Introduction
Chapter-1 |
2 | 3 |
4
| 5 |
6 |
7
|
8 |
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
| 14
| 15
| 16
| 17
| 18
|
|
BHAGVAD-GITA
Chapter -8
"Akshar
- Brahma Yoga"
|
|
AKSHAR and BRAHMA are the terms used synonimously with the supreme self
(paramatma). Omkar written as AUM (in hindi) is also same as Akshar (lierally,
which is imperishable) and Brahma (literal meaning, which is ever expanding.
God in both the forms, manifest or unmanifest and the word (Akshar) hold the
centre-stage in this chapter. Therefore, the chapter is entitled as Akshar-Brahma
Yoga |
|
Arjuna Said : What is brahma (the Absolute)? What is the self and what is the
work; O Krishna? What is called the field of influence of the gods?
|
|
What is the field of sacrifice in this body and how, O Madhusudana (Krishna)?
How, are you to be known by the self-disciplined at the time of their departure
(from this world)? |
|
ShriBhagavan said |
|
The blessed Lord said : Brahma (or Absolute) is not capable of being destroyed,
the Supreme (the highest being) is called self. Karma is the name of the act of
renouncing (in accordance with the scriptures). |
|
All the things subject to creation and decay are (adhibhuta) muable nature. The
divine elements are cosmic spirit (adhi-daiva). The basis of all the sacrifices
in the body is myself, O Arjuna. |
|
Anyone, who at the time of his death, departs, thinking of me alone , he comes
to my state, there cannot be any doubt on this account. |
|
Thinking of whatever state for being a person gives up his body, to that state
he reaches, O son of Kunti (Arjuna) being always immersed in that thought. |
|
Therefore, always remembering me, join the battle. When your intelligence and
mind is attuned to me, to me alone shall you attain, indoubtedly. |
|
O Arjuna, constantly meditating upon the supreme being, not allowing the mind
to wander off in either directions, attains to the divine person (the Supreme
being). |
|
One who meditates on the sage, the ancient, the controller of all beings,
subtler than the subtle, the upholder of all, whose form cannot be imagined,
who is blazing like sun, beyond the darkness.
|
|
He who does this, at the time of his death, with a steady mind, devotion and
yoga, fixing his lifeforce between his eyebrows, attains to the supreme being. |
|
In short I shall tell you about the state which those learned in vedas call the
indestructible, which ascetics having become free from desires enter and they
lead a life of coninence. |
|
All the openings of the body control the mind fixed in heart and the life force
established in the head, steadied in concentration by yoga |
|
One who, uttering the single syllable Aum (which is Brahma), meditates on me,
as he departs leaving his body, attains to the highest state. |
|
Who is constantly remembering me, thinking of none others, I am easily
available to such a disciplined yogi.
|
|
The yogi attained to the highest state of mine do not go back to the place of
sorrow and impermamence, to born again. |
|
O Arjuna, from the world of Brahma downwards, all the worlds have the nature of
birth and re-birth cycle, but O, Son of Kunti, no one is born again after
having reached to my state.
|
|
O Arjuna, those who know that the day of Brahma is equal to one thousand ages
and the night is also a thousand ages long, know the secrets of time. |
|
At the start of the day all the beings come into existence and when night
starts they go back to unmanifested state. They come from unmanifested state
and again go back to unmanifested, during the day, they remain manifested) |
|
That every multitude of the living beings again and again comes into existence
at the beginning of the day and at the start of the night they merge into the
unmanifested state; O Arjuna, this happens according to the law of nature. |
|
But beyond the unmanifested there is yet another being which is external and
does not perish even when all other beings perish. |
|
This unmanifested is called imperishable. That is called the supreme goal.
Those reaching that do not come again. That is my supreme seat. |
|
This the supreme being, O Arjuna in which entire existence abides and by whom
it is pervaded, He can be reached through complete devotion. |
|
O, Best of Bharatas (Arjuna) now, I Shall tell you the time (way) in which
yogis departing after giving up their bodies do not come back and the time
(way) when they return. |
|
The knowers of brahma, going in the way of fire, light, day, the bright half of
the month, the six months when the sun is in the northern path, go to the
absolute. |
|
Those going through the way of smoke, night, dark half of the month, when the
sun is on its southern course, such yogis obtain lunar light and come back. |
|
The two paths of light and darkness are regarded as the world eternal paths. By
one path the traveller returns back while by the other he does not return
again. |
|
O Arjuna, be established in yoga at all the time, because, the yogi knowing
both these paths truly, is never deluded. |
|
Yogi having obtained the knowledge of all this goes beyond the fruits of the
study of the vedas, and sacrifices and austerities and donations and reaches
the eternal supreme goal. |
|
This is the eighth chapter entitled "Akshar
- Brahma Yoga". |
|
|
<<
Previous Next
>> |
Introduction
Chapter-1 |
2 | 3 |
4
| 5 |
6 |
7
|
8 |
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
| 14
| 15
| 16
| 17
| 18
|
