Chapter 8 · Akshara Brahma Yoga

ಅರ್ಜುನ ಉವಾಚ ಕಿಂ ತದ್ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಕಿಮಧ್ಯಾತ್ಮಂ ಕಿಂ ಕರ್ಮ ಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮ। ಅಧಿಭೂತಂ ಚ ಕಿಂ ಪ್ರೋಕ್ತಮಧಿದೈವಂ ಕಿಮುಚ್ಯತೇ

arjuna uvācha kiṁ tad brahma kim adhyātmaṁ kiṁ karma puruṣhottama adhibhūtaṁ cha kiṁ proktam adhidaivaṁ kim uchyate

📖 Meaning

Arjuna said, "What is Brahman? What is Adhyatma? What is action, O best among men? What is Adhibhuta declared to be? And, what is Adhidaiva said to be?"

ಅಧಿಯಜ್ಞಃ ಕಥಂ ಕೋಽತ್ರ ದೇಹೇಽಸ್ಮಿನ್ಮಧುಸೂದನ। ಪ್ರಯಾಣಕಾಲೇ ಚ ಕಥಂ ಜ್ಞೇಯೋಽಸಿ ನಿಯತಾತ್ಮಭಿಃ

adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ ko ’tra dehe ’smin madhusūdana prayāṇa-kāle cha kathaṁ jñeyo ’si niyatātmabhiḥ

📖 Meaning

Who and how is Adhiyajna here in this body, O destroyer of Madhu? And how, at the time of death, are You to be known by the self-controlled?

ಶ್ರೀ ಭಗವಾನುವಾಚ ಅಕ್ಷರಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಪರಮಂ ಸ್ವಭಾವೋಽಧ್ಯಾತ್ಮಮುಚ್ಯತೇ। ಭೂತಭಾವೋದ್ಭವಕರೋ ವಿಸರ್ಗಃ ಕರ್ಮಸಂಜ್ಞಿತಃ

śhrī bhagavān uvācha akṣharaṁ brahma paramaṁ svabhāvo ’dhyātmam uchyate bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo visargaḥ karma-sanjñitaḥ

📖 Meaning

The Blessed Lord said, "Brahman is the Imperishable, the Supreme; its essential nature is called Self-knowledge; the offering (to the gods) that causes the existence and manifestation of beings and sustains them is called action."

ಅಧಿಭೂತಂ ಕ್ಷರೋ ಭಾವಃ ಪುರುಷಶ್ಚಾಧಿದೈವತಮ್। ಅಧಿಯಜ್ಞೋಽಹಮೇವಾತ್ರ ದೇಹೇ ದೇಹಭೃತಾಂ ವರ

adhibhūtaṁ kṣharo bhāvaḥ puruṣhaśh chādhidaivatam adhiyajño ’ham evātra dehe deha-bhṛitāṁ vara

📖 Meaning

Adhibhuta—knowledge of the elements—pertains to My perishable nature, and the Purusha, or the Soul, is the Adhidaiva; I alone am the Adhiyajna here in this body, O best among the embodied.

ಅನ್ತಕಾಲೇ ಚ ಮಾಮೇವ ಸ್ಮರನ್ಮುಕ್ತ್ವಾ ಕಲೇವರಮ್। ಯಃ ಪ್ರಯಾತಿ ಸ ಮದ್ಭಾವಂ ಯಾತಿ ನಾಸ್ತ್ಯತ್ರ ಸಂಶಯಃ

anta-kāle cha mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti nāstyatra sanśhayaḥ

📖 Meaning

And whoever, leaving their body, goes forth remembering Me alone at the time of death, they will attain My Being; there is no doubt about this.

ಯಂ ಯಂ ವಾಪಿ ಸ್ಮರನ್ಭಾವಂ ತ್ಯಜತ್ಯನ್ತೇ ಕಲೇವರಮ್। ತಂ ತಮೇವೈತಿ ಕೌನ್ತೇಯ ಸದಾ ತದ್ಭಾವಭಾವಿತಃ

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajatyante kalevaram taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

📖 Meaning

Whoever at the end leaves the body, thinking of any being, to that being only does he go, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), due to his constant thought of that being.

ತಸ್ಮಾತ್ಸರ್ವೇಷು ಕಾಲೇಷು ಮಾಮನುಸ್ಮರ ಯುಧ್ಯ ಚ। ಮಯ್ಯರ್ಪಿತಮನೋಬುದ್ಧಿರ್ಮಾಮೇವೈಷ್ಯಸ್ಯಸಂಶಯಮ್

tasmāt sarveṣhu kāleṣhu mām anusmara yudhya cha mayyarpita-mano-buddhir mām evaiṣhyasyasanśhayam

📖 Meaning

Therefore, at all times, remember Me only and fight. With your mind and intellect fixed on Me, you will undoubtedly come to Me alone.

