Name of this अष्टमोध्याय is अक्षरब्रह्मयोगो

अर्जुन उवाच

किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किंकर्म पुरुषोत्तम। अधिभूतं चकिं प्रोक्तमधिदैवंकिमुच्यते।।8.1।।

8.1 अर्जुन said O पुरुषोत्तम, what is that ब्रह्म? What is अध्यात्मं? What is कर्म? And what is अधिभूतं? What is that which is said to be अधिदैव?

अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्रदेहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन। प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसिनियतात्मभिः।।8.2।।

8.2 O मधुसूदन, what (क:), and how (कथम्), is अधियज्ञः (attained) here (अत्र) in this body (अस्मिन् देहे)? And at प्रयाण काल (time of death), how (कथं) are those who have mastered their minds (नियत आत्मभिः) know You (ज्ञेय: असि)?

8:1/2 – अर्जुन asks seven questions and whole of this chapter is focused on answering these seven questions. Early part of this chapter is complex; so brace yourselves. स्वामि कृष्णानंद commentary will form the core basis of the commentary given below – he summarizes the essence of this chapter in these words – “The whole of life is preparation for death. The whole of time process is a preparation for eternity. All our activities are a worship of God. Every step that we take in this world is a movement in the direction of the final liberation of the spirit”.

श्री भगवानुवाच

अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमंस्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते। भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गःकर्मसंज्ञितः।।8.3।।

8.3 भगवान् said (उवाच): The ब्रह्म is changeless (अक्षरं) & limitless (परमं); अध्यात्म is said to be its nature (स्वभाव). What is called कर्म (कर्मसंज्ञितः) is said to be (उच्यते) the offerings (विसर्गः) which bring about the origin (उद्भव-कर:) of the existence of beings (भूत-भाव).

8:3 (1) – ब्रह्म is परमं अक्षरम्, the indescribable, eternal, timeless and spaceless Absolute. It exists everywhere but appears to be nowhere. It exists everywhere and therefore everything lives and exists. It appears to exist nowhere since it is not the ‘object’ of perception of anyone’s इंद्रियाँ. It is as subtle as the very void, and yet it has been sieved through the fabric of space, and yet so thin and subtle a stuff, even when stirred, does not trickle down through the bag of worldly knowledge. Eternal Reality which is indivisible, which cannot be seen in parts, that is ब्रह्म.

8.3 (2) – अध्यात्म is the natural स्वभाव of an individual person. Now what is स्वभाव of an individual person? What are our “primal drives” over which other derivative drives eventually develop? Since kids display our primal drives more clearly, we can see three such drives in them – even a kid has a fear of death even though he may not have been taught about death. This natural fear that comes spontaneously is the need for “Existence” (or सत्) that is innate in us. Second, a kid is curious. He wants to know everything. Like a sponge, he wants to keep learning and absorbing. For some lucky people, this learning streak continues at a later age too. This need is an expression of “Consciousness” (or चित्) where our consciousness seeks to know everything is thus another innate need. Third, if a kid cries, everyone including the kid loses peace. Crying or unhappiness is seen as unnatural but if the kid is quite or smiling, everyone is at peace. Thus, “bliss or happiness” (or आनन्द) is the third natural expression. Now the ब्रह्म is described as सत्-चित्-आनन्द स्वरूप meaning that “Existence-Consciousness-Bliss is the essence of ब्रह्म. And this ब्रह्म, when it takes a body is also expresses its innate स्वभाव through the body too. However, the mistake we make is wanting the body to “Exist” forever, wanting the body to become “conscious” of all aspects of the Universe and wanting the body to be “blissful” forever. However, this is not a body स्वभाव and thus we err. Thus, अध्यात्म is nothing else but ब्रह्म स्वभाव expressed through the body and is also called as जीव.

8:3 (3) – I AM ONE – LET ME BECOME MANY. With this संकल्प, ब्रह्म did कर्म and expanded or projected Himself. कर्म here represents the power or energy with which the cosmos emanates from the Absolute; this may also be seen as expression of the Divine Will. Everything rushes out from the bosom of Ultimate Reality. This great force, the Cosmic action, this complete potentiality rushing outwardly in the direction of space and time, is the originally conceived कर्म. This total कर्म gradually descends into lower levels of activity until it becomes an ordinary activity of a human individual. Cosmic action in the start became a space-time vibration, then आकाश, then वायु, then अग्नि, then आप, then पृथ्वी and finally became individual bodies. All these are कर्म in different densities and areas of action. One needs to note that the original Will of the Divine also permeates all lesser wholes that act as a media of action, including our own selves. We are unfortunately unable to believe that our will is acting under an impulsion received from a Cosmic Will. So we get caught by the selfishness of wrongly thinking that our will is confined to our body while actually it is a propulsion from a cosmic existence. So कर्म here is defined as the propulsion of the Cosmic cause for the purpose of emanation of the effects in various degrees of descent, until the lowest atom is created. At an individual level too, our primal कर्म is indeed the same – Let me become many. And we choose a spouse, bring kids into the world, accumulate friends, accumulate objects, add on to our list of experiences day after day thus expressing ourselves in many. Thus, the original Cosmic will continues to flow through us via our actions except that we mistakenly ascribe such कर्म as our individual कर्म.

अधिभूतं क्षरो भावःपुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्। अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहेदेहभृतां वर।।8.4।।

8.4 अधिभूतं (the world centered on beings/things) is the perishable entity (क्षर: भावः) and अधिदैवम् (chief deity-centered on देवता) is पुरुष. अधियज्ञ (centered on यज्ञ) O Exalted among all Embodied Ones (वर), here in this body (अत्र  देहे) is Me alone (अहम् एव).

8:4 (1) – The perishable world is अधिभूत प्रपञ्च. All the world of नाम & रूप, including this body has a क्षर भाव, viz perishable trait. This world is a continuity of succession of events and no object in this world can be said to be existing individually or independently even for a second. Like a flame that burns every second, there is a new set of atoms of fire rushing forth, the world is not a total indivisibility but a movement. Like water in a river, world is a movement and it is perishable because when it moves, it is conditioned at every minute into bits of processes. Similarly, this kind of concoction of matter into the form of this so-called physical world is cut into pieces – into little processes which are like links in a long chain – so it cannot be regarded as imperishable. Now even this अधिभूत प्रपञ्च emanated from ब्रह्म only. If we take अध्यात्म as the subject and apple an object, subject + object come together for an experience in our earthly life. Both however come from परब्रह्म only just like our dream persona and dream waterfall come from our own mind only. It is however difficult for us to imagine that we and an apple are made of same substance. One way to conceive this is to realize that our physical body is actually an object and not a subject.  When life leaves it, it stinks and eventually merges into other elements. This body, which is an object, is mistakenly regarded as a subject owing to a mistake of our mind. Thus, we daily experience subject and object as One though in a mistaken sense. However, a person who has developed विवेक will know two things – 1) that the subject and object have come from same substance and 2) ability to segregate the part of us which has क्षर भाव from the part of us which is अक्षर, imperishable and connect with it through and through.

