THE YOGA OF
IMPERISHABLE BRAHMAN
(Akshara Brahma Yoga)
Arjuna asked: What is that Brahman What is Self-knowledge What is action, O
Purushottama What is
declared to be the knowledge of the elements And, what is Adhidaiva .
Who and how is Adhiyajna here in this body, O Madhusudana
(destroyer of Madhu) And how at the time
of death, are you to be known by the self-controlled .
The Blessed Lord said: Brahman is the Imperishable, the Supreme; His
essential nature is called self-knowledge; the offering to gods which causes
the origin, existence and manifestation of beings and also sustains them is
called action . Adhibhuta or knowledge of the elements pertains to My
perishable nature and the Purusha or the Soul is Adhidaivata; I alone am the
Adhiyajna here in this body, O best of the embodied .
Whosoever, leaving the body, goes forth remembering Me alone
at the time of death, he
attains My Being; there is no doubt about this . Whosoever
at the end leaves the body, thinking upon any being, to that being alone he
goes, O Kaunteya (O son of Kunti), because of his constant thought of that
being .
Having closed all the gates, having confined mind in the
heart, having fixed the life-breath in the head, engaged in the practice of
concentration, uttering the one-syllabled Om ,
the Brahman, and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the
Supreme Soul.
I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast Yogi who
constantly remembers Me, daily, not thinking of another (with a single mind) O
Partha! What is called the unmanifested and Imperishable, That, they say is the
highest goal (path). They who reach It return not. That is My highest abode
(place or state).
That Highest Purusha, O Partha, is attainable by unswerving
devotion to Him alone, within Whom all beings dwell, by Whom all this is
pervaded.
Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months
of the northern path of the sun (the northern solstice) then departing men who
know Brahman go to Brahman. This is the path of Devayana or the path of light.
Smoke, night time, the dark fortnight also, the six months
of the southern path of the sun
(the southern solstice) attaining by these to the lunar
light, the Yogi returns. This is the path of Pitriyana or the path of darkness.
Whatever fruit of merit is declared in the scriptures to
accrue from the study of the Vedas, the performance of sacrifices, practice of
austerities and gift beyond all this goes the Yogi, having known this, and attains
to the Supreme Primeval or first Abode.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 3
sri-bhagavan uvaca
aksaram brahma paramam
svabhavo 'dhyatmam ucyate
bhuta-bhavodbhava-karo
visargah karma-samjnitah
The Supreme Lord said, The indestructible, transcendental
living entity is called Brahman, and his eternal nature is called the self.
Action pertaining to the development of these material bodies is called karma,
or fruitive activities.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 4
adhibhutam ksaro bhavah
purusas cadhidaivatam
adhiyajno 'ham evatra
dehe deha-bhrtam vara
Physical nature is known to be endlessly mutable. The
universe is the cosmic form of the Supreme Lord, and I am that Lord represented
as the Supersoul, dwelling in the heart of every embodied being.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 5
anta-kale ca mam eva
smaran muktva kalevaram
yah prayati sa mad-bhavam
yati nasty atra samsayah
And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body,
remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 6
yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya
sada tad-bhava-bhavitah
Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his
body, that state he will attain without fail.
The process of changing one's nature at the critical moment
of death is here explained. How can one die in the proper state of mind Maharaja Bharata thought of a deer at the time
of death and so was transferred to that form of life. However, as a deer,
Maharaja Bharata could remember his past activities. Of course the cumulative
effect of the thoughts and actions of one's life influences one's thoughts at
the moment of death; therefore the actions of this life determine one's future
state of being. If one is transcendentally absorbed in Krishna 's
service, then his next body will be transcendental (spiritual), not physical.
Therefore the chanting of Hare Krishna is the best process for successfully
changing one's state of being to transcendental life.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 7
tasmat sarvesu kalesu
mam anusmara yudhya ca
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mam evaisyasy asamsayah
Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form
of Krishna and at the same time carry out your
prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind
and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.
In this verse the importance of God consciousness is
stressed. Anyone who quits his body remembering Lord Krishna is at once
transferred to the transcendental abode of the Supreme Lord. The word smaran
("remembering") is important. Remembrance of Lord Krishna is not
possible for the impure soul who has not practiced God consciousness in
devotional service.
To remember Lord Krishna one should chant the maha-mantra,
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare, incessantly. In such a way one will be able to depart
from the body successfully remembering Lord Krishna and so attain the supreme
goal.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 8
abhyasa-yoga-yuktena
cetasa nanya-gamina
paramam purusam divyam
yati parthanucintayan
He who meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his
mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, he, O
Partha [Arjuna], is sure to reach Me.
In this verse Lord Krishna stresses the importance of
remembering Him. One's memory of Krishna is
revived by chanting the maha-mantra, Hare Krishna. By this practice of chanting
and hearing the sound vibration of the Supreme Lord, one's ear, tongue and mind
are engaged. This mystic meditation is very easy to practice, and it helps one
attain the Supreme Lord.
The devotees can constantly think of the object of worship,
the Supreme Lord, in any of His features--Narayana, Krishna ,
Vasudevayah, Rama, etc., by chanting Hare Krishna. This practice will purify
him, and at the end of his life, due to his constant chanting, he will be
transferred to the kingdom
of God
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 9
kavim puranam anusasitaram
anor aniyamsam anusmared yah
sarvasya dhataram acintya-rupam
aditya-varnam tamasah parastat
One should meditate upon the Supreme Person as the one who
knows everything, as He who is the oldest, who is the controller, who is
smaller than the smallest, who is the maintainer of everything, who is beyond
all material conception, who is inconceivable, and who is always a person. He
is luminous like the sun and, being transcendental, is beyond this material
nature.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 10
prayana-kale manasacalena
bhaktya yukto yoga-balena caiva
bhruvor madhye pranam avesya samyak
sa tam param purusam upaiti divyam
One who, at the time of death, fixes his life air between
the eyebrows and in full devotion engages himself in remembering the Supreme
Lord, will certainly attain to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In this verse it is clearly stated that at the time of death
the mind must be fixed in devotion on the Supreme Godhead Aum Namoh Bhagavateh
Vasudevayah. For those practiced in yoga, it is recommended that they raise the
life force between the eyebrows, but for a pure devotee who does not practice
such yoga, the mind should always be engaged in God consciousness so that at
death he can remember the Supreme by His grace. Without practice of yoga one
cannot come to this transcendental state of being at the time of death. One
cannot suddenly remember the Supreme Lord at death unless he is practiced in
some yoga system, especially the bhakti-yoga, chanting/singing and praising the
glories of the Lord. Since one's mind at death is very disturbed, one should
practice transcendence through yoga during one's life.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 12
sarva-dvarani samyamya
mano hrdi nirudhya ca
murdhny adhayatmanah pranam
asthito yoga-dharanam
The yogic situation is that of detachment from all sensual
engagements. Closing all the doors of the senses and fixing the mind on the
heart and the life air at the top of the head, one establishes himself in yoga.
To practice yoga, as suggested here, one first has to close
the door of all sense enjoyment. This practice is called pratyahara, or
withdrawing the senses from the sense objects. Sense organs for acquiring
knowledge, such as the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and touch, should be fully
controlled and should not be allowed to engage in self-gratification. In this
way the mind focuses on the Supersoul in the heart and the life force is raised
to the top of the head. The best process is Krishna
consciousness. If one is always able to fix his mind on Krishna
in devotional service, it is very easy for him to remain in an undisturbed
transcendental trance, or in samadhi.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 13
om ity ekaksaram brahma
vyaharan mam anusmaran
yah prayati tyajan deham
sa yati paramam gatim
After being situated in this yoga practice and vibrating the
sacred syllable OM , the supreme combination of
letters, if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and quits his
body, he will certainly reach the spiritual planets.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 15
mam upetya punar janma
duhkhalayam asasvatam
napnuvanti mahatmanah
samsiddhim paramam gatah
After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in
devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries,
because they have attained the highest perfection.