ಅಭ್ಯಾಸಯೋಗಯುಕ್ತೇನ ಚೇತಸಾ ನಾನ್ಯಗಾಮಿನಾ। ಪರಮಂ ಪುರುಷಂ ದಿವ್ಯಂ ಯಾತಿ ಪಾರ್ಥಾನುಚಿನ್ತಯನ್

abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena chetasā nānya-gāminā paramaṁ puruṣhaṁ divyaṁ yāti pārthānuchintayan

📖 Meaning

With the mind not moving towards any other thing, made steadfast through the practice of habitual meditation, and constantly meditating, one goes to the Supreme Person, the Resplendent, O Arjuna.

ಕವಿಂ ಪುರಾಣಮನುಶಾಸಿತಾರ ಮಣೋರಣೀಯಾಂಸಮನುಸ್ಮರೇದ್ಯಃ। ಸರ್ವಸ್ಯ ಧಾತಾರಮಚಿನ್ತ್ಯರೂಪ ಮಾದಿತ್ಯವರ್ಣಂ ತಮಸಃ ಪರಸ್ತಾತ್

kaviṁ purāṇam anuśhāsitāram aṇor aṇīyānsam anusmared yaḥ sarvasya dhātāram achintya-rūpam āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt

📖 Meaning

Whosoever meditates on the Omniscient, the Ancient, the Ruler of the whole world, minuter than an atom, the supporter of all, of inconceivable form, effulgent like the sun and beyond the darkness of ignorance.

ಪ್ರಯಾಣಕಾಲೇ ಮನಸಾಽಚಲೇನ ಭಕ್ತ್ಯಾ ಯುಕ್ತೋ ಯೋಗಬಲೇನ ಚೈವ। ಭ್ರುವೋರ್ಮಧ್ಯೇ ಪ್ರಾಣಮಾವೇಶ್ಯ ಸಮ್ಯಕ್ ಸ ತಂ ಪರಂ ಪುರುಷಮುಪೈತಿ ದಿವ್ಯಮ್

prayāṇa-kāle manasāchalena bhaktyā yukto yoga-balena chaiva bhruvor madhye prāṇam āveśhya samyak sa taṁ paraṁ puruṣham upaiti divyam

📖 Meaning

At the time of death, with an unwavering mind, endowed with devotion, by the power of Yoga, fixing the whole life-breath in the middle of the two eyebrows, he reaches that resplendent Supreme Person.

ಯದಕ್ಷರಂ ವೇದವಿದೋ ವದನ್ತಿ ವಿಶನ್ತಿ ಯದ್ಯತಯೋ ವೀತರಾಗಾಃ। ಯದಿಚ್ಛನ್ತೋ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚರ್ಯಂ ಚರನ್ತಿ ತತ್ತೇ ಪದಂ ಸಂಗ್ರಹೇಣ ಪ್ರವಕ್ಷ್ಯೇ

yad akṣharaṁ veda-vido vadanti viśhanti yad yatayo vīta-rāgāḥ yad ichchhanto brahmacharyaṁ charanti tat te padaṁ saṅgraheṇa pravakṣhye

📖 Meaning

That which is declared to be Imperishable by those who know the Vedas, that which the self-controlled (ascetics or Sannyasins) and passion-free enter, that goal, desiring which celibacy is practised, I will declare to thee in brief.

ಸರ್ವದ್ವಾರಾಣಿ ಸಂಯಮ್ಯ ಮನೋ ಹೃದಿ ನಿರುಧ್ಯ ಚ। ಮೂರ್ಧ್ನ್ಯಾಧಾಯಾತ್ಮನಃ ಪ್ರಾಣಮಾಸ್ಥಿತೋ ಯೋಗಧಾರಣಾಮ್

sarva-dvārāṇi sanyamya mano hṛidi nirudhya cha mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthito yoga-dhāraṇām

📖 Meaning

Having closed all the gates, confined the mind in the heart, and fixed the life-breath in the head, engage in the practice of concentration.

ಓಮಿತ್ಯೇಕಾಕ್ಷರಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ವ್ಯಾಹರನ್ಮಾಮನುಸ್ಮರನ್। ಯಃ ಪ್ರಯಾತಿ ತ್ಯಜನ್ದೇಹಂ ಸ ಯಾತಿ ಪರಮಾಂ ಗತಿಮ್

oṁ ityekākṣharaṁ brahma vyāharan mām anusmaran yaḥ prayāti tyajan dehaṁ sa yāti paramāṁ gatim

📖 Meaning

Uttering the one-syllabled Om, the Brahman, and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the Supreme Goal.

