Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 8 of 18 · 28 verses
The Eternal Imperishable
Akṣara Brahma Yoga
What this chapter teaches
Cosmic cycles, the paths of light and dark after death, and the supreme secret: whatever you think of at the moment of death, that you become.
Chapter 8 addresses seven deep questions: What is Brahman? What is Adhyātma? What is karma? What is Adhibhūta? What is Adhidaiva? What is Adhiyajña? And how can one know Krishna at the time of death? The chapter then reveals two cosmic pathways after death: the bright path (arcirādi-mārga) leading to liberation and the dark path (dhūmādi-mārga) leading to rebirth. The supreme secret of the chapter: fill your mind with the Divine at all times, so that at the final moment of release, the momentum of a lifetime's meditation carries you to the ultimate.
All 28 verses — Sanskrit, transliteration, English
अर्जुन उवाच किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम। अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते॥
arjuna uvāca kiṁ tadbrahma kimadhyātmaṁ kiṁ karma puruṣottama | adhibhūtaṁ ca kiṁ proktamadhidaivaṁ kimucyate ||
अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन। प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः॥
adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ ko'tra dehe'sminmadhusūdana | prayāṇakāle ca kathaṁ jñeyo'si niyatātmabhiḥ ||
O Madhusudana, how, and who, is the entity existing in the sacrifice here in this body? And at the time of death, how are You to be known by people of concentrated minds?
श्री भगवानुवाच अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते। भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः॥
śrī bhagavānuvāca akṣaraṁ brahma paramaṁ svabhāvo'dhyātmamucyate | bhūtabhāvodbhavakaro visargaḥ karmasaṁjñitaḥ ||
The Blessed Lord said The Immutable is the supreme Brahman; self-hood is said to the entity present in the individual plane. By action is meant the offerings which bring about the origin of the existence of things.
अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्। अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर॥
adhibhūtaṁ kṣaro bhāvaḥ puruṣaścādhidaivatam | adhiyajño'hamevātra dehe dehabhṛtāṁ vara ||
The which exists in the physical plane is the mutable entity, and what exists in the divine plane is the Person. O best among the embodied beings, I Myself am the entity that exists in the sacrifice in this body.
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्। यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः॥
antakāle ca māmeva smaranmuktvā kalevaram | yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṁ yāti nāstyatra saṁśayaḥ ||
And at the time of death, anyone who departs by giving up the body while thinking of Me alone, he attains My state. There is no doubt about this.
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्। तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः॥
yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaranbhāvaṁ tyajatyante kalevaram | taṁ tamevaiti kaunteya sadā tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ ||
O son of Kunti, thinking of any entity whichever it may be one gives up the body at the end, he attains that very one, having been always engrossed in its thought.
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च। मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम्॥
tasmātsarveṣu kāleṣu māmanusmara yudhya ca | mayyarpitamanobuddhirmāmevaiṣyasyasaṁśayam ||
Therefore, think of Me at all times and fight. There is no doubt that by dedicating your mind and intellect to Me, you will attain Me alone.
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना। परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन्॥
abhyāsayogayuktena cetasā nānyagāminā | paramaṁ puruṣaṁ divyaṁ yāti pārthānucintayan ||
O son of Prtha, by meditating with a mind which is engaged in the yoga of practice and which does not stray away to anything else, one reaches the supreme Person existing in the effulgent region.
कविं पुराणमनुशासितार मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः। सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूप मादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्॥
kaviṁ purāṇamanuśāsitāra maṇoraṇīyāṁsamanusmaredyaḥ | sarvasya dhātāramacintyarūpa mādityavarṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt ||
He who meditates on the Omniscient, the Anceint, the Ruler, subtler than the subtle, the Ordainer of everything, of inconceivable form, effulgent like the sun, and beyond darkness-(he attains the supreme Person).
प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव। भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक् स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम्॥
prayāṇakāle manasā'calena bhaktyā yukto yogabalena caiva | bhruvormadhye prāṇamāveśya samyak sa taṁ paraṁ puruṣamupaiti divyam ||
At the time of death, having fully fixed the Prana (vita force) between the enrows with an unswering mind, and being imbued with devotion as also the strength of concentration, he reaches that resplendent supreme person.
यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः। यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये॥
yadakṣaraṁ vedavido vadanti viśanti yadyatayo vītarāgāḥ | yadicchanto brahmacaryaṁ caranti tatte padaṁ saṁgraheṇa pravakṣye ||
I shall speak to you briefly of that immutable Goal which the knowers of the Vedas declare, into which enter the deligent ones free from attachment, and aspiring for which people practise celibacy.
सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च। मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम्॥
sarvadvārāṇi saṁyamya mano hṛdi nirudhya ca | mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇamāsthito yogadhāraṇām ||
Having controlled all the passages, having confined the mind in the heart, and having fixed his own vital force in the head, (and then) continuing in the firmness in yoga;
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्। यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्॥
omityekākṣaraṁ brahma vyāharanmāmanusmaran | yaḥ prayāti tyajandehaṁ sa yāti paramāṁ gatim ||
He who departs by leaving the body while uttering the single syllable, viz Om, which is Brahman, and thinking of Me, he attains the supreme Goal.
अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः। तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः॥
ananyacetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ | tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nityayuktasya yoginaḥ ||
O son of Prtha, to that yogi of constant concentration and single-minded attention, who remembers Me uninterruptedly and for long, I am easy of attainment.
मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम्। नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः॥
māmupetya punarjanma duḥkhālayamaśāśvatam | nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ ||
As a result of reaching Me, the exalted ones who have attained the highest perfection do not get rirth which is an abode of sorrows and which is impermanent.
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन। मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते॥
ābrahmabhuvanāllokāḥ punarāvartino'rjuna | māmupetya tu kaunteya punarjanma na vidyate ||
O Arjuna, all the worlds together with the world of Brahma are subject to return. But, O son of Kunti, there is no rirth after reaching Me.
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः। रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः॥
sahasrayugaparyantamaharyadbrahmaṇo viduḥ | rātriṁ yugasahasrāntāṁ te'horātravido janāḥ ||
Those poeple who are knowers of what day and night are, know the day of Brahma which ends in a thousand yugas [The four yugas (in the human worlds), viz Satya, Treta, Dwapara, and Kali are made up of 4,320,000 years. This period multiplied by a thousand constitutes one day of Brahma. His night also extends over an eal period. See M.S. and V.S.A.], and His night which ends in a thousand yugas.
अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे। रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके॥
avyaktādvyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyaharāgame | rātryāgame pralīyante tatraivāvyaktasaṁjñake ||
With the coming of day all manifested things emerge from the Unmanifest and when night comes they merge in that itself which is called the Unmanifested.
भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते। रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे॥
bhūtagrāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate | rātryāgame'vaśaḥ pārtha prabhavatyaharāgame ||
O son of Prtha, after being born again and again, that very multitude of beings disappears in spite of itself at the approach of night. It comes to life at the approach of day.
परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः। यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति॥
parastasmāttu bhāvo'nyo'vyakto'vyaktātsanātanaḥ | yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati ||
But distinct from that Unmanifested is the other eternal unmainfest Reality, who does not get destroyed when all beings get destroyed.
अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्। यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम॥
avyakto'kṣara ityuktastamāhuḥ paramāṁ gatim | yaṁ prāpya na nivartante taddhāma paramaṁ mama ||
He who has been mentioned as the Unmanifested, the Immutable, they call Him the supreme Goal. That is the supreme abode of Mine, reaching which they do not return.
पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया। यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्॥
puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyastvananyayā | yasyāntaḥsthāni bhūtāni yena sarvamidaṁ tatam ||
O son of Prtha, that supreme Person-in whom are included (all) the beings and by whom all this is pervaded-is, indeed, reached through one-pointed devotion.
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः। प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ॥
yatra kāle tvanāvṛttimāvṛttiṁ caiva yoginaḥ | prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha ||
O best of the Bharata dynasty, I shall now speak of that time by departing at which the yogis attain the State of Non-return, and also (of the time by departing at which they attain) the State of Return.
अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्। तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः॥
agnirjyotirahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam | tatra prayātā gacchanti brahma brahmavido janāḥ ||
Fire, light, daytime, the birght forrnight, the six months of the Northern solstice-by following this Path, persons who are knowers of Brahman attain Brahman when they die.
धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्। तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते॥
dhūmo rātristathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇmāsā dakṣiṇāyanam | tatra cāndramasaṁ jyotiryogī prāpya nivartate ||
Smoke, night, as also the dark fortnight and the six months of the Southern solstice-following this Path the yogi having reached the lunar light, returns.
शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते। एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययाऽऽवर्तते पुनः॥
śuklakṛṣṇe gatī hyete jagataḥ śāśvate mate | ekayā yātyanāvṛttimanyayā''vartate punaḥ ||
These two courses of the world, which are white and black, are verily considered eternal. By the one a man goes to the State of Non-return; by the other he returns again.
नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन। तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन॥
naite sṛtī pārtha jānanyogī muhyati kaścana | tasmātsarveṣu kāleṣu yogayukto bhavārjuna ||
O son of Prtha, no yogi [One steadfast in meditation.) whosoever has known these two courses becomes deluded. Therefore, O Arjuna, be you steadfast in yoga at all times.
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम्। अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम्॥
vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva dāneṣu yatpuṇyaphalaṁ pradiṣṭam | atyeti tatsarvamidaṁ viditvā yogī paraṁ sthānamupaiti cādyam ||
Having known this, the yogi transcends all those results of rigtheous deeds that are declared with regard to the Vedas, sacrifices, austerities and also charities, and he reaches the primordial supreme State.
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