Since this temporary material world is full of the miseries
of birth, old age, disease and death, naturally he who achieves the highest
perfection and attains the supreme planet, Krishnaloka, Goloka Vrndavana, does
not wish to return.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 18
avyaktad vyaktayah sarvah
prabhavanty ahar-agame
ratry-agame praliyante
tatraivavyakta-samjnake
When Brahma's day is manifest, this multitude of living
entities comes into being, and at the arrival of Brahma's night they are all
annihilated.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 20
paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyo
'vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah
yah sa sarvesu bhutesu
nasyatsu na vinasyati
Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is
transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is
never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as
it is.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 24
agnir jyotir ahah suklah
san-masa uttarayanam
tatra prayata gacchanti
brahma brahma-vido janah
Those who know the Supreme Brahman pass away from the world
during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious moment,
during the fortnight of the moon and the six months when the sun travels in the
north.
CHAPTER 8, VERSE 25
dhumo ratris tatha Krishnah
san-masa daksinayanam
tatra candramasam jyotir
yogi prapya nivartate
The mystic who passes away from this world during the smoke,
the night, the moonless fortnight, or in the six months when the sun passes to
the south, or who reaches the moon planet, again comes back.
CHAPTER 9, VERSE 18
gatir bharta prabhuh saksi
nivasah saranam suhrt
prabhavah pralayah sthanam
nidhanam bijam avyayam
I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the
abode, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the
annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.
CHAPTER 9, VERSE 22
ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham
But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My
transcendental form--to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they
have.
CHAPTER 9, VERSE 26
patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower,
fruit or water, I will accept it.
What do these signify? Your body and the bodily senses is
the leaf; your heart is the flower/buds; your mind is the fruit and the tears
of transcendental bliss is the water offering to Lord Krishna. By offering
yourself to Lord Krishna, the body/mind and soul is purified.
CHAPTER 9, VERSE 27
yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam
O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that
you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform,
should be done as an offering unto Me.
CHAPTER 9, VERSE 34
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi yuktvaivam
atmanam mat-parayanah
Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances
and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.
Chapter 9, Verse 58
yada samharate cayam
kurmo 'nganiva sarvasah
indriyanindriyarthebhyas
tasya prajna pratisthita
When one can completely withdraw the senses from sense
objects, as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into the shell for protection, then
the intellect of such a person is considered steady.
sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.
The Lord has described various kinds of knowledge, processes of religion, knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, knowledge of the Supersoul, knowledge of the different types of orders and statuses of social life, knowledge of the renounced order of life, knowledge of nonattachment, sense and mind control, meditation, etc. He has described in so many ways different types of religion. Now, in summarizing Bhagavad-gita, the Lord says that Arjuna should give up all the processes that have been explained to him; he should simply surrender to
With faith and love, one should surrender unto Him. According to the devotional process, one should simply accept such religious principles that will lead ultimately to the devotional service of the Lord. Serve, Love, Sacrifice, Pray, Meditate, Give and Purify youself by offering your Self to the Lord.
yatra yogesvarah krsno
yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir
dhruva nitir matir mama
Wherever there is Krishna , the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.
Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
Mad-yaji mam namaskuru
Mam evaisyasi satyam te
Pratijane priyo 'si me
Absorb your mind and heart in Me, become My devotee, offer propitiation to Me, just give humble obeisance unto Me, and surely you will come to Me. I promise this in truth to you, being very dear to Me.
Tamaso Maa Jyotirgamaya.
Mrityormaa’mritam Gamaya.
Oh lord, lead me from untruth to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality.
Aum Sarva Manggala Maangalye
Shive Sarvaartha-Saadhike
Sharannye Tryambake Gauri
Naaraayanni Namostu Te
Salutations to Goddess Durga You are the Auspiciousness in All the Auspicious, Auspiciousness Yourself and Complete with All the Auspicious Attributes,
You are the Giver of Refuge, You have Three Eyes (spanning the Past, Present and Future; and containing within them the Sun, Moon and the Fire), You are Gauri (the Shining One); Salutations to You O Narayani.
Aum Namo Narayanaya
Aum Namo Narayanaya
Aum Namo Narayanaya
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