Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 8 of 18

Akshara Brahma Yoga

अक्षरब्रह्मयोग — The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman · 28 verses

All 28 verses

Sanskrit, transliteration and English meaning for every verse.

1. 8.1 · Arjuna

   किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम ।
   अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते ॥

   kiṃ tadbrahma kimadhyātmaṃ kiṃ karma puruṣottama |
   adhibhūtaṃ ca kiṃ proktamadhidaivaṃ kimucyate ||

   Arjuna said: What is that Brahman? What is the inner Self (adhyatma), and what is action, highest of persons? What is said to be the material realm (adhibhuta), and what is called the divine realm (adhidaiva)?

2. 8.2 · Arjuna

   अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन ।
   प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः ॥

   adhiyajñaḥ kathaṃ ko’tra dehe’sminmadhusūdana |
   prayāṇakāle ca kathaṃ jñeyo’si niyatātmabhiḥ ||

   Who is the lord of sacrifice (adhiyajna) here in this body, and how does he dwell in it, Madhusudana? And how are you to be known at the hour of departure by those who have mastered themselves?

3. 8.3 · Krishna

   अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते ।
   भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः ॥

   akṣaraṃ brahma paramaṃ svabhāvo’dhyātmamucyate |
   bhūtabhāvodbhavakaro visargaḥ karmasaṃjñitaḥ ||

   The Lord said: Brahman is the imperishable, the supreme. Its own essential being is called the inner Self. The creative offering that brings beings into existence is called action (karma).

4. 8.4 · Krishna

   अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम् ।
   अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर ॥

   adhibhūtaṃ kṣaro bhāvaḥ puruṣaścādhidaivatam |
   adhiyajño’hamevātra dehe dehabhṛtāṃ vara ||

   The material realm is perishable existence; the divine realm is the cosmic Person (purusha); and I myself, here in the body, am the lord of sacrifice, best of the embodied.

5. 8.5 · Krishna

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

   antakāle ca māmeva smaranmuktvā kalevaram |
   yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṃ yāti nāstyatra saṃśayaḥ ||

   Whoever leaves the body at the time of death remembering me alone attains my state of being; of this there is no doubt.

6. 8.6 · Krishna

   यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् ।
   तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः ॥

   yaṃ yaṃ vāpi smaranbhāvaṃ tyajatyante kalevaram |
   taṃ tamevaiti kaunteya sadā tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ ||

   Whatever state of being a person remembers when at last giving up the body, son of Kunti, to that very state he goes, having always been shaped by it.

7. 8.7 · Krishna

   तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च ।
   मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम् ॥

   tasmātsarveṣu kāleṣu māmanusmara yudhya ca |
   mayyarpitamanobuddhirmāmevaiṣyasyasaṃśayam ||

   Therefore remember me at all times, and fight. With mind and intellect offered to me, you will surely come to me.

8. 8.8 · Krishna

   अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना ।
   परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन् ॥

   abhyāsayogayuktena cetasā nānyagāminā |
   paramaṃ puruṣaṃ divyaṃ yāti pārthānucintayan ||

   With a mind disciplined by the yoga of practice and straying to nothing else, meditating constantly, son of Pritha, one reaches the supreme divine Person.

9. 8.9 · Krishna

   कविं पुराणमनुशासितारमणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः ।
   सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूपमादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात् ॥

   kaviṃ purāṇamanuśāsitāramaṇoraṇīyāṃsamanusmaredyaḥ |
   sarvasya dhātāramacintyarūpamādityavarṇaṃ tamasaḥ parastāt ||

   Whoever meditates on the all-knowing, the ancient, the ruler, subtler than the subtlest, the sustainer of all, whose form is beyond thought, radiant as the sun and beyond all darkness —

10. 8.10 · Krishna

    प्रयाणकाले मनसाचलेन
    भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव ।
    भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक्
    स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम् ॥

    prayāṇakāle manasācalena
    bhaktyā yukto yogabalena caiva |
    bhruvormadhye prāṇamāveśya samyak
    sa taṃ paraṃ puruṣamupaiti divyam ||

    — at the time of departure, with an unmoving mind, joined with devotion and the strength of yoga, drawing the life-breath fully between the eyebrows, reaches that supreme divine Person.

11. 8.11 · Krishna

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

    yadakṣaraṃ vedavido vadanti
    viśanti yadyatayo vītarāgāḥ |
    yadicchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti
    tatte padaṃ saṃgraheṇa pravakṣye ||

    That which knowers of the Veda call the imperishable, which ascetics free from passion enter, and for the sake of which people live a life of celibacy — that goal I will describe to you briefly.

12. 8.12 · Krishna

    सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च ।
    मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम् ॥

    sarvadvārāṇi saṃyamya mano hṛdi nirudhya ca |
    mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇamāsthito yogadhāraṇām ||

    Closing all the gates of the body, confining the mind in the heart, placing the life-breath in the head and remaining fixed in yogic concentration —

13. 8.13 · Krishna

    ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् ।
    यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम् ॥

    omityekākṣaraṃ brahma vyāharanmāmanusmaran |
    yaḥ prayāti tyajandehaṃ sa yāti paramāṃ gatim ||

    — uttering Om, the single syllable that is Brahman, and remembering me — whoever departs in this way, leaving the body, reaches the supreme goal.

14. 8.14 · Krishna

    अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः ।
    तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः ॥

    ananyacetāḥ satataṃ yo māṃ smarati nityaśaḥ |
    tasyāhaṃ sulabhaḥ pārtha nityayuktasya yoginaḥ ||

    For the yogi who remembers me constantly, day after day, with a mind that turns to nothing else, I am easy to reach, son of Pritha, since he is ever united with me.

15. 8.15 · Krishna

    मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम् ।
    नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः ॥

    māmupetya punarjanma duḥkhālayamaśāśvatam |
    nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṃsiddhiṃ paramāṃ gatāḥ ||

    Having come to me, these great souls, who have reached the highest perfection, do not return to rebirth, that impermanent home of sorrow.

16. 8.16 · Krishna

    आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन ।
    मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ॥

    ābrahmabhuvanāllokāḥ punarāvartino’rjuna |
    māmupetya tu kaunteya punarjanma na vidyate ||

    All worlds, up to the realm of Brahma, are subject to return, Arjuna; but for one who reaches me, son of Kunti, there is no rebirth.

17. 8.17 · Krishna

    सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः ।
    रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः ॥

    sahasrayugaparyantamaharyadbrahmaṇo viduḥ |
    rātriṃ yugasahasrāntāṃ te’horātravido janāḥ ||

    Those who know that a day of Brahma lasts a thousand ages, and that his night too ends only after a thousand ages, truly know day and night.

18. 8.18 · Krishna

    अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे ।
    रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके ॥

    avyaktādvyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyaharāgame |
    rātryāgame pralīyante tatraivāvyaktasaṃjñake ||

    At the coming of that day all manifest things emerge from the unmanifest; at the coming of night they dissolve into that very thing called the unmanifest.

19. 8.19 · Krishna

    भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते ।
    रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे ॥

    bhūtagrāmaḥ sa evāyaṃ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate |
    rātryāgame’vaśaḥ pārtha prabhavatyaharāgame ||

    This same multitude of beings, coming into existence again and again, dissolves helplessly at the coming of night, son of Pritha, and comes forth again at the coming of day.

20. 8.20 · Krishna

    परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः ।
    यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति ॥

    parastasmāttu bhāvo’nyo’vyakto’vyaktātsanātanaḥ |
    yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati ||

    But beyond that unmanifest there is another, eternal unmanifest existence, which does not perish when all beings perish.

21. 8.21 · Krishna

    अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम् ।
    यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥

    avyakto’kṣara ityuktastamāhuḥ paramāṃ gatim |
    yaṃ prāpya na nivartante taddhāma paramaṃ mama ||

    This unmanifest is called the imperishable, and it is said to be the highest goal. Those who reach it do not return. That is my supreme abode.

22. 8.22 · Krishna

    पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया ।
    यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ॥

    puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyastvananyayā |
    yasyāntaḥsthāni bhūtāni yena sarvamidaṃ tatam ||

    That supreme Person, son of Pritha, in whom all beings dwell and by whom all this is pervaded, is reached through undivided devotion.

23. 8.23 · Krishna

    यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः ।
    प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ ॥

    yatra kāle tvanāvṛttimāvṛttiṃ caiva yoginaḥ |
    prayātā yānti taṃ kālaṃ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha ||

    Now I will tell you, best of the Bharatas, of the times at which yogis depart, to return or not to return.

24. 8.24 · Krishna

    अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् ।
    तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः ॥

    agnirjyotirahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam |
    tatra prayātā gacchanti brahma brahmavido janāḥ ||

    Fire, light, daytime, the bright half of the month, the six months of the sun’s northern course — departing then, those who know Brahman go to Brahman.

25. 8.25 · Krishna

    धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम् ।
    तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते ॥

    dhūmo rātristathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇmāsā dakṣiṇāyanam |
    tatra cāndramasaṃ jyotiryogī prāpya nivartate ||

    Smoke, night, the dark half of the month, the six months of the sun’s southern course — departing then, the yogi reaches the light of the moon and returns.

26. 8.26 · Krishna

    शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते ।
    एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुनः ॥

    śuklakṛṣṇe gatī hyete jagataḥ śāśvate mate |
    ekayā yātyanāvṛttimanyayāvartate punaḥ ||

    These two paths of the world, the bright and the dark, are considered everlasting. By the one a person goes and does not return; by the other he comes back again.

27. 8.27 · Krishna

    नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन ।
    तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन ॥

    naite sṛtī pārtha jānanyogī muhyati kaścana |
    tasmātsarveṣu kāleṣu yogayukto bhavārjuna ||

    No yogi who knows these two paths is ever deluded, son of Pritha. Therefore at all times be steadfast in yoga, Arjuna.

28. 8.28 · Krishna

    वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव
    दानेषु यत् पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम् ।
    अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा
    योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम् ॥

    vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva
    dāneṣu yat puṇyaphalaṃ pradiṣṭam |
    atyeti tatsarvamidaṃ viditvā
    yogī paraṃ sthānamupaiti cādyam ||

    Whatever merit is said to come from the Vedas, from sacrifices, from austerities and from gifts — the yogi who knows this goes beyond it all and reaches the supreme, primal abode.