8.4 (2) – अधिदैव connotes पुरुष. This Supreme अधिदैव principle brings everything together into a hierarchy of divine operations. As per वेद, हिरण्यगर्भ or ब्रह्मा is often described as the first creation principle and everything else came from this first पुरुष. All acts of different देवता – इंद्र, वरुण, वायु, etc., are operating within our body (as well as outside); they have been put into a pattern of harmonious action so that one will not do something that would contradict that the other does. All these देव are conditioned by a Supreme Constitution of the Absolute, that is the पुरुष, the अधिदैव. The constitution of the government is the अधिदैव that rules the entire government system, and this अधिदैव comes down in lesser and lesser degrees until it becomes a little connecting link between one person and another. So when we drive, we stop at a signal allowing the pedestrians to cross the road and once signal turns green, cars move while pedestrians stop. The traffic rules are specific देवता while the Constitution of a country that determines overall governance in the country is पुरुष – there are thus many देवता’s within the पुरुष facilitating a harmonious running of a Unit, individuals, country or Universe. We can thus also see अधिदैव as the special faculty that presides over each apparatus of ज्ञान and कर्म within the living creatures.

8:4 (3) – I alone am connoted by the term अधियज्ञ – says भगवान्. अधियज्ञ denotes the one who is propitiated in यज्ञ. स्वामि चिन्मयानन्द says that यज्ञ here means the act of feeling, perception and thought. As in a यज्ञ, here also the oblations (sense objects) are poured into the यज्ञ altar (the sense organs). When the देवता represented by a particular faculty within the sense organs gets propiated and invoked, we get a fruit or a blessing viz the knowledge of perception, feeling, etc. अधियज्ञ thus is the field of action is nothing which is nothing else but Myself becoming intensely active through the forces of गुण for the purpose of evolution of the Cosmos. All activities by all within the Universe are thus nothing else but an offering into Him, who is the अधियज्ञं principle. Simply put, all processes in the Universe or even an individual happen on account of presence of अधियज्ञ principle. It is this that keeps every part in motion and drives them towards action just like all individual processes within a यज्ञ happen seamlessly to make them a whole. अधियज्ञ may thus be seen as the experiencer of all actions, feelings and perceptions.

8:3/4 – What is the significance of ब्रह्म, कर्म, अध्यात्म, अधिभूत, अधिदैव and अधियज्ञ collectively? Do refer to experts on this, my novice takeaway on this is that भगवान् is pushing us to consider that in every object, in every कर्म, in every observer and observed and even the observing media, it is ब्रह्म only – everything is Him only. These four may be taken as different levels of personality within us; the Guru I listen to regularly actually gives every Puranic episode from an अधिभूत, perspective, अध्यात्म perspective, etc. The idea is that ब्रह्म lies at the root representing the परमं अक्षर, ब्रह्म संकल्प in Him of the type – “Let me become many” became the force for propulsion of Universe viz कर्म which in turn led to creation of physical universe viz अधिभूत प्रपञ्च, creation of individual units who witness every experience viz अध्यात्म प्रपञ्च, the media through which the experience is gained (like senses in us) viz अधिदैव प्रपञ्च and the unit within which all these forces come together viz अधियज्ञ. The उपनिषद् says that these processes happen in the same way both at an individual unit level (पिण्डाण्ड) or microcosm as well as at the universal level (ब्रह्माण्ड) or the macrocosm. Therefore, if you know yourself, viz the individual, you will know the Universe. And if you realize that All This (इदम्) Or All That (तत्) or All Anything (सर्वम्) is ब्रह्म only, you have really known the Truth.

अन्तकाले च मामेवस्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्। यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं यातिनास्त्यत्र संशयः।।8.5।।

8.5. Remembering (स्मरन्) Me alone (माम् एव) at the time of death also (अन्तकाले च), the one who departs (य: प्रयाति) by abandoning his body (कलेवरम् मुक्त्वा) [behind], that one (स:) attains (याति) My being (मद् भावं). In this (अत्र), there is no doubt (संशयः न अस्ति)

यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावंत्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्। तंतमेवैति  कौन्तेय सदातद्भावभावितः।।8.6।।

8.6 When a person leaves his body (कलेवरम् त्यजति) at the end [of his life] (अन्ते), whatever (यं यं वा अपि) expression one (naturally) remembers (भावं स्मरन्), that being alone (तं तं एव) he attains (एति), O कौन्तेय! [Because] he has been constantly (सदा) thinking (भावित:) about that being (तद् भाव)

तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषुमामनुस्मर युध्य च। मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम्।।8.7।।

8.7 Therefore (तस्मात्) think of Me (माम्  अनुस्मर) at all times (सर्वेषु कालेषु) and fight (यध्य च). There is no doubt (असंशयम् एष्यसि) that by dedicating (अर्पित) your mind and intellect (मनस्-बुद्धि) to Me (मयि), you will attain Me alone (माम्  एव).

8:5/7 (1) – What happens to us post death? What is the thought that we will express at the time of our अन्तकाल? If we contemplate on ब्रह्म in our अन्तकाल, we will become ब्रह्म. This श्लोक thus conveys a powerful idea. Is it possible that we live a carefree life and if we thus express ब्रह्म on the last day, will we be able to become ब्रह्म? Truth is – what we express on our last day really turns out to be that which we express or contemplate upon most of our life. Distinguish between what कर्म we do and what do we contemplate upon. What we contemplate upon is with us when we are alone while bathing, driving, eating, etc. What we express outside may not be the same as what we contemplate upon. We may contemplate upon family security, success by defeating enemies, love for a pet dog, etc most of our life. Our future ecosystem is a factor of this contemplation that we do all our life. These areas of contemplation grips our minds even will during our अन्त:काल too thus making these as the base for our next life. In a sense therefore, nothing drastic happens post death; we remain where we have been all our life from a spiritual perspective though we may accumulate a new body to merely continue from where we have left off.

