥
ābrahmabhuvanāllokāḥ punarāvartino'rjuna | māmupetya tu kaunteya punarjanma na vidyate ||
Translation
All the worlds, up to the realm of Brahma, are subject to return, O Arjuna. But having come to Me, O son of Kunti, rebirth does not happen.
Interpretation
A sweeping cosmological statement: even the highest heavens — including Brahmaloka, the realm of Brahma, the creator — are part of the cycle of time and subject to eventual dissolution and return. No temporary state, however exalted, is final liberation. Only reaching the eternal Divine itself (mam upetya) breaks the cycle permanently. This is not pessimism about heavenly states — they are genuine reward — but a clarification of what constitutes final liberation versus temporary respite.