8. Path of the Eternal God

Akṣhar Brahma Yog

BG 8.1 - 28

Verse 1

अर्जुन उवाच
किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम
अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते


Arjuna said: What is Brahman? What is the Lord of the Self (Adhyatma)? What is the principle of karma? What exists in the material plane, and what exists in the divine one?

Commentary

Verse 2

अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन
प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः

How are we here in this body, and who is it? How do those of steadfast mind know you at their time of death?

Commentary

Verse 3

श्री भगवानुवाच
अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते
भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः


Krishna replied: Brahman is the supreme, indestructible nature of the self. Material actions by this self are called karma.

Commentary

Verse 4

अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्
अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर

The physical manifestation (adhibhuta) is ever-changing and perishable by nature. The spiritual manifestation is always here in the hearts of the living.

Commentary

Verse 5

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः

At the time of death, anyone who thinks of me alone will relinquish their body and attain my divine nature. Of this, there is no doubt.

Commentary

Verse 6

यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्
तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः

Whatever the mind is intent upon at the time of death, that is where it will go.

Commentary

Verse 7

तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम्

Therefore, remember me at all times, and fight. Surrender your mind and intellect to me, and you will certainly attain my divine status.

Commentary

Verse 8

अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना
परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन्

One who concentrates in meditation, who has a mind that does not wander, attains the supreme spirit.

Commentary

Verse 9

कविं पुराणमनुशासितार
मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः
सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूप
मादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्



Always remember the ancient and divine poet, smaller than an atom, supporter of all things, inconceivable in form, bright as the sun, beyond the darkness of ignorance.

Commentary

Verse 10

प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन
भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव
भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक्
स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम्



One who dies with a steady mind, filled with devotion, with their entire vital energy concentrated between the eyebrows, attains divine consciousness.

Commentary

Verse 11

यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति
विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः
यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति
तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये



I will now speak of the imperishable goal, sought after by knowers of the Vedas. People aspire toward this goal through celibacy and austerity - great sages attain this goal when they are free from attachment.

Commentary

Verse 12

सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च
मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम्

Restrain the senses, confine the mind to look inward, and established concentration on one's own breath.

Commentary

Verse 13

ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्
यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्

Chanting the sacred syllable "Om" and remembering me while departing the body is how one attains this supreme goal.

Commentary

Verse 14

अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः
तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः

One who can remember me without deviation of the mind finds me to be easily accessible.

Commentary

Verse 15

मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम्
नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः

Coming to me in this way, these great souls are no longer trapped in the cycle of misery and rebirth, for they have achieved perfection.

Commentary

Verse 16

आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते

All the worlds, including the abode of Brahma, are subject to this cycle of return. But for whoever comes to me, there is no rebirth.

Commentary

Verse 17

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः
रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः

Those who understand the cosmic calendar know that each day and night consists of one thousand cosmic cycles.

Commentary

Verse 18

अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे
रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके

At the dawn of each cosmic day, all manifested things emerge from the unmanifest, and when night comes, they are dissolved back into it again.

Commentary

Verse 19

भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते
रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे

These multitudes of beings, who have lived many lives on earth, are dissolved as the cosmic night approaches, and come back to life at the approach of the next day.

Commentary

Verse 20

परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः
यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति

Above the unmanifest spirit of creation is an eternal and unmanifest reality which is never destroyed when all beings are destroyed.

Commentary

Verse 21

अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्
यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम

The wise say that this unmanifest and indestructible reality is the highest goal of all. This is my supreme abode, from which one does not return.

Commentary

Verse 22

पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया
यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्

That supreme spirit in whom all beings abide, which pervades the entire universe, is only reached by singular devotion.

Commentary

Verse 23

यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः
प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ

Now, I will tell you the times at which the great souls depart to the state of no return, and at which they go forth only to return.

Commentary

Verse 24

अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः

One who knows of the supreme spirit attains it by passing from this world under the sun at an auspicious time of day, during the fornight of the waxing moon, or during the six months of the Northern summer solstice.

Commentary

Verse 25

धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्
तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते

The sage who passes away on a gloomy night, or during the fortnight of the waning moon, or in the six months prior to the winter solstice, reaches only the lunar light and will be reborn.

Commentary

Verse 26

शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययाऽऽवर्तते पुनः

These bright and dark paths out of the world are eternal. Through one, a person achieves the state of non-return; through the other, they return again.

Commentary

Verse 27

नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन

The saint, steadfast in meditation and aware of these two paths, does not become deluded.

Commentary

Verse 28

वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव
दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम्
अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा
योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम्



The sage who understands this transcends all merit from scriptures, sacrifice, austerity, or charity, and reaches the primordial supreme state.

Commentary

Next chapter

9. King of Sciences

Rāja Vidyā Yog
Chapter 8