8:5/7 (2) – Some of the हिन्दू daily expressions become clear now. We do find some elders uttering राम राम or नारायण when they sneeze, when they greet someone, when they express joy, when they are in sorrow, when angry,  when they are eating, before sleep, just when they get up, naming our kids,  naming our cow, etc. The idea is simple – by uttering the name of the भगवान् all our life in some form or another, by virtue of habit, we will remember Him even in our last moment, in the moment of panic for us. If we remember Him, we will merge into भगवान्, that is the assurance given to us here. However this does not mean that we can game the system. The word of राम will not come naturally when we are dying if this was not done all our life – so in effect, we have to think of राम at all times. भगवान् thus uses the words अन्तकाले च (last day ALSO). Simply put, whatever we think in our mind, whatever we brood upon, whatever our interest is, whatever our deepest love and longing is, that shall materialize into a shape in the next realm of being which we enter. But if the pattern of our thinking has always been universal and never “relatively” construed, and we have been judging things from the Universal point of view, we shall enter into the Universal when we leave this body. And by Universal is meant that we are clear that परब्रह्म is operating as अध्यात्म, अधिभूत,  अधिदैव,  etc in every experience of ours and once this idea is clear,  we become the Universal.

8:5/7 (3) – In the भज गोविन्दम्, आदि शंकर says a verse as below:

बालस्तावत्  क्रीडा सक्त: तरुणस्तावत् तरुणी सक्त: वृद्धस्तावत् चिंता सक्त: परमे  ब्रह्मणि  कोपि न सक्त:

At kid stage, we are attracted to play

At youth stage, we are attracted to youthful pursuits

At old age, we are immersed in worries (about health, kids or grandkids)

At no stage, the mind is getting attached to परब्रह्म

Start young is the message. At the प्रयाणकाल day, it is impossible to remember परब्रह्म unless this is practiced on a daily basis every moment of our life.  If our mind does not catch the सूक्ष्म principle involved in knowing परब्रह्म at a young age, it will be incapable of catching these at a riper age owing to habitual connection with स्थूल ideas all our life. –

अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसानान्यगामिना। परमं पुरुषंदिव्यं यातिपार्थानुचिन्तयन्।।8.8।।

8.8 O पार्थ! By reflecting continually (अनुचिन्तयन्) with a mind (चेतसा) which is engaged in the योग (योग युक्तेन) of practice (अभ्यास) and which is not inclined to go elsewhere (न अन्य गामिना), one attains (याति) the limitless effulgent (परमं दिव्यं) supreme Person (पुरुषं).

8:8 (1) – The Absolute Being is our goal. How to contemplate on him at the last stage?  1) By अभ्यासयोगेन – by the constant practice of योग, and 2) चेतसा न अन्य गामिना – not allowing the mind to go here & there and 3) by अनुचिन्तयन् – with a mind that is CONTINUALLY doing चिन्तन् (thinking about) परब्रह्म. The prefix अनु means continuous; meaning all our life and at all times. Absorbing ourselves entirely in this practice of total concentration on the Universal Reality, we shall attain the Supreme Sun of all Suns, the परमं पुरुषं. Eternity and infinity shall be the fruits that we gather by this hard effort or meditation on the Universal.

8.8 (2) – How does one do अनुचिन्तयन् – we work in office, we play games, we watch movies, etc?  How can we do चिन्तयन् of ब्रह्म at all times?  Parable by Ramakrishna Paramahamsa may be useful here.  So a पतिव्रता स्त्री who works as a housemaid in houses of other people is happy on a certain day since her husband is returning home after working in a foreign land for more than two years.  Our स्त्री is very excited and cannot wait for evening to come on that day.  She imagines herself wearing the most beautiful dress, wearing the best perfume and doing पूर्ण आलिंगन् of her spouse when she greets him.  But she has to work in four houses that day too.  So she goes to all the houses and works more efficiently than other days.  She knows that if she is lax in work today, her employer will make her repeat the work which may delay her meeting with her husband. So she works more efficiently but not even for a moment, while working intensely, her thought strays from the future evening scene of a संपूर्ण आलिंगन्.  Now if we thus live our secular lives most efficiently but do अनुचिन्तयन् of परब्रह्म all through, we will certainly reach Him, that is the assurance given by श्रीकृष्ण here.  Do we have such an intense love for श्रीकृष्ण even for a single moment; forget our mood all day?  This is worth pondering about.

कविं पुराणमनुशासितारम् अणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः। सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूपम् आदित्यवर्णं तमसःपरस्तात्।।8.9।।

8.9 He who contemplates continuously (at the moment of death) (अनु-स्मरेत) on the All-knowing (कवि), the Ancient (पुराणम्), the Ruler (अनुशासितारम्), subtler (अणीयांसम्) than the subtle (अणो:), the Ordainer of everything (सर्वस्य धातारम्) of inconceivable form (अचिन्त्य रूपम्), effulgent like the sun (आदित्य वर्णं), and beyond darkness (तमसःपरस्तात्)

8.9 (1) – Do अनुचिन्तयन् on Me, says भगवान्. Lest we entertain doubts as to whether these words of भगवान् are that of self-obsessed person indulging in self-promotion, some वैदिक words describing what परा stands for are listed here:

1) कवि – He is all Knowing and nothing can hide from Him. In the वैदिक परिभाषा,  a कवि is one who can see things that others cannot. Thus, the वेद  are referred to as काव्य since they talk about ब्रह्म which is not available for perception by our senses and ऋषि is called as कवि since he alone has दृष्टि of ब्रह्म which others do not.  Even ब्रह्म is also referred to as a कवि since all of वेद have come from Him only.

2) He is पुराणम्, the most Ancient One since He was there before सृष्टि.

