ॐ श्रीपरमात्मने नमः।
अथाष्टमोऽध्यायः
अक्षरब्रह्मयोगः
अर्जुन उवाच ।
किं तद् ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम ।
अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते ॥ ८-१॥
अर्जुन उवाच - पुरुषोत्तम! तद् ब्रह्म किम्? अध्यात्मम् किम्? कर्म किम्? किम् च अधिभूतम् प्रोक्तम्? अधिदैवम् किम् उच्यते?
अर्जुन उवाच = Arjuna said
किम् = What, तद् = that, ब्रह्म = Brahman, किम् = what, अध्यात्मम् = Adhyatma, किम् = what, कर्म = karma, पुरुषोत्तम = O Purushottama, अधिभूतम् = Adhibhuta, च = and, किम् = what, प्रोक्तम् = is called, अधिदैवम् = Adhidaiva, किम् = what, उच्यते = is said
Arjuna said: O Purushottama! What is that Brahman? What is Adhyatma? What is karma? And what is called Adhibhuta? What is said as Adhidaiva?
अर्जुनः – अर्जुन, पुं, प्र, एक
उवाच - वच् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लिट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - वचँ परिभाषणे - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
किम् – किम्, नपुं, प्र, एक
तत् – तद्, नपुं, प्र, एक
ब्रह्म – ब्रह्मन्, नपुं, प्र, एक
किम् – किम्, नपुं, प्र, एक
अध्यात्मम् – अधि + आत्मन्, नपुं, प्र, एक
किम् – किम्, नपुं, प्र, एक
कर्म – कर्मन्, नपुं, प्र, एक
पुरुषोत्तम – पुरुषोत्तम, पुं, सं, एक
अधिभूतम् – अधि + भूत, नपुं, प्र, एक
च – अव्ययम्
किम् – किम्, नपुं, प्र, एक
प्रोक्तम् – प्रोक्त, नपुं, प्र, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - प्र + वच् + क्त - वचँ परिभाषणे - अदादिः - अनिट्
अधिदैवम् – अधि + दैव, नपुं, प्र, एक
किम् – किम्, नपुं, प्र, एक
उच्यते – वच् धातुरूपाणि - कर्मणि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः आत्मने पदम् - वचँ परिभाषणे - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन ।
प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः ॥ ८-२॥
मधुसूदन! कथम् अधियज्ञः? अत्र अस्मिन् देहे कः (अस्ति)? प्रयाणकाले च नियतात्मभिः (त्वम्) कथम् ज्ञेयः असि ?
अधियज्ञः = Adhiyajna, कथम् = how, कः = what, अत्र = here, देहे अस्मिन् = in this body, मधुसूदन = O Madhusudana, प्रयाणकाले = during death, च = and, कथम् = how, ज्ञेयः = to be known, असि = you are, नियतात्मभिः = by those with controlled minds
O Madhusudana! What is Adhiyajna and how is he here in this body? And during death, how are you to be known by those with controlled minds?
अधियज्ञः – अधि + यज्ञ, पुं, प्र, एक
कथम् – अव्ययम्
कः – किम्, पुं, प्र, एक
अत्र – अव्ययम्
देहे – देह, पुं, स, एक
अस्मिन् – इदम्, पुं, स, एक
मधुसूदन – मधुसूदन, पुं, सं, एक
प्रयाणकाले – प्रयाण + काल, पुं, स, एक
च – अव्ययम्
कथम् – अव्ययम्
ज्ञेयः – ज्ञेय, पुं, प्र, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - ज्ञा + यत् - ज्ञा अवबोधने - क्र्यादिः - अनिट्
असि – अस् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - असँ भुवि - अदादिः, म-पु, एक
नियतात्मभिः – नियत + आत्मन्, पुं, तृ, बहु
ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नम् (गीता 7।29) इत्यादिना भगवता अर्जुनस्य प्रश्नबीजानि उपदिष्टानि। अतः तत्प्रश्नार्थम् अर्जुनः उवाच -- एषां प्रश्नानां यथाक्रमं निर्णयाय श्रीभगवानुवाच --,
Beginning from the verse ‘they know that Brahman entirely’ (ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नम्, Gītā 7.29 इत्यादिना), the seeds for questions were stated (प्रश्नबीजानि उपदिष्टानि) by the Lord for Arjuna (भगवता अर्जुनस्य). Therefore, for the sake of those questions, Arjuna spoke (अतः तत्प्रश्नार्थम् अर्जुनः उवाच). For answering these questions in the order just asked, the Lord spoke (एषां प्रश्नानां यथाक्रमं निर्णयाय श्रीभगवानुवाच).
