॥ Verses 8.1 - 8.2 (Arjuna's Questions) ॥
अर्जुन उवाच।
किं तद् ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम।
अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते।। (8.1)
अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन।
प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः।। (8.2)
arjuna uvāca |
kiṃ tadbrahma kimadhyātmaṃ kiṃ karma puruṣottama |
adhibhūtaṃ ca kiṃ proktamad hidaivaṃ kimucyate || 8.1 ||
adhiyajñaḥ kathaṃ ko’tra dehe’smin madhusūdana |
prayāṇakāle ca kathaṃ jñeyo’si niyatātmabhiḥ || 8.2 ||
Arjuna said: O Supreme Person, what is that Brahman? What is Adhyātma (Self-knowledge)? And what is Karma (Action)?
What is declared to be Adhibhūta (the material manifestation)? And what is Adhidaiva (the celestial deities)? (8.1)
O Madhusūdana, who is Adhiyajña (the Lord of Sacrifice) and how does He dwell in this body?
And how are You to be known by the self-controlled at the time of death? (8.2)
॥ Verse 8.3 ॥
श्रीभगवानुवाच।
अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते।
भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसञ्ज्ञितः।।
śrī-bhagavānuvāca |
akṣaraṃ brahma paramaṃ svabhāvo’dhyātmamucyate |
bhūtabhāvodbhavakaro visargaḥ karmasañjñitaḥ || 8.3 ||
The Supreme Lord said: The supreme, imperishable (Akshara) is Brahman.
Its own nature is called Adhyātma (the Self).
The creative action (Visarga) which causes the origin of all beings is called Karma.
॥ Verse 8.4 ॥
अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्।
अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर।।
adhibhūtaṃ kṣaro bhāvaḥ puruṣaścādhidaivatam |
adhiyajño’ham evātra dehe dehabhṛtāṃ vara || 8.4 ||
Adhibhūta (material manifestation) is the perishable nature.
Purusha (the universal soul) is Adhidaivata (the celestial deities).
And I alone am Adhiyajña (the Lord of Sacrifice) here in the body, O best of the embodied ones.
॥ Verse 8.5 ॥
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्।
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः।।
antakāle ca māmeva smaran muktvā kalevaram |
yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṃ yāti nāstyatra saṃśayaḥ || 8.5 ||
And he who, at the time of death, leaves the body remembering Me alone,
goes to My nature (state of being). There is no doubt about this.
॥ Verse 8.6 ॥
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्।
तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः।।
yaṃ yaṃ vāpi smaran bhāvaṃ tyajatyante kalevaram |
taṃ tamevaiti kaunteya sadā tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ || 8.6 ||
Whatever state of being a man remembers when he leaves his body at the end,
O son of Kunti (Arjuna), that very state he attains, being constantly absorbed in that thought.
॥ Verse 8.7 ॥
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च।
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयः।।
tasmātsarveṣu kāleṣu māmanusmara yudhya ca |
mayyarpitamanobuddhirmāmevaiṣyasyasaṃśayaḥ || 8.7 ||
Therefore, at all times remember Me and fight (your battle).
With mind and intellect dedicated to Me, you shall doubtless come to Me alone.
॥ Verse 8.8 ॥
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना।
परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन्।।
abhyāsayogayuktena cetasā nānyagāminā |
paramaṃ puruṣaṃ divyaṃ yāti pārthānucintayan || 8.8 ||
O Pārtha, with the mind engaged in the Yoga of constant practice,
not straying to anything else, one attains the Supreme Divine Person, by meditating constantly.
॥ Verse 8.9 ॥
कविं पुराणमनुशासितार-
मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः।
सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूपम्
आदित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्।।
kaviṃ purāṇamanuśāsitāram aṇoraṇīyāṃsamanusmaredyaḥ |
sarvasya dhātāramacintyarūpam ādityavarṇaṃ tamasaḥ parastāt || 8.9 ||
He who meditates on the Omniscient (Kavi), the Ancient, the Ruler, the smaller than the smallest;
the sustainer of everything, of inconceivable form,
luminous like the sun, and beyond darkness.
॥ Verse 8.10 ॥
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 || 8.10 ||
At the time of departure, with a steadfast mind, endowed with devotion and the power of Yoga,
by properly fixing the breath (Prāṇa) between the eyebrows,
he attains that Supreme Divine Person.
॥ Verse 8.11 ॥
यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति
विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः।
यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति
तत्ते पदं सङ्ग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये।।
yadakṣaraṃ vedavido vadanti viśanti yadyatayo vītarāgāḥ |
yadicchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti tatte padaṃ saṅgraheṇa pravakṣye || 8.11 ||
That which the knowers of the Vedas call the Imperishable (Akshara),
that which ascetics free from passion enter,
and desiring which, they practice celibacy—that state I shall briefly explain to you.
॥ Verse 8.12 ॥
सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च।
मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम्।।
sarvadvārāṇi saṃyamya mano hṛdi nirudhya ca |
mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇamāsthito yogadhāraṇām || 8.12 ||
Controlling all the sense gates, confining the mind within the heart,
and fixing one’s life-breath (Prāṇa) in the head, established in the concentration of Yoga,
॥ Verse 8.13 ॥
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्।
यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्।।
oṃ ityekākṣaraṃ brahma vyāharanmāmanusmaran |
yaḥ prayāti tyajandehaṃ sa yāti paramāṃ gatim || 8.13 ||
Uttering the single syllable Om—the eternal Brahman—
and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the supreme destination.
॥ Verse 8.14 ॥
अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः।
तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः।।
ananyacetāḥ satataṃ yo māṃ smarati nityaśaḥ |
tasyāhaṃ sulabhaḥ pārtha nityayuktasya yoginaḥ || 8.14 ||
O Pārtha, for that Yogi who constantly remembers Me, whose mind is not diverted to anything else,
I am easily attained, because he is ever devoted.