3) He is अनुशासितारम् – The whole world runs as per His अनुशासन, His rules. He is the ultimate destiny of everything and final authority of all things

8:9 (2) – 4) He is अणो: अणीयांसम्, subtler than the subtlest. Atoms, electrons and energy cannot be seen except in a mathematical fashion as points but even such a conception is not possible in the case of परब्रह्म. He is the subtlest since He is pure subjectivity. The grossness characterizing objects of sense cannot touch this pure subjectivity. It is deeper than our ordinary physical subjectivity as Mr So & So. It is deeper than our psychological subjectivity as learned persons, great persons, etc. It is even deeper than our causal personality of individuality. It is an unconditioned deepest essence free from any kind of externality of space, time and connection. भू principle (solidity) is स्थूल. सूक्ष्मं than the भू principle is आप principle (liquidity). सूक्ष्मं than the आप principle is अग्नि principle (heat). सूक्ष्मं than the अग्नि principle is वायु principle (air). सूक्ष्मं than the वायु principle is आकाश principle (space). सूक्ष्मं than the आकाश principle is मन principle (mind). सूक्ष्मं than the मन principle is बुद्धि principle (intellect). सूक्ष्मं than the बुद्धि principle is अहंकार principle (ego or I-ness). That which is सूक्ष्म occupies a wider space (is more व्यापक) and permeates all that is more स्थूल than itself. The highest सूक्ष्म principle is the परब्रह्म and He is therefore called as अणो: अणीयांसम्, subtler than the subtlest who is the most व्यापक principle across the Universe.

8:9 (3) – 5) He is सर्वस्य धातारम्, the father and grandfather of all people, the great protector of all beings, the final resort of everyone.

6) He is अचिन्त्यरूपम्, Unthinkable. Our eyes will be blinded, we will become deaf by the vibrations that it produces and our senses will simply melt into the liquid of an experience that can best be described as spiritual realization.

7) आदित्य वर्ण: Solar light is the brilliance of that goal; our Sun is like the shadow before that light. Thousands of Suns cannot stand before it.

8) तमसःपरस्तात्: The whole world is darkness in comparison with that light of all lights. We think we are in daylight but it is pitch darkness before that utter luminosity.

Darkness is understood if we understand light and vice versa. Since परा is a state beyond the relative ideas of light and dark, the two seemingly contradictory descriptions आदित्य वर्णं & तमसः परस्तात् have been used next to each other. Can we contemplate on that? We must contemplate on that Absolute at the time of passing. If we can, we will reach Him no doubt, असंशयम्.

प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव। भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्यसम्यक् स तं परं पुरुषमुपैतिदिव्यम्।।8.10।।

8.10 At the time of death (प्रयाण काले), with a steady mind (मनसा अचलेन) endowed with devotion (भक्त्या युक्तो) and indeed with the mental strength through योग (योगबलेन च इव), properly placing (सम्यक् आवेश्य) (as a visualization) the प्राण between the eyebrows (भ्रुवो: मध्ये) with an unwavering mind, he (स:) attains (उपैति) that limitless (तं परं) effulgent पुरुष (दिव्यम् पुरुषम्).

8:10 (1) – with our मनस् that is अचलेन (fixed/ non-moving), getting absorbed in all love and affection in endearing feeling; pouring ourselves on that and allowing it to pour itself on us; full of भक्ति to that and crying for it always. भक्ति needs to be accompanied by योगबल, full of determination or will of concentration to see that we get it – it’s now or never attitude. With use of words योगबल and अचलेन मनस् together with भक्ति,  one must realize the high level of commitment and strength of character that is expected of a भक्त. This is not a weak person who is running away from the world but actually a clear thinking person who is fully focussed on goal – only for such a person, any kind of success in this endeavour is conceivable.

8:10 (2) – भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणम् अवेश्य सम्यक् is prescribed here. Point between eyebrows, also known as आज्ञा चक्र is located there and as per the subject of योग, mind operates from भ्रुवोर्मध्ये in waking condition. Raise प्राण to this point; प्राण usually rushes to the point where we are concentrating our mind. By this practice, we will reach परम पुरुष whose realization will be our be-all and end-all. As an aside, अभिनवगुप्त in this commentary says that भ्रुवोर्मध्ये stands for spot between right and left eye with each eye signifying anger and attachment. All the sense organs must be placed on the spot between two eyes, which is untouched by anger and attachment. The spot which is भ्रुवोर्मध्ये is also referred to as काशी स्थान in our body and since it is said that one who dies in काशी will certainly reach Him, one can understand the योग significance of काशी स्थान for हिन्दू’s.  Of course, this does not take away the significance of physical काशी स्थान too but I thought it fit to mention of योग significance here.

8.10 (3) – At our प्रयाण काल, if we are able to bring ब्रह्म into a total concentrated manner at our आज्ञा चक्र, we will certainly achieve Him. You may be aware that the field of योग recognizes seven चक्र in our physical body starting with मूलाधार चक्र located at the base of our spine and ending in सहस्रार चक्र located at the top of our skull. While at lower level of अध्यात्म evolution, we operate from the मूलाधार चक्र, as we evolve, we progress higher and higher.  The region of सहस्रार चक्र is the region of bliss and a highest योगी operates from this space. One whose आज्ञा चक is activated fully will not doubt cross the काशी स्थान and reach the abode of bliss, the परा, the ब्रह्म निर्वाण state.

यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति विशन्ति  यद्यतयो वीतरागाः। यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं  संग्रहेणप्रवक्ष्ये।।8.11।।

8.11 I shall speak (प्रवक्ष्ये) briefly (संग्रहेण) to you (ते) about the Goal (तद् पदं) which is Imperishable (यद् अक्षरं) which the knowers of the वेद (वेद विद:) declare (वदन्ति), into which (यद्) enter (विशन्ति) the diligent ones (यती) free from longing (वीतरागाः), and aspiring for which (यद् इच्छन्त:) they practise (चरन्ति) ब्रह्म-चर्य.

सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदिनिरुध्य च। मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितोयोगधारणाम्।।8.12।।

8.12 Closing (संयम्य) all the gates (सर्वद्वाराणि) (i.e. sense organs), having withdrawing (निरुध्य च) the mind (मन:) into the heart (हृदि), and having fixed (आधाय) his own प्राण (आत्मनः प्राण) in the head (मूर्ध्नि) (and then) remaining (there) (आस्थित:) holding (the last breadth) by (the strength of) योग (योगधारणाम्);

ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्मव्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्। यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स यातिपरमां गतिम् ।।8.13।।

8.13 Chanting (व्याहरन्) the single syllable (एक अक्षरं) viz Om, which is ब्रह्म, and remembering of Me (माम् अनुस्मरन्) accordingly (through my teaching), while giving up the body (देहं त्यजन्), the one who departs (यः प्रयाति) that one (स:) attains (याति) the supreme Goal (परमां गतिम्)