Notes
The Lord spoke three lines at the end of Chapter-7 - second line of verse 7.29 and 7.30 - to elicit questions from Arjuna. With that intention, the Lord used technical terms which would need clarification. Let’s see what the Lord said in Chapter-7 and what Arjuna asked. अधि means with respect to, in the topic of, with reference to, regarding, pertaining to, in the context of. So अध्यात्मम् - regarding Self, etc.
Arjuna’s questions traced to Lord’s statements of previous chapter:
तद् ब्रह्म किम्? What is Brahman? - is this saguna or nirguna?
Lord said - ते तत् ब्रह्म विदुः (7.29)
अध्यात्मम् किम्? What is adhyatma? - is this body, senses, mind, prana or something else?
Lord said - (ते) कृत्स्नम् अध्यात्मम् (विदुः) (7.29)
कर्म किम्? What is karma? - shrauta where fire is involved like agnihotra, smaartha like shodasha samaskaara or laukika for earning one’s livelihood?
Lord said - अखिलम् कर्म च (विदुः) (7.29)
किम् अधिभूतम् च प्रोक्तम्? What is said to be adhibhuta? - kaarya of five elements, entire or something specific?
Lord said - ये युक्त-चेतसः साधिभूत-अधिदैवम् (7.30)
अधिदैवम् किम् उच्यते? What is said to be adhidaiva? - Is it the presiding deities of the sense organs and elements, the cosmic intelligence (Hiraṇyagarbha/Puruṣa), or something else that governs the phenomenal world?
Lord said - ये युक्त-चेतसः साधिभूत-अधिदैवम् (7.30)
कथम् अधियज्ञः? What is adhiyajna? - upasaka, deity or Ishvara?
Lord said - साधियज्ञम् च माम् विदुः (7.30)
अत्र अस्मिन् देहे कः (अस्ति)? How is adhiyajna there in the body? - For yajna to happen, it should be initiated, what is that inspiring facet that facilitates the individual taking up performance of yajna. So it should be in an individual which is inspiring and making it possible.
Lord did not mention this in Chapter-7.
प्रयाणकाले कथम् नियतात्मभिः (त्वम्) ज्ञेयः असि च ? How are you to be known by those with controlled minds? - Arjuna is asking not whether they are focusing the mind during death, but in what manner they are doing it as it is difficult to be focussed when dying.
Lord said - ते प्रयाण-काले अपि च माम् विदुः
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते ।
भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः ॥ ८-३॥
श्रीभगवान् उवाच - परमम् अक्षरम् ब्रह्म (अस्ति)। स्वभावः अध्यात्मम् उच्यते । भूतभावोद्भवकरः विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः (अस्ति)।
श्रीभगवानुवाच= Sri Bhagavan said,
अक्षरम् = Imperishable, ब्रह्म = Brahman, परमम् = Superior, स्वभावः = self-hood, अध्यात्मम् = adhyatma, उच्यते = is said, भूतभावोद्भवकरः = that which enables the coming of existence of beings, विसर्गः = the offerings, कर्मसंज्ञितः = meant by action
Sri Bhagavan said, “Brahman is the Superior Imperishable, selfhood is said to be adhyatma, the offerings which enable the beings to come into existence is meant as karma.
श्रीभगवान् – श्री + भगवान्, पुं, प्र, एक
उवाच - वच् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लिट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - वचँ परिभाषणे - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
अक्षरम् – अक्षर, नपुं, प्र, एक
ब्रह्म – ब्रह्मन्, नपुं, प्र, एक
परम् – पर, नपुं, प्र, एक
स्वभावः – स्वभाव, पुं, प्र, एक
अध्यात्मम् – अधि + आत्मन्, नपुं, प्र, एक
उच्यते – वच् धातुरूपाणि - कर्मणि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः आत्मने पदम् - वचँ परिभाषणे - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
भूतभावोद्भवकरः – भूत + भाव + उद्भव + कर, पुं, प्र, एक
विसर्गः – विसर्ग, पुं, प्र, एक
कर्मसंज्ञितः – कर्म + संज्ञित, पुं, प्र, एक
अक्षरं न क्षरतीति अक्षरं परमात्मा एतस्य वा अक्षरस्य प्रशासने गार्गि (बृह0 उ0 3।8।9 इति श्रुतेः। ओंकारस्य च ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म (गीता 8।13) इति परेण विशेषणात् अग्रहणम्। परमम् इति च निरतिशये ब्रह्मणि अक्षरे उपपन्नतरम् विशेषणम्। तस्यैव परस्य ब्रह्मणः प्रतिदेहं प्रत्यगात्मभावः स्वभावः स्वो भावः स्वभावः अध्यात्मम् उच्यते। आत्मानं देहम् अधिकृत्य प्रत्यगात्मतया प्रवृत्तं परमार्थब्रह्मावसानं वस्तु स्वभावः अध्यात्मम् उच्यते अध्यात्मशब्देन अभिधीयते। भूतभावोद्भवकरः भूतानां भावः भूतभावः तस्य उद्भवः भूतभावोद्भवः तं करोतीति भूतभावोद्भवकरः भूतवस्तूत्पत्तिकर इत्यर्थः। विसर्गः विसर्जनं देवतोद्देशेन चरुपुरोडाशादेः द्रव्यस्य परित्यागः स एष विसर्गलक्षणो यज्ञः कर्मसंज्ञितः कर्मशब्दित इत्येतत्। एतस्मात् हि बीजभूतात् वृष्ट्यादिक्रमेण स्थावरजङ्गमानि भूतानि उद्भवन्ति।।
That which does not perish is called the Imperishable (अक्षरं न क्षरतीति अक्षरं), the Supreme Self (परमात्मा). With reference to this very Imperishable, the Śruti says, “Under the governance of this Imperishable, O Gārgī” (एतस्य वा अक्षरस्य प्रशासने गार्गि – बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् 3.8.9). The non-acceptance of the Om̐kāra here is deliberate, because the Om̐kāra is separately specified later by the statement “Om̐, the one syllable, is Brahman” (ओंकारस्य च ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म – गीता 8.13 इति परेण विशेषणात् अग्रहणम्). Further, the term “supreme” (परमम्) is more appropriately applicable to the Imperishable Brahman which is unsurpassed (परमम् इति च निरतिशये ब्रह्मणि अक्षरे उपपन्नतरम् विशेषणम्).
That very Supreme Brahman, when considered as existing as the innermost Self with respect to each body (तस्यैव परस्य ब्रह्मणः प्रतिदेहं प्रत्यगात्मभावः), by its own nature (स्वभावः), is called “adhyātma” (अध्यात्मम् उच्यते). Taking the body as the basis (आत्मानं देहम् अधिकृत्य), that Reality which functions as the inner Self (प्रत्यगात्मतया प्रवृत्तं), whose culmination is the Supreme Brahman itself (परमार्थब्रह्मावसानं वस्तु), is termed “adhyātma” (स्वभावः अध्यात्मम् उच्यते अध्यात्मशब्देन अभिधीयते).
That which is the cause of the origination of beings is called the producer of the origin of beings (भूतभावोद्भवकरः). The becoming of beings is called “bhūta-bhāva” (भूतानां भावः भूतभावः), its origination is “bhūta-bhāva-udbhava” (तस्य उद्भवः भूतभावोद्भवः), and that which brings this about is the producer of the origin of beings (तं करोतीति भूतभावोद्भवकरः), meaning the cause of the production of all entities (भूतवस्तूत्पत्तिकर इत्यर्थः).
“Visarga” means offering or relinquishment (विसर्गः विसर्जनम्), namely the sacrificial offering of substances such as cooked rice, cakes, and oblations, dedicated to the deities (देवतोद्देशेन चरुपुरोडाशादेः द्रव्यस्य परित्यागः). That sacrifice characterized by such visarga is called “karma” (स एष विसर्गलक्षणो यज्ञः कर्मसंज्ञितः कर्मशब्दित इत्येतत्). From this sacrifice, which serves as the seed (एतस्मात् हि बीजभूतात्), through the sequence beginning with rain (वृष्ट्यादिक्रमेण), all stationary and moving beings come into existence (स्थावरजङ्गमानि भूतानि उद्भवन्ति).
Notes
ब्रह्म परमं अक्षरं - Brahman is Supreme Akshara. न क्षरतीति अक्षरं Akshara is that which never perishes. Akshara can also be Maya or Omkara. Sankarcharya says we can rule out Maya or Omkara, because Bhagavan qualifies Akshara with the adjective Param, Supreme. Maya’s substratum is Brahman and Omkara is a syllable that represents Brahman, therefore the word Supreme rules them both out. And also Omkara is explained in verse 8.13. The support from sruti: Under the governance of this Imperishable, O Gārgī” (एतस्य वा अक्षरस्य प्रशासने गार्गि – बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् 3.8.9) and Upanishad goes to state that the sun, moon, earth are held in positions, the days, nights, seasons, occur, etc. Preceding this mantra, this Brahman is indicated by this (बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् 3.8.7):
अस्थूलमनण्वह्रस्वमदीर्घमलोहितमस्नेहमच्छायमतमोऽवाय्वनाकाशमसङ्गमचक्शुष्कमश्रोत्रमवागमनोऽतेजस्कमप्राणममुखममात्रमनन्तरमबाह्यम् - Brahman is not gross (अस्थूलम्), not minute (अनणु), not short (अह्रस्वम्), not long (अदीर्घम्), not red or coloured (अलोहितम्), not viscous or adhesive (अस्नेहम्), without shadow (अच्छायम्), not darkness (अतमः), not air (अवायुः), not space (अनाकाशम्), unattached (असङ्गम्), without taste (अरसम्), without smell (अगन्धम्), without eyes (अचक्षुष्कम्), without ears (अश्रोत्रम्), without speech (अवाक्), without mind (अमनः), without light or brilliance (अतेजस्कम्), without vital breath (अप्राणम्), without mouth (अमुखम्), without measure (अमात्रम्), having nothing inside it (अनन्तरम्), and nothing outside it (अबाह्यम्).
स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते - स्वभाव is called Adhyatma. स्वभाव is not a character as commonly understood. तस्यैव परस्य ब्रह्मणः प्रतिदेहं प्रत्यगात्मभावः स्वभावः स्वो भावः That very Supreme Brahman’s reference with respect to each body as its inner Self is स्वभाव. स्वभाव is स्वो भाव - स्वरूप अवस्थानम् status of being one’s own nature. As further explained by Sankaracharya: Taking the body as the basis (आत्मानं देहम् अधिकृत्य), that Reality which appears as the inner Self (प्रत्यगात्मतया प्रवृत्तं), whose essence is that Supreme Brahman itself (परमार्थब्रह्मावसानं वस्तु), is termed “adhyātma” (स्वभावः अध्यात्मम् उच्यते अध्यात्मशब्देन अभिधीयते). In the word Adhyatma, atma