॥ Verse 8.15 ॥
मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम्।
नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः।।
māmupetya punarjanma duḥkhālayamaśāśvatam |
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṃsiddhiṃ paramāṃ gatāḥ || 8.15 ||
Having attained Me, the great souls (Mahātmās) who have reached the highest perfection,
do not undergo rebirth, which is the abode of sorrow and is non-eternal.
॥ Verse 8.16 ॥
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन।
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते।।
ābrahmabhuvanāllokāḥ punarāvartino’rjuna |
māmupetya tu kaunteya punarjanma na vidyate || 8.16 ||
All worlds, including the world of Brahmā (Brahmaloka), are subject to return, O Arjuna.
But having attained Me, O son of Kunti, there is no rebirth.
॥ Verse 8.17 ॥
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद् ब्रह्मणो विदुः।
रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः।।
sahasrayugaparyantamaharyadbrahmaṇo viduḥ |
rātriṃ yugasahasrāntāṃ te’horātravido janāḥ || 8.17 ||
Those who know that a Day of Brahmā lasts for a thousand Yugas (ages),
and that the Night ends after a thousand Yugas—they are the knowers of day and night.
॥ Verse 8.18 ॥
अव्यक्ताद् व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे।
रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसञ्ज्ञके।।
avyaktādvyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyaharāgame |
rātryāgame pralīyante tatraivāvyaktasañjñake || 8.18 ||
At the approach of day, all manifestations proceed from the unmanifest (Avyakta).
At the approach of night, they dissolve into that same unmanifest called Avyakta.
॥ Verse 8.19 ॥
भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते।
रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे।।
bhūtagrāmaḥ sa evāyaṃ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate |
rātryāgame’vaśaḥ pārtha prabhavatyaharāgame || 8.19 ||
This multitude of beings, being born again and again, dissolves at the approach of night,
O Pārtha, and comes forth again at the approach of day, by the force of Nature.
॥ Verse 8.20 ॥
परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः।
यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति।।
parastasmāttu bhāvo’nyo’vyakto’vyaktātsanātanaḥ |
yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati || 8.20 ||
But beyond this unmanifest (Avyakta), there is yet another unmanifested, eternal Existence (Bhāva),
which does not perish when all beings perish.
॥ Verse 8.21 ॥
अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्।
यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम।।
avyakto’kṣara ityuktastamāhuḥ paramāṃ gatim |
yaṃ prāpya na nivartante taddhāma paramaṃ mama || 8.21 ||
This unmanifest is called the Imperishable (Akshara). They call it the supreme goal.
Having attained which, they do not return—that is My supreme abode.
॥ Verse 8.22 ॥
पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया।
यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्।।
puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyastvananyayā |
yasyāntaḥsthāni bhūtāni yena sarvamidaṃ tatam || 8.22 ||
That Supreme Person, O Pārtha, is attained by unswerving devotion (Bhakti),
in whom all beings reside, and by whom all this is pervaded.
॥ Verse 8.23 ॥
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः।
प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ।।
yatra kāle tvanāvṛttim āvṛttiṃ caiva yoginaḥ |
prayātā yānti taṃ kālaṃ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha || 8.23 ||
Now, O best of the Bharatas (Arjuna), I shall declare to you the times (paths)
by which Yogis departing attain non-return or return.
॥ Verse 8.24 ॥
अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्।
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः।।
agnirjyotirahah śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam |
tatra prayātā gacchanti brahma brahmavido janāḥ || 8.24 ||
Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern passage (Uttarayana)—
departing by this path, the knowers of Brahman go to Brahman.
॥ Verse 8.25 ॥
धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्।
तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते।।
dhūmo rātristathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇmāsā dakṣiṇāyanam |
tatra cāndramasaṃ jyotiryogī prāpya nivartate || 8.25 ||
Smoke, night, the dark fortnight, the six months of the southern passage (Dakshinayana)—
the Yogi departing by this, attains the lunar light (heavenly pleasure) and returns.
॥ Verse 8.26 ॥
शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते।
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुनः।।
śuklakṛṣṇe gatī hyete jagataḥ śāśvate mate |
ekayā yātyanāvṛttim anyayāvartate punaḥ || 8.26 ||
These two paths, the bright (Śukla) and the dark (Kṛṣṇa), are considered the eternal paths of the world.
By one, one attains non-return; by the other, one returns again.
॥ Verse 8.27 ॥
नैते सृती पार्थ जानन् योगी मुह्यति कश्चन।
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन।।
naite sṛtī pārtha jānan yogī muhyati kaścana |
tasmātsarveṣu kāleṣu yogayukto bhavārjuna || 8.27 ||
Knowing these two paths, O Pārtha, no Yogi is deluded.
Therefore, at all times, be steadfast in Yoga, O Arjuna.
॥ Verse 8.28 ॥
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव
दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम्।
अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा
योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम्।।
vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva dāneṣu yatpuṇyaphalaṃ pradiṣṭam |
atyeti tatsarvamidaṃ viditvā yogī paraṃ sthānamupaiti cādyam || 8.28 ||
The Yogi, knowing all this, transcends the rewards declared for the study of the Vedas,
for sacrifices, for austerities, and for gifts; and he attains the Supreme, Primeval Abode.
॥ इति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादेऽक्षरब्रह्मयोगो नामाष्टमोऽध्यायः ॥
Thus, in the Upaniṣads of the glorious Bhagavad-Gītā, the science of the Eternal, the scripture of Yoga,
the dialogue between Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, ends the eighth chapter, entitled Akshara Brahma Yoga.