8:11/13 (1) – These verses seem relevant to a trained योगी. Such a person is a यती who has given up वीतराग (longing) and is practicing ब्रह्मचर्य (walking the path of ब्रह्म). At the last moment, owing to intense training done all his life, he is able to withdraw from his sense organs and does two things 1) focus his mind into his heart and 2) focus entire प्राण into his आज्ञा चक्र. Energy leaks through the senses and mind gets distracted and hence closing all gates of senses is given first.  Now why should mind focus on the heart?  As per योग शास्त्र, in the waking state, the mind is placed between eyebrows.  In the state of sleep, the mind rests in the throat while in the state of deep sleep, the mind rests in the heart.  Heart here does not mean the physical heart but the innermost centre of one’s being. In the state of our own deep sleep, our mind rests in our heart.  Next statement is that we must raise our प्राण to the centre of the head.  To do both does seem like a difficult injunction. The idea is that our reason, feeling, understanding and emotions should get blended together so that what we think through our brain (concentration that is active through reason) is blended together with our deepest feeling.  When both blend, we then reach the state of our intuition which is a direct grasp of the total essence of things.  Thus, this method is an injunction of two things – concentration on the centre of the head which is the abode of activity of rationality and concentration of the heart, which is the abode of feeling.

8:11/ 13 (2) – He then chants ॐ. ॐ, as we may already know, is a representation of ब्रह्म just like a flag is a representation of a country. Many interesting facets of ॐ are elaborated in numerous scriptures. One of them is that ॐ is divided into three parts – आ that is uttered from the base of the throat,  ऊ from the middle and म् that can be uttered when two lips come together.  The entire range of words in any language fall within this range. Equally, it is said that the entire व्यक्त (visible) प्रपञ्च is an outcome of the vibration of ॐ. The three parts also represent three states of being for an individual – जागृत् अवस्था or waking state, स्वप्न अवस्था or dream state and सुशुप्ति अवस्था or state of deep sleep. However, what was there before uttering ॐ, what permeates ॐ and what follows uttering of ॐ is the 4th state of pregnant silence which is also referred to as तुरीया अवस्था.

Such a योगी then gives up his body after uttering ॐ and attains the तुरीया अवस्था, the Supreme state of oneness with the परा. The entire field of योग techniques is intricate and श्रीकृष्ण gives a high level statement here and leaves it at that.

How one must ideally leave the body is the focus of first fifteen verses?  What happens post death is the focus of the second half of this chapter. Ch nine continues the Ch seven theme of expanding on the idea of परा. How can a mere mortal like us do उपासना on परा daily comes up in chapter nine. How does being one with परा feel experientially comes up as विश्वरूप दर्शन comes up in Ch 11. The great idea of भक्ति comes up in Ch 12 which makes things simple and easy for us….  hopefully 😀

From the point of शरीर or body, the use of the word मृत्यु or death is valid.  From the point of सूक्ष्म शरीर or   soul, the use of the word प्रयाण or journey is valid.  From the point of आत्मा (which has no English equivalent), there is no प्रयाण or मृत्यु for It since It is an eternal साक्षी, the Witness and Highest Intelligence principle.

अनन्यचेता: सततं यो मांस्मरति नित्यशः। तस्याहंसुलभः  पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्ययोगिनः।।8.14।।

8.14 O पार्थ! Whereas that one (य:) whose mind (sees) no other (अनन्यचेताः) remembering (स्मरति) Me (मां) continually (स ततं) and for long time (नित्यशः), for that (तस्य) योगी who is always united (नित्य युक्त:) (in Me), I (अहं) am easily gained (सुलभः).

मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्मदुःखालयमशाश्वतम्। नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिंपरमां गताः।।8.15।।

8.15 The महात्मानः, attaining Me (माम् उपेत्य), do not gain (न आप्नुवन्ति) another birth (पुनर्जन्म) that is an abode of sorrows (दुःख अलयम्) and which is impermanent (अशाश्वतम्). They have reached (गता:) (while living) the limitless success (परमां संसिद्धिं) (मोक्ष).

8:14/15 (1) – One whose mind is always united with the परा, such a mind easily gains परा. This is thus a reiteration of the truth conveyed earlier. But for a person to focus on the परा requires an orientation for many lives; it obviously does not come easily. Thus a योगी who is नित्ययुक्त: who does स्मरण of ब्रह्म at all moments of his life and one who possesses अनन्यचेता: (meaning whose mind NOTHING as अन्य or other from ब्रह्म), such a mind will easily gain ब्रह्म. He gains ब्रह्म right here and right now. He is a जीवन्मुक्त:. To achieve ब्रह्म state is not some spooky post death magic – while living, one must become one with ब्रह्म. There is no place for magic in अध्यात्म study.  We can take the name of रमण महऋषि in recent times who was established in ब्रह्म state while living.

8:14/15 (2) – Some intense social workers may feel disturbed and say that a योगी who seeks oneness with परब्रह्म is a selfish person.  When pushed, they may say that even if they achieve Oneness with the परा, they will return to their human state and serve mankind.  Such expressions may be praised as noble by an ignoramus but must be dismissed as naive and misplaced by those who know.  Firstly, they talk as if whole of ब्रह्माण्ड is for human beings only and oneness with dogs, cats, trees, bacteria, etc does not occur to them as relevant.  Second, does anyone crave for or worry about their dream parents, dream brothers or dream house when they have woken up?  This seemingly noble sentiment reflects a limited understanding of the idea of Universal Oneness and essentially is a reflection of our own ignorance, albeit a well-intentioned one.  One can politely smile at such expressions, do नमो नम: to such people and move on.

Question: This is confusing. Meaning once a जीव has become one with the परा, he does not continue to be in the human form. ….but what about the many gurus and mahants who claim they have spiritually attained the परा… are they still on their way to the ultimate goal. …

Response: Apologies if I have misrepresented – external human form is just like a cloth.  Even भगवान् can take a human form and we call it अवतार – so even after attaining the परा, one can CHOOSE to remain in human form.  As for many who claim that they have achieved परा, all such claims cannot be taken at face value but many who were close to रमण & परमहंस took them as ones who have achieved the परा

आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाःपुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन। मामुपेत्यतु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म नविद्यते।।8.16।।

8.16 O अर्जुन! All the worlds (लोकाः) upto the world of ब्रह्म (आब्रह्म भुवनात्) are subject to return (पुनर् आवर्तिन:).  But (तु), O कौन्तेय! there is no (न विद्यते) rebirth (पुनर्जन्म) after reaching Me (माम् उपेत्य).

