Bhagavad Gita 8.6 is Chapter 8, Verse 6, in Aksara Brahma Yoga (The Imperishable Brahman). Below are the Sanskrit text, a transliteration, a plain-English translation and an explanation.
yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ
"Whatever state of being one remembers when leaving the body at death, to that state one goes, O son of Kunti, being always absorbed in that thought."
What This Means:
This generalizes the principle: whatever you think of at death, that's where you go, because you've been absorbed in that thought throughout life. The final moment reveals the dominant pattern.
Going Deeper:
The word 'sada' (always) is key. It's not about forcing a thought at the last second; it's about what you've 'always' been absorbed in. Death reveals; it doesn't decide.
How To Apply This:
What do you think about most? Money? Relationships? Worries? The Divine? Your habitual thoughts are shaping your trajectory. You have the power to change the pattern now.
Key Sanskrit Terms: