Reference: Course on The Bhagavad Gita
English Translation By Shri Purohit Swami
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Chapter 8
अर्जुनउवाच
किंतद्ब्रह्मकिमध्यात्मंकिंकर्मपुरुषोत्तम।
अधिभूतंचकिंप्रोक्तमधिदैवंकिमुच्यते।।8.1।।
8.1 “Arjuna asked: O Lord of Lords! What is that which men call the Supreme Spirit, what is man’s Spiritual Nature, and what is the Law? What is Matter and what is Divinity?
अधियज्ञःकथंकोऽत्रदेहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन।
प्रयाणकालेचकथंज्ञेयोऽसिनियतात्मभिः।।8.2।।
8.2 Who is it who rules the spirit sacrifice in many; and at the time of death how may those who have learned self-control come to the knowledge of Thee?
श्रीभगवानुवाच
अक्षरंब्रह्मपरमंस्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते।
भूतभावोद्भवकरोविसर्गःकर्मसंज्ञितः।।8.3।।
8.3 The Lord Shri Krishna replied: The Supreme Spirit is the Highest Imperishable Self, and Its Nature is spiritual consciousness. The worlds have been created and are supported by an emanation from the Spirit which is called the Law.
अधिभूतंक्षरोभावःपुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्।
अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्रदेहेदेहभृतांवर।।8.4।।
8.4 Matter consists of the forms that perish; Divinity is the Supreme Self; and He who inspires the spirit of sacrifice in man, O noblest of thy race, is I Myself, Who now stand in human form before thee.
अन्तकालेचमामेवस्मरन्मुक्त्वाकलेवरम्।
यःप्रयातिसमद्भावंयातिनास्त्यत्रसंशयः।।8.5।।
8.5 Whosoever at the time of death thinks only of Me, and thinking thus leaves the body and goes forth, assuredly he will know Me.
यंयंवापिस्मरन्भावंत्यजत्यन्तेकलेवरम्।
तंतमेवैतिकौन्तेयसदातद्भावभावितः।।8.6।।
8.6 On whatever sphere of being the mind of a man may be intent at the time of death, thither he will go.
तस्मात्सर्वेषुकालेषुमामनुस्मरयुध्यच।
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम्।।8.7।।
8.7 Therefore meditate always on Me, and fight; if thy mind and thy reason be fixed on Me, to Me shalt thou surely come.
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेनचेतसानान्यगामिना।
परमंपुरुषंदिव्यंयातिपार्थानुचिन्तयन्।।8.8।।
8.8 He whose mind does not wander, and who is engaged in constant meditation, attains the Supreme Spirit.
कविंपुराणमनुशासितारमणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः।
सर्वस्यधातारमचिन्त्यरूपमादित्यवर्णंतमसःपरस्तात्।।8.9।।
8.9 Whoso meditates on the Omniscient, the Ancient, more minute than the atom, yet the Ruler and Upholder of all, Unimaginable, Brilliant like the Sun, Beyond the reach of darkness;
प्रयाणकालेमनसाऽचलेनभक्त्यायुक्तोयोगबलेनचैव।
भ्रुवोर्मध्येप्राणमावेश्यसम्यक्सतंपरंपुरुषमुपैतिदिव्यम्।।8.10।।
8.10 He who leaves the body with mind unmoved and filled with devotion, by the power of his meditation gathering between his eyebrows his whole vital energy, attains the Supreme.
यदक्षरंवेदविदोवदन्तिविशन्तियद्यतयोवीतरागाः।
यदिच्छन्तोब्रह्मचर्यंचरन्तितत्तेपदंसंग्रहेणप्रवक्ष्ये।।8.11।।
8.11 Now I will speak briefly of the imperishable goal, proclaimed by those versed in the scriptures, which the mystic attains when free from passion, and for which he is content to undergo the vow of continence.
सर्वद्वाराणिसंयम्यमनोहृदिनिरुध्यच।
मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनःप्राणमास्थितोयोगधारणाम्।।8.12।।
8.12 Closing the gates of the body, drawing the forces of his mind into the heart and by the power of meditation concentrating his vital energy in the brain;
ओमित्येकाक्षरंब्रह्मव्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्।
यःप्रयातित्यजन्देहंसयातिपरमांगतिम्।।8.13।।
8.13 Repeating Om, the Symbol of Eternity, holding Me always in remembrance, he who thus leaves his body and goes forth reaches the Spirit Supreme.
अनन्यचेताःसततंयोमांस्मरतिनित्यशः।
तस्याहंसुलभःपार्थनित्ययुक्तस्ययोगिनः।।8.14।।
8.14 To him who thinks constantly of Me, and of nothing else, to such an ever-faithful devotee, O Arjuna, am I ever accessible.
मामुपेत्यपुनर्जन्मदुःखालयमशाश्वतम्।
नाप्नुवन्तिमहात्मानःसंसिद्धिंपरमांगताः।।8.15।।
8.15 Coming thus unto Me, these great souls go no more to the misery and death of earthly life, for they have gained perfection.
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाःपुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन।
मामुपेत्यतुकौन्तेयपुनर्जन्मनविद्यते।।8.16।।
8.16 The worlds, with the whole realm of creation, come and go; but, O Arjuna, whoso comes to Me, for him there is nor rebirth.
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणोविदुः।
रात्रिंयुगसहस्रान्तांतेऽहोरात्रविदोजनाः।।8.17।।
8.17 Those who understand the cosmic day and cosmic night know that one day of creation is a thousand cycles, and that the night is of equal length.
अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयःसर्वाःप्रभवन्त्यहरागमे।
रात्र्यागमेप्रलीयन्तेतत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके।।8.18।।
8.18 At the dawning of that day all objects in manifestation stream forth from the Unmanifest, and when evening falls they are dissolved into It again.
भूतग्रामःसएवायंभूत्वाभूत्वाप्रलीयते।
रात्र्यागमेऽवशःपार्थप्रभवत्यहरागमे।।8.19।।
8.19 The same multitude of beings, which have lived on earth so often, all are dissolved as the night of the universe approaches, to issue forth anew when morning breaks. Thus is it ordained.
परस्तस्मात्तुभावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः।
यःससर्वेषुभूतेषुनश्यत्सुनविनश्यति।।8.20।।
8.20 In truth, therefore, there is the Eternal Unmanifest, which is beyond and above the Unmanifest Spirit of Creation, which is never destroyed when all these being perish.
अव्यक्तोऽक्षरइत्युक्तस्तमाहुःपरमांगतिम्।
यंप्राप्यननिवर्तन्तेतद्धामपरमंमम।।8.21।।
8.21 The wise say that the Unmanifest and Indestructible is the highest goal of all; when once That is reached, there is no return. That is My Blessed Home.
पुरुषःसपरःपार्थभक्त्यालभ्यस्त्वनन्यया।
यस्यान्तःस्थानिभूतानियेनसर्वमिदंततम्।।8.22।।
8.22 O Arjuna! That Highest God, in Whom all beings abide, and Who pervades the entire universe, is reached only by wholehearted devotion.
Note by Shri Purohit Swami: The following material (between the asterisks) is an example of what may be a “doctored’ inclusion. It does not jibe with the rest of the material because it is not presented as metaphor and clearly implies that worldly phenomena are spiritually determining. Maybe it was added by an individual or individuals who were less cognizant than the originating author. Or maybe was ‘craftily’ inserted to function as a sort of litmus test – those who get “taken in” by it may be recognized as not having “spiritual discernment”.
यत्रकालेत्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिंचैवयोगिनः।
प्रयातायान्तितंकालंवक्ष्यामिभरतर्षभ।।8.23।।
8.23 *Now I will tell thee, O Arjuna, of the times at which, if the mystics go forth, they do not return, and at which they go forth only to return.
अग्निर्ज्योतिरहःशुक्लःषण्मासाउत्तरायणम्।
तत्रप्रयातागच्छन्तिब्रह्मब्रह्मविदोजनाः।।8.24।।
8.24 If knowing the Supreme Spirit the sage goes forth with fire and light, in the daytime, in the fortnight of the waxing moon and in the six months before the Northern summer solstice, he will attain the Supreme.
धूमोरात्रिस्तथाकृष्णःषण्मासादक्षिणायनम्।
तत्रचान्द्रमसंज्योतिर्योगीप्राप्यनिवर्तते।।8.25।।
8.25 But if he departs in gloom, at night, during the fortnight of the waning moon and in the six months before the Southern solstice, then he reaches but lunar light and he will be born again.
शुक्लकृष्णेगतीह्येतेजगतःशाश्वतेमते।
एकयायात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययाऽऽवर्ततेपुनः।।8.26।।
8.26 These bright and dark paths out of the world have always existed. Whoso takes the former, returns not; he who chooses the latter, returns.*
The ancients had a good perception of the change in the orientation of the Earth as it rotated around the Sun. As the realization of the ultimate viewpoint grows like the days growing longer, the Yogi achieves his final destination, never to return. But as the Yogi devotes himself to actions with a motive like the days growing shorter, he must return to the mortal world to finish his business.
नैतेसृतीपार्थजानन्योगीमुह्यतिकश्चन।
तस्मात्सर्वेषुकालेषुयोगयुक्तोभवार्जुन।।8.27।।
8.27 O Arjuna! The saint knowing these paths is not confused. Therefore meditate perpetually.
वेदेषुयज्ञेषुतपःसुचैवदानेषुयत्पुण्यफलंप्रदिष्टम्।
अत्येतितत्सर्वमिदंविदित्वायोगीपरंस्थानमुपैतिचाद्यम्।।8.28।।
8.28 The sage who knows this passes beyond all merit that comes from the study of the scriptures, from sacrifice, from austerities and charity, and reaches the Supreme Primeval Abode.”
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Subject Clearing
THE SUPREME SPIRIT
The Supreme Spirit is the Highest Imperishable Self, and Its Nature is spiritual consciousness. In modern language, we may express it as the Unknowable that has the ability to postulate and become aware. See Verses 8:1 – 8:5.
THE LAW
The worlds have been created and are supported by an emanation from the Spirit which is called the Law. In modern language, we may express it as the postulates that emanate out from the Unknowable. See Verses 8:1 – 8:5.
MATTER
Matter consists of the forms that perish. In modern language, we may express it as the “substance” of all manifestations. See Verses 8:1 – 8:5.
DIVINITY
Divinity is the Supreme Self. In modern language, we may express it as the Principle of Oneness, which applies to the postulates emanating from the Unknowable. See Verses 8:1 – 8:5.
SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE
In the Bhagavad Gita, the “spirit of sacrifice in man” is exemplified by Lord Shri Krishna. In modern language, we may express it as the “unattached viewpoint.” Reference The Unattached Viewpoint. See Verses 8:1 – 8:5.
FREEDOM UPON DEATH
Those who have an unattached viewpoint at the time of death by self-control, come to know of that viewpoint naturally after death. See Verses 8:1 – 8:5.
UPON DEATH GOING FORWARD
The clarity of thoughts and their level of attainment at the time of death seems to continue forward. The progress made in one lifetime in terms of evolution of knowledge, understanding and awareness is not lost.See Verses 8:6 – 8:7.
POWER OF MEDITATION
The whole point of meditation is to clearly understand the phenomena of the Universe. The universe reduces to a spectrum of substance from thought to energy to matter. The thought condenses into energy, and energy condenses into the atoms of matter. This substance is emanating from the Unknowable and is being empowered by it. All this is perceived by the practice of Yoga whose power comes from a single-pointed concentration. When you maintain this single-pointed concentration steadfastly at the time of death you get to know the Unknowable. See Verses 8:8 – 8:10.
GOAL
The goal of realizing the imperishable Self is attained by one who is free of passion. He practices celibacy. He closes all the gates of the body and concentrates all his vital energies in the brain. Repeating OM, the Symbol of Eternity, and thinking of Oneness, who thus leaves the body. He goes forth and reaches the Supreme Sprit. He has gained perfection. He is no longer reborn. See Verses 8:11 – 8:16.
COSMIC CYCLE
At the beginning of the Cosmic cycle all the manifestations stream forth from the Unknowable. At the end of the Cosmic cycle, they all dissolve back into the Unknowable. This is a very, very long time. This Cycle then repeats. See Verses 8:17 – 8:19.
ULTIMATE REALIZATION
Therefore, there is the Eternal Unknowable, which is beyond and above the Unknowable Spirit of Creation, which is never destroyed when the Cycle ends. It is the ultimate realization. Reaching it requires wholehearted devotion. See Verses 8:20 – 8:22.
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