8:16 (1) – Here, we get into the concept of लोक within धर्म traditions. लोक refers to a place but not in a physical sense but as a state of being. Thus, above our Earthly plane named as भू, we have six other लोक viz भुव:, सुव:, मह:, जन:, तप: & सत्यम्. Each successive लोक is more सूक्ष्म than the previous one.  The सत्यलोक is the most सूक्ष्म and also called as ब्रह्मलोक. All लोक above भू except ब्रह्मलोक may be termed as स्वर्गलोक. Below the भूलोक (Earthly plane) are अतल, वितल, सुतल, रसातल, अलतल, महातल  & पाताल (collectively called as नरकलोक). In this verse however, the statement is that people who go into लोक other than ब्रह्मलोक post leaving their earthly body in the भूलोक are subject to return meaning that they will spend a certain amount of time in these higher or lower लोक post which they will be reborn in भूलोक. However, once a person achieves ब्रह्मलोक, one will not return to भूलोक. Do however note that above ब्रह्मलोक is not the Ultimate state of limitlessness or eternality or the state of परा. Further details will be given in later श्लोक.

8:16 (2) – Here, we get into a concept of two types of मुक्ति or निर्वाणं – सद्यो मुक्ति & क्रम मुक्ति. श्लोक 10-15 focussed on elaborating how one can achieve oneness with the परा right here right now – this direct path is referred to as सद्यो मुक्ति or शुक मार्ग. शुक means parrot which moves from one place to another directly rather than taking a convoluted route.  क्रम मुक्ति, on the other hand, is a stage by stage process where one goes stage by stage to reach ब्रह्मलोक, spends a long time there and then eventually achieve oneness with परा. Hence, this route is also referred to as वाम मार्ग where वाम refers to an ant.  As stated, the coming श्लोक will elaborate further details.

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणोविदुः। रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तांतेऽहोरात्रविदोजनाः।।8.17।।

8.17 Those people (ते जना:) who are knowers (विद:) of what day (अह:) and night (रात्र) are, know (विदु:) that (यद्) the day of ब्रह्मा (ब्रह्मण: अह:) which lasting (पर्यन्तम्) a thousand yugas (सहस्र युग) and his night also (रात्रिं च) lasting (अन्तां) thousands of युग (युगसहस्र).

अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाःप्रभवन्त्यहरागमे। रात्र्यागमेप्रलीयन्तेतत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके।।8.18।।

8.18 With the coming of day (अहर् आगमे) all individual/things (सर्वाः व्यक्तयः) manifest (प्रभवन्ति) from the Unmanifest (अव्यक्तात्) and when night comes (रात्रि आगमे) they resolved (back) (प्रलीयन्ते) in that itself (तत्र एव) which is called (संज्ञके) the Unmanifested (अव्यक्त:)

भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वाभूत्वा प्रलीयते। रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थप्रभवत्यहरागमे।।8.19।।

8.19 O पार्थ! that very same (स एव अयं) group of beings (भूतग्रामः), after being born again and again (भूत्वा भूत्वा), without their will (अ वश:) resolves (प्रलीयते) at the approach of night (रात्रि आगमे). It comes to life (प्रभवति) at the approach of day (अहर् आगमे).

8:17/19 (1) – Here we get into the fascinating concept of time in India.

1. Every human has a day span and a night span both together of 24 hours making a single day for us.
2. One fortnight represented by शुक्लपक्ष (waxing phase of the moon) is one day for पितृ (departed ancestors) and कृष्णपक्ष representing one night for them. Thus, one day for पितृ is one lunar month for us.
3. Six months starting उत्तरायण (beginning with Sankranti) is one day for the देव and six months of दक्षिणायण representing one night. Thus, one year of human life is one day of देव. Also, one year of देव is 360 human years.
4. Now 12000 देव years = 43,20,000 human years = 1 महायुग = four युग (सत्युग, त्रेतायुग, द्वापरयुग & कलियुग in the ratio 4:3:2:1).
5. 1000 महायुग = 1 कल्प = 1 day (day only) of ब्रह्मा. Two कल्प constitute a day and night of ब्रह्मा, 8.64 billion human years).
6. 50 years of ब्रह्मा = 1 परार्ध
7. Life of ब्रह्मा = 8.64*360*100= 311.04 trillion human years.

We are currently in the 51st year of ब्रह्मा. We are in कलियुग now which began on 28 Feb 3102 BCE (being the day श्रीकृष्ण departed – of course, there are other versions of these dates ☺︎). People who do नित्यपूजा recite this calendar daily.  Lifespan of ब्रह्मा is 100 years. ब्रह्मा is a role/ position; in the next cycle of creation, श्री हनुमान gets to discharge the role of ब्रह्मा.

8:17/19 (2) – Here is the Cosmic conception of हिन्दू’s – what works for us at a micro level is also true at a macro level. Note that ब्रह्म & ब्रह्मा are two different entities – ब्रह्मा came from ब्रह्म and has a limited life span of hundred ब्रह्मा years.  At a human level, we have a day and night; guess what, so has ब्रह्मा. At night, our शरीर, मन and even बुद्धि goes to sleep; guess what, this entire Universe becomes अव्यक्त (invisible / passive/ suspended) when ब्रह्मा goes to sleep. When we wake up, we restart from where we left the previous night, guess what, when ब्रह्मा wakes up, all beings within ब्रह्मा also wake up and continue life from where they have left off. When we go into deep sleep, all our accumulated कर्म goes into a seed mode since our मन and बुद्धि also become passive.  So guess what, when ब्रह्मा goes to sleep,  all the accumulated कर्म of the entire universe  goes into a passive mode becoming अव्यक्त and when ब्रह्मा wakes up,  the Universe becomes active again. Time is relative in each of the लोक; there is a story of a king in the पुराण who ended up going to the सत्यलोक after winning a tough battle and when we expressed his intention to return to his family,  ब्रह्मा told him that lakhs of human years have already passed by for the few minutes the king spent in the सत्यलोक. Time thus varies in each लोक (like shown in the movie Inception). At the end of 100 ब्रह्मा years, ब्रह्मा also merges into the परा/ नारायण/ शिव). After a long time, नारायण appoints a new ब्रह्मा and starts all over again.