ಅನನ್ಯಚೇತಾಃ ಸತತಂ ಯೋ ಮಾಂ ಸ್ಮರತಿ ನಿತ್ಯಶಃ। ತಸ್ಯಾಹಂ ಸುಲಭಃ ಪಾರ್ಥ ನಿತ್ಯಯುಕ್ತಸ್ಯ ಯೋಗಿನಃ

ananya-chetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati nityaśhaḥ tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ

📖 Meaning

I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast yogi who constantly and daily remembers me for a long time, not thinking of anything else with a single-minded or one-pointed focus, O Partha.

ಮಾಮುಪೇತ್ಯ ಪುನರ್ಜನ್ಮ ದುಃಖಾಲಯಮಶಾಶ್ವತಮ್। ನಾಪ್ನುವನ್ತಿ ಮಹಾತ್ಮಾನಃ ಸಂಸಿದ್ಧಿಂ ಪರಮಾಂ ಗತಾಃ

mām upetya punar janma duḥkhālayam aśhāśhvatam nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ sansiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ

📖 Meaning

Having attained Me, these great souls do not take birth again here—a place of pain and impermanence—but have reached the highest perfection of liberation.

ಆಬ್ರಹ್ಮಭುವನಾಲ್ಲೋಕಾಃ ಪುನರಾವರ್ತಿನೋಽರ್ಜುನ। ಮಾಮುಪೇತ್ಯ ತು ಕೌನ್ತೇಯ ಪುನರ್ಜನ್ಮ ನ ವಿದ್ಯತೇ

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino ’rjuna mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate

📖 Meaning

All the worlds, including the world of Brahma, are subject to return again, O Arjuna; but he who reaches Me, O son of Kunti, has no rebirth.

ಸಹಸ್ರಯುಗಪರ್ಯನ್ತಮಹರ್ಯದ್ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣೋ ವಿದುಃ। ರಾತ್ರಿಂ ಯುಗಸಹಸ್ರಾನ್ತಾಂ ತೇಽಹೋರಾತ್ರವಿದೋ ಜನಾಃ

sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ te ’ho-rātra-vido janāḥ

📖 Meaning

Those who know the day of Brahma, which lasts a thousand Yugas, and the night, which also lasts a thousand Yugas, know day and night.

ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತಾದ್ವ್ಯಕ್ತಯಃ ಸರ್ವಾಃ ಪ್ರಭವನ್ತ್ಯಹರಾಗಮೇ। ರಾತ್ರ್ಯಾಗಮೇ ಪ್ರಲೀಯನ್ತೇ ತತ್ರೈವಾವ್ಯಕ್ತಸಂಜ್ಞಕೇ

avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyahar-āgame rātryāgame pralīyante tatraivāvyakta-sanjñake

📖 Meaning

From the Unmanifested, all the manifested worlds proceed upon the arrival of the 'day'; upon the arrival of the 'night', they dissolve indeed into that which is known as the Unmanifested.

ಭೂತಗ್ರಾಮಃ ಸ ಏವಾಯಂ ಭೂತ್ವಾ ಭೂತ್ವಾ ಪ್ರಲೀಯತೇ। ರಾತ್ರ್ಯಾಗಮೇಽವಶಃ ಪಾರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಭವತ್ಯಹರಾಗಮೇ

bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate rātryāgame ’vaśhaḥ pārtha prabhavatyahar-āgame

📖 Meaning

This same multitude of beings, being born again and again, helplessly dissolves, O Arjuna, into the Unmanifested at the coming of the night and comes forth at the coming of the day.

ಪರಸ್ತಸ್ಮಾತ್ತು ಭಾವೋಽನ್ಯೋಽವ್ಯಕ್ತೋಽವ್ಯಕ್ತಾತ್ಸನಾತನಃ। ಯಃ ಸ ಸರ್ವೇಷು ಭೂತೇಷು ನಶ್ಯತ್ಸು ನ ವಿನಶ್ಯತಿ

paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ’nyo ’vyakto ’vyaktāt sanātanaḥ yaḥ sa sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu naśhyatsu na vinaśhyati

📖 Meaning

But verily, there exists higher than this Unmanifested, another Unmanifested Eternal, which is not destroyed even when all beings are destroyed.

ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತೋಽಕ್ಷರ ಇತ್ಯುಕ್ತಸ್ತಮಾಹುಃ ಪರಮಾಂ ಗತಿಮ್। ಯಂ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ಯ ನ ನಿವರ್ತನ್ತೇ ತದ್ಧಾಮ ಪರಮಂ ಮಮ

avyakto ’kṣhara ityuktas tam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim yaṁ prāpya na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

📖 Meaning

What is known as the Unmanifested and the Imperishable, That is said to be the highest goal. Those who reach It do not return (to this Samsara). That is My supreme abode (place or state).

