Chapter 8

The Imperishable Brahman

aksharabrahmayoga · 28 verses

अर्जुन उवाच किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम। अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते৷৷ अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन। प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः৷৷

arjuna uvāca kiṅ tadbrahma kimadhyātmaṅ kiṅ karma puruṣōttama. adhibhūtaṅ ca kiṅ prōktamadhidaivaṅ kimucyatē৷৷ adhiyajñaḥ kathaṅ kō.tra dēhē.sminmadhusūdana. prayāṇakālē ca kathaṅ jñēyō.si niyatātmabhiḥ৷৷

"Arjuna asked: O Lord of Lords! What is that which men call the Supreme Spirit, what is man's Spiritual Nature, and what is the Law? What is Matter and what is Divinity?

Who is it who rules the spirit sacrifice in many; and at the time of death how may those who have learned self-control come to the knowledge of Thee?

8.3

श्री भगवानुवाच अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते। भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः৷৷

śrī bhagavānuvāca akṣaraṅ brahma paramaṅ svabhāvō.dhyātmamucyatē. bhūtabhāvōdbhavakarō visargaḥ karmasaṅjñitaḥ৷৷

The Lord Shri Krishna replied: The Supreme Spirit is the Highest Imperishable Self, and Its Nature is spiritual consciousness. The worlds have been created and are supported by an emanation from the Spirit which is called the Law.

8.4

अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्। अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर৷৷

adhibhūtaṅ kṣarō bhāvaḥ puruṣaścādhidaivatam. adhiyajñō.hamēvātra dēhē dēhabhṛtāṅ vara৷৷

Matter consists of the forms that perish; Divinity is the Supreme Self; and He who inspires the spirit of sacrifice in man, O noblest of thy race, is I Myself, Who now stand in human form before thee.

8.5

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्। यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः৷৷

antakālē ca māmēva smaranmuktvā kalēvaram. yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṅ yāti nāstyatra saṅśayaḥ৷৷

Whosoever at the time of death thinks only of Me, and thinking thus leaves the body and goes forth, assuredly he will know Me.

8.6

यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्। तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः৷৷

yaṅ yaṅ vāpi smaranbhāvaṅ tyajatyantē kalēvaram. taṅ tamēvaiti kauntēya sadā tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ৷৷

On whatever sphere of being the mind of a man may be intent at the time of death, thither he will go.

8.7

तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च। मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम्৷৷

tasmātsarvēṣu kālēṣu māmanusmara yudhya ca. mayyarpitamanōbuddhirmāmēvaiṣyasyasaṅśayam৷৷

Therefore meditate always on Me, and fight; if thy mind and thy reason be fixed on Me, to Me shalt thou surely come.

8.8

अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना। परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन्৷৷

abhyāsayōgayuktēna cētasā nānyagāminā. paramaṅ puruṣaṅ divyaṅ yāti pārthānucintayan৷৷

He whose mind does not wander, and who is engaged in constant meditation, attains the Supreme Spirit.

8.9

कविं पुराणमनुशासितार मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः। सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूप मादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्৷৷

kaviṅ purāṇamanuśāsitāra- maṇōraṇīyāṅsamanusmarēdyaḥ. sarvasya dhātāramacintyarūpa- mādityavarṇaṅ tamasaḥ parastāt৷৷

Whoso meditates on the Omniscient, the Ancient, more minute than the atom, yet the Ruler and Upholder of all, Unimaginable, Brilliant like the Sun, Beyond the reach of darkness;

8.10

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

prayāṇakālē manasā.calēna bhaktyā yuktō yōgabalēna caiva. bhruvōrmadhyē prāṇamāvēśya samyak sa taṅ paraṅ puruṣamupaiti divyam৷৷

He who leaves the body with mind unmoved and filled with devotion, by the power of his meditation gathering between his eyebrows his whole vital energy, attains the Supreme.

8.11

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

yadakṣaraṅ vēdavidō vadanti viśanti yadyatayō vītarāgāḥ. yadicchantō brahmacaryaṅ caranti tattē padaṅ saṅgrahēṇa pravakṣyē৷৷

Now I will speak briefly of the imperishable goal, proclaimed by those versed in the scriptures, which the mystic attains when free from passion, and for which he is content to undergo the vow of continence.

8.12–13

सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च। मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम्৷৷ ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्। यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्৷৷

sarvadvārāṇi saṅyamya manō hṛdi nirudhya ca. mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇamāsthitō yōgadhāraṇām৷৷ ōmityēkākṣaraṅ brahma vyāharanmāmanusmaran. yaḥ prayāti tyajandēhaṅ sa yāti paramāṅ gatim৷৷

Closing the gates of the body, drawing the forces of his mind into the heart and by the power of meditation concentrating his vital energy in the brain;

Repeating Om, the Symbol of Eternity, holding Me always in remembrance, he who thus leaves his body and goes forth reaches the Spirit Supreme.

8.14

अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः। तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः৷৷

ananyacētāḥ satataṅ yō māṅ smarati nityaśaḥ. tasyāhaṅ sulabhaḥ pārtha nityayuktasya yōginaḥ৷৷

To him who thinks constantly of Me, and of nothing else, to such an ever-faithful devotee, O Arjuna, am I ever accessible.

8.15

मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम्। नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः৷৷

māmupētya punarjanma duḥkhālayamaśāśvatam. nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṅsiddhiṅ paramāṅ gatāḥ৷৷

Coming thus unto Me, these great souls go no more to the misery and death of earthly life, for they have gained perfection.

8.16

आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन। मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते৷৷

ābrahmabhuvanāllōkāḥ punarāvartinō.rjuna. māmupētya tu kauntēya punarjanma na vidyatē৷৷

The worlds, with the whole realm of creation, come and go; but, O Arjuna, whoso comes to Me, for him there is nor rebirth.

8.17

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः। रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः৷৷

sahasrayugaparyantamaharyadbrahmaṇō viduḥ. rātriṅ yugasahasrāntāṅ tē.hōrātravidō janāḥ৷৷

Those who understand the cosmic day and cosmic night know that one day of creation is a thousand cycles, and that the night is of equal length.

8.18

अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे। रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके৷৷

avyaktādvyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyaharāgamē. rātryāgamē pralīyantē tatraivāvyaktasaṅjñakē৷৷

At the dawning of that day all objects in manifestation stream forth from the Unmanifest, and when evening falls they are dissolved into It again.

8.19

भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते। रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे৷৷

bhūtagrāmaḥ sa ēvāyaṅ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyatē. rātryāgamē.vaśaḥ pārtha prabhavatyaharāgamē৷৷

The same multitude of beings, which have lived on earth so often, all are dissolved as the night of the universe approaches, to issue forth anew when morning breaks. Thus is it ordained.

8.20

परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः। यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति৷৷

parastasmāttu bhāvō.nyō.vyaktō.vyaktātsanātanaḥ. yaḥ sa sarvēṣu bhūtēṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati৷৷

In truth, therefore, there is the Eternal Unmanifest, which is beyond and above the Unmanifest Spirit of Creation, which is never destroyed when all these being perish.

8.21

अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्। यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम৷৷

avyaktō.kṣara ityuktastamāhuḥ paramāṅ gatim. yaṅ prāpya na nivartantē taddhāma paramaṅ mama৷৷

The wise say that the Unmanifest and Indestructible is the highest goal of all; when once That is reached, there is no return. That is My Blessed Home.

8.22

पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया। यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्৷৷

puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyastvananyayā. yasyāntaḥsthāni bhūtāni yēna sarvamidaṅ tatam৷৷

O Arjuna! That Highest God, in Whom all beings abide, and Who pervades the entire universe, is reached only by wholehearted devotion. [The following material (between the asterisks) is an example of what may be a "doctored' inclusion. It does not jibe with the rest of the material because it is not presented as metaphor and clearly implies that worldly phenomena are spiritually determining. Maybe it was added by an individual or individuals who were less cognizant than the originating author. Or maybe was 'craftily' inserted to function as a sort of litmus test - those who get"taken in' by it may be recognized as not having "spiritual discernment'.]

8.23

यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः। प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ৷৷

yatra kālē tvanāvṛttimāvṛttiṅ caiva yōginaḥ. prayātā yānti taṅ kālaṅ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha৷৷

*Now I will tell thee, O Arjuna, of the times at which, if the mystics go forth, they do not return, and at which they go forth only to return.

8.24

अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्। तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः৷৷

agnirjyōtirahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam. tatra prayātā gacchanti brahma brahmavidō janāḥ৷৷

If knowing the Supreme Spirit the sage goes forth with fire and light, in the daytime, in the fortnight of the waxing moon and in the six months before the Northern summer solstice, he will attain the Supreme.

8.25

धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्। तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते৷৷

dhūmō rātristathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇmāsā dakṣiṇāyanam. tatra cāndramasaṅ jyōtiryōgī prāpya nivartatē৷৷

But if he departs in gloom, at night, during the fortnight of the waning moon and in the six months before the Southern solstice, then he reaches but lunar light and he will be born again.

8.26

शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते। एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययाऽऽवर्तते पुनः৷৷

śuklakṛṣṇē gatī hyētē jagataḥ śāśvatē matē. ēkayā yātyanāvṛttimanyayā৷৷vartatē punaḥ৷৷

These bright and dark paths out of the world have always existed. Whoso takes the former, returns not; he who chooses the latter, returns.*

8.27

नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन। तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन৷৷

naitē sṛtī pārtha jānanyōgī muhyati kaścana. tasmātsarvēṣu kālēṣu yōgayuktō bhavārjuna৷৷

O Arjuna! The saint knowing these paths is not confused. Therefore meditate perpetually.

8.28

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

vēdēṣu yajñēṣu tapaḥsu caiva dānēṣu yatpuṇyaphalaṅ pradiṣṭam. atyēti tatsarvamidaṅ viditvā yōgī paraṅ sthānamupaiti cādyam৷৷

The sage who knows this passes beyond all merit that comes from the study of the scriptures, from sacrifice, from austerities and charity, and reaches the Supreme Primeval Abode."

Chapter 7 Chapter 9