परस्तस्मात्तुभावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः। यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषुनश्यत्सु  नविनश्यति।।8.20।।

8.20. But (तु) different (पर:) from that (तस्मात्) unmanifest (अव्यक्तात्) is another (अन्य:) Unmanifest (अव्यक्त:) that always exists (सनातन:). That (य: भाव:) does not perish (न विनश्यति) while all beings (सर्वेषु भूतेषु) perish (नश्यत्सु).

अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुःपरमां गतिम्। यं प्राप्य ननिवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमंमम।।8.21।।

8.21 This Unmanifest (अव्यक्त:) is said to be (उक्त:) the Imperishable (अक्षर इति). That (तं), they say (आहु:), is the supreme abode (परमां गतिम्), reaching (यं प्राप्य) which they do not return (न निवर्तन्ते) that (तद्) is My (मम) Highest abode (परमं धाम).

पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्यालभ्यस्त्वनन्यया। यस्यान्तः स्थानि भूतानि येनसर्वमिदं ततम्।।8.22।।

8.22. O पार्थ! That which has (यस्य) all beings (भूतानि) within (it) (अन्तःस्थानि) and by which (येन) all this (इदं सर्वं) is pervaded (ततं), that पुरुष (स: पुरुष:) is limitless (पर:), yet (तु) can be attained (लभ्य:) by भक्ति (भक्त्या) in which there is no other (अनन्यया) (considered apart from Me).

8:20/22 (1) – The अव्यक्त state when ब्रह्मा goes into sleep at the end of a ब्रह्मा day is different from the अव्यक्त state of नारायण or ब्रह्म. Within ब्रह्मा, universe goes into अव्यक्त state on a temporary basis just like we become inactive in our sleep every night.  However, when one merges into नारायण, this is not a temporary state of becoming अव्यक्त, it is a permanent merger into the Highest.  Once a person reaches his phase, there is no cause for him to become व्यक्त (manifest) again.  All his कर्म stock has been exhausted or burned up and he has thus become one with ब्रह्म or परा Herself. Now lest someone gets daunted by the difficulty in achieving oneness with the ब्रह्म, भगवान् immediately allays such fears.  He said that it is not as daunting as one may think.  All this Universe is pervaded by Me.  All beings are within Me.  I am very close to you.  Simply connect with Me with भक्ति and you will then see Me everywhere including within yourself.  Once you see Me, you will see no other.  You will then easily attain Me, I can assure you of this with full confidence.  Have श्रद्धा on My word.

8:20/22 (2) There is another way to express what I said earlier.  In our waking state, both स्थूल & सूक्ष्म शरीर are व्यक्तं or manifest.  In our dream state, our स्थूल becomes अव्यक्त while सूक्ष्म is still व्यक्तं. In our deep sleep, both स्थूल & सूक्ष्म शरीर become अव्यक्त and only our आत्मा shines in its glory.  And because one of the features of आत्मा is आनन्द, this self-expression of bliss passes on to the स्थूल & सूक्ष्म शरीर who then state that I had a wonderful sleep experience. This “I” is the आत्मा bliss passed on to our body.  So the question that comes up is what causes us to wake up when we become अव्यक्त within our आत्मा – why do we not remain there experiencing bliss? Here we have a third idea, the कारण शरीर, the seat of our सङ्कल्प where our unexhausted कर्म stock still remains and where our वासना’s are still present.  They are the कारण, the purpose of our life.  It is these that obstruct us from getting in connection with our आत्मा, our राग, our द्वेष, our मोह, our क्रोध, our भय, etc.  These obstructions need to get resolved and sorted out. These will get sorted out if it learns properly from the experiences given to it by the स्थूल & सूक्ष्म शरीर. So dream behaviour and experiences are also important. As it learns more and more, the obstructions move from opacity to translucency to transparency (meaning from तमोगण to रजोगुण to सत्वगुण). The कारण शरीर, representing  the purpose of embodiment,  ceases to have value and our आत्मा expresses itself fully through स्थूल & सूक्ष्म शरीर continually – such a one is a संत,  a जीवनमुक्त: or a परम् ज्ञानी.

यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिंचैव योगिनः। प्रयाता यान्ति तंकालं वक्ष्यामिभरतर्षभ।।8.23।।

8.23 O भरतर्षभ! Now (तु) on which time (यत्र काले) the Yogins (योगिनः) depart (प्रयाता) (where) they attain (यान्ति) either the State of Non-return (अन् आवृत्तिम), or a return (आवृत्तिं च एव)- that time (तं कालं) I will tell you (वक्ष्यामि).

अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लःषण्मासा उत्तरायणम्।  तत्रप्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्मब्रह्मविदो जनाः।।8.24।।

8.24 Where there are (the देवता) Fire (अग्नि), light (र्ज्योति:), daytime (अह:), the Bright fortnight (of the moon) (शुक्लः), the six months (षण्मासा) of the Northern solistice (उत्तरायणम्), there (तत्र), the people (जनाः) who meditate on the (the qualified) Brahman (ब्रह्मविद्) having departed (प्रयाता), (eventually) attain (गच्छन्ति) Brahman (ब्रह्म).

धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णःषण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्। तत्रचान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्यनिवर्तते।।8.25।।

8.25 Where there are (the देवता) Smoke (धूम), night (रात्रि:) as also the dark fortnight (तथा कृष्णः) and the six months (षण्मासा) of the Southern solistice (दक्षिणायनम्), there (तत्र), gaining (प्राप्य) a stay the lunar heaven/ light (चान्द्रमसं ज्योति:), the योगिन् returns (निवर्तते).

8:23/25 (1) – Now we have three kinds of उपासक – निष्काम निर्गुण, निष्काम सगुण & सकाम सगुण. Each of them die differently.  निष्काम निर्गुण उपासक has अनन्य भक्ति, he sees nothing as अन्य from the परा and thus becomes one with परा right here right now – these guys achieve सद्यो मुक्ति. Under the second type, the निष्काम सगुण भक्त, come saints like तुकाराम who are सगुण oriented. Whosoever assigns गुण to the परा  e. g., all powerful, compassionate, नीलमेघश्याम, Merciful,  loving, etc, are सगुण उपासक as they conceive the परा either with गुण or रूप or both. Their भक्ति is indeed निष्काम since they want nothing for themselves but because their association with परा is सगुण, they will be born in सत्यलोक post leaving their earthly body.  This सत्यलोक may also be expressed as वैकुण्ठ or कैलाश or मणिद्वीप or other names given in the various पुराण.