ಪುರುಷಃ ಸ ಪರಃ ಪಾರ್ಥ ಭಕ್ತ್ಯಾ ಲಭ್ಯಸ್ತ್ವನನ್ಯಯಾ। ಯಸ್ಯಾನ್ತಃಸ್ಥಾನಿ ಭೂತಾನಿ ಯೇನ ಸರ್ವಮಿದಂ ತತಮ್

puruṣhaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tvananyayā yasyāntaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni yena sarvam idaṁ tatam

📖 Meaning

That highest Purusha, O Arjuna, is attainable by unswerving devotion to Him alone, within Whom all beings dwell and by Whom all this is pervaded.

ಯತ್ರ ಕಾಲೇ ತ್ವನಾವೃತ್ತಿಮಾವೃತ್ತಿಂ ಚೈವ ಯೋಗಿನಃ। ಪ್ರಯಾತಾ ಯಾನ್ತಿ ತಂ ಕಾಲಂ ವಕ್ಷ್ಯಾಮಿ ಭರತರ್ಷಭ

yatra kāle tvanāvṛittim āvṛittiṁ chaiva yoginaḥ prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ vakṣhyāmi bharatarṣhabha

📖 Meaning

Now I will tell you, O chief of the Bharatas, the times of departure at which the Yogis will return or not return.

ಅಗ್ನಿರ್ಜ್ಯೋತಿರಹಃ ಶುಕ್ಲಃ ಷಣ್ಮಾಸಾ ಉತ್ತರಾಯಣಮ್। ತತ್ರ ಪ್ರಯಾತಾ ಗಚ್ಛನ್ತಿ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮವಿದೋ ಜನಾಃ

agnir jyotir ahaḥ śhuklaḥ ṣhaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam tatra prayātā gachchhanti brahma brahma-vido janāḥ

📖 Meaning

Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path of the sun (the northern solstice) departing, then men who know Brahman go to Brahman.

ಧೂಮೋ ರಾತ್ರಿಸ್ತಥಾ ಕೃಷ್ಣಃ ಷಣ್ಮಾಸಾ ದಕ್ಷಿಣಾಯನಮ್। ತತ್ರ ಚಾನ್ದ್ರಮಸಂ ಜ್ಯೋತಿರ್ಯೋಗೀ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ಯ ನಿವರ್ತತೇ

dhūmo rātris tathā kṛiṣhṇaḥ ṣhaṇ-māsā dakṣhiṇāyanam tatra chāndramasaṁ jyotir yogī prāpya nivartate

📖 Meaning

Attaining the lunar light through smoke, night time, the dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern path of the sun (the southern solstice), the yogi returns.

ಶುಕ್ಲಕೃಷ್ಣೇ ಗತೀ ಹ್ಯೇತೇ ಜಗತಃ ಶಾಶ್ವತೇ ಮತೇ। ಏಕಯಾ ಯಾತ್ಯನಾವೃತ್ತಿಮನ್ಯಯಾಽಽವರ್ತತೇ ಪುನಃ

śhukla-kṛiṣhṇe gatī hyete jagataḥ śhāśhvate mate ekayā yātyanāvṛittim anyayāvartate punaḥ

📖 Meaning

The bright and dark paths of the world are thought to be eternal; one leads to no return, and the other leads to return.

ನೈತೇ ಸೃತೀ ಪಾರ್ಥ ಜಾನನ್ಯೋಗೀ ಮುಹ್ಯತಿ ಕಶ್ಚನ। ತಸ್ಮಾತ್ಸರ್ವೇಷು ಕಾಲೇಷು ಯೋಗಯುಕ್ತೋ ಭವಾರ್ಜುನ

naite sṛitī pārtha jānan yogī muhyati kaśhchana tasmāt sarveṣhu kāleṣhu yoga-yukto bhavārjuna

📖 Meaning

Knowing these paths, O Arjuna, no yogi is deluded; therefore, at all times, be steadfast in yoga.

ವೇದೇಷು ಯಜ್ಞೇಷು ತಪಃಸು ಚೈವ ದಾನೇಷು ಯತ್ಪುಣ್ಯಫಲಂ ಪ್ರದಿಷ್ಟಮ್। ಅತ್ಯೇತಿ ತತ್ಸರ್ವಮಿದಂ ವಿದಿತ್ವಾ ಯೋಗೀ ಪರಂ ಸ್ಥಾನಮುಪೈತಿ ಚಾದ್ಯಮ್

vedeṣhu yajñeṣhu tapaḥsu chaiva dāneṣhu yat puṇya-phalaṁ pradiṣhṭam atyeti tat sarvam idaṁ viditvā yogī paraṁ sthānam upaiti chādyam

📖 Meaning

Whatever fruit of merit is declared (in the scriptures) to accrue from (the study of) the Vedas, (the performance of) sacrifices, (the practice of) austerities, and gifts, beyond all this goes the Yogi, having known this; and he attains to the Supreme, Primeval (first or ancient) Abode.