8:23/25 (2) – The path one takes has a bearing on when one dies.  The निष्काम सगुण उपासक reach सत्यलोक by going through the path of light.  In the verse, this path is called as अग्निः,  ज्योतिः,  अह:, शुक्लपक्ष & उत्तरायण. In भारत, people who know these aspects vie to leave their body in the उत्तरायण (six-month period starting with Sankranti), in day time, etc. In the महाभारत, भीष्म waits for the onset of उत्तरायण, chants the pious विष्णुसहस्रनाम and then gives up his body in early morning.  Essentially, each of these times is presided by a special अधिदेवता also called as अतिवाहिका देवता; these देवता acts as vehicles (hence the term वाहिका).   Thus there is an अग्निदेव who first takes charge of the जीव who has left his body and hands the जीव over to ज्योतिदेव followed by others.  Each hands over to the other and eventually, the जीव reaches the सत्यलोक. At the सत्यलोक, the जीव is taught on निर्गुण उपासना by ब्रह्मा Himself till the end of the specific कल्प.  Post this, even such a भक्त merges in परब्रह्म. Since this merger happens in stages, it is called as क्रम मुक्ति unlike the सद्यो मुक्ति achieved by a निष्काम निर्गुण उपासक.

8:23/25 (3) – On the other hand, we have सकाम सगुण उपासक people.  They are also sincere भक्त, they also do नित्यपूजा, they follow a pious life in a disciplined manner, they also think of their इष्टदेवता all the time, they do दान, help the poor, think good about others and very sincere and honest people. Though they are good, they have however not evolved at an आध्यात्म level. They are सकामी meaning that the trigger for their भक्ति is good family life, achievement of their earthly ambitions, giving joys to others, etc.  When such people die, they will go via चान्द्रमासं पंथ or the path of the night to the various लोक   above the भूलोक but below the ब्रह्मलोक or सत्यलोक. These may be collectively referred to as स्वर्गलोक. Here, they spent a good amount of time in स्वर्गलोक, have a good time but only till their कर्म stock is exhausted.  Once their good कर्म stock is exhausted, they are born again in भूलोक to restart all over again from where they had left off earlier.

8:23/25 (4) – What happens if a निष्कामी निर्गुण भक्त dies in the दक्षिणायण or in the कृष्णपक्ष period?  In such a case, the दक्षिणायण देवता will hold such a जीव as a custodian till the उत्तरायण देवता takes over and then hands accordingly to the appropriate देवता who eventually take the जीव to the सत्यलोक. The details of this प्रयाण or गति can be found in much more detail in the various पुराण or the उपनिषद् शास्त्र for further reference.  One must note that श्रीकृष्ण does not elaborate beyond this since people of his time knew the details of these quite well. He gives a high level picture in these verses.  To conclude, both the निष्कामी & सकामी are both noble आत्मा but because of their level of achievements or level of अध्यात्म merit, their गति ends up being different in tune with their level of achievement.  Most of us are neither निष्कामी or सकामी and thus the large menu of नरकलोक may be eagerly awaiting for us to return into their bosom 😀😀. More seriously, we may consider ourselves as सकामी सगुण or at least trying to be one and these verses give us an idea of what orientation we may need to adopt.

शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतःशाश्वते मते। एकयायात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययाऽऽवर्ततेपुनः।।8.26।।

8.26 These two courses (एते सृति) of the world (जगतः), which are bright and dark (शुक्लकृष्णे), are verily (हि) considered (मते) eternal (शाश्वते). By the one (एकया) (path) a man gains (याति) to the State of Non-return (अनावृत्तिम्) by the other (अन्यया) he returns again (पुनः आवर्तते).

नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगीमुह्यति कश्चन। तस्मात् सर्वेषुकालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन।।8.27।।

8.27 O पार्थ! Knowing (जानन्) these two courses (एते सृति), a योगिन् (कश्चन) is not deluded (न मुह्यति). Therefore (तस्मात्), O अर्जुन! be (भव) you steadfast in योग (योग युक्तो) at all times (सर्वेषु कालेषु).

वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषुयत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम्। अत्येतितत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा योगी परंस्थानमुपैति चाद्यम्।।8.28।।

8.28 Knowing this (इदं विदित्वा) (my answers to your seven questions), the योगिन् transcends (अत्येति) all those (तत् सर्वं) results of righteous deeds (यत् पुण्य फलं) (spent for heaven going) that are declared (प्रदिष्टम्) in the वेद (वेदेषु), यज्ञ कर्म (यज्ञेषु), austerities (तप:) and (च) also charities (दानेषु), and he reaches (उपैति) the Supreme State (परं स्थानम्), the origin (आद्यं).

8:26/28 (1) – O अर्जुन! It might have felt that I have digressed from the परा – अपरा discussion we were having earlier. This was done since you had raised a question as to what will happen to the तपोबल you have acquired in this life but one’s life ends abruptly without reaching the final goal. To address this, I had told you that all the तपोबल that you have already acquired will remain with you. Then I gave you a high level picture of the various kinds of प्रयाण that a जीव underakes post death to give you a sense of the way forward. Let Me however tell you that all the miscellenia detail about various types of लोक is not very important to dwell on beyond a point. So why did I tell you all this?

8:26/28 (2) – Do निष्काम कर्म. I gave you the जीव गति post मृत्यु only to show to you that if you maintain a सकामी orientation all your life, it will have a limited benefit. Once the benefit is exhausted, you have to work all over again – this truth is valid for our regular world as well as beyond. The same principle applies. Even if the nature of कर्म is seemingly noble – यज्ञ कर्म, तप कर्म & दान कर्म, if they are सकामी and do not lead to अध्यात्म growth, you will remain where you are. Do know that both these पंथ (one that a निष्कामी and a सकामी take) are शाश्वत (eternal). Given this ज्ञान on the type of गति one will take post मृत्यु, I hope that you will develop sufficient वैराग्यं, avoid being सकामी and work to be a योगयुक्त of a निष्काम type – retain only this from Ch 8 as a takeaway message. And we can now return to our परा – अपरा talk. Now we move on to Chapter 9 that was the favourite of संत ज्ञानेश्वर which He chanted even while taking समाधि. Many expressions of the famous श्रीविष्णु सहस्रनामस्तोत्रं can be found in Ch 9. 

इति श्री भगवद्गीतासु उपनिषद्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुन संवादे अक्षरब्रह्मयोगो नाम अष्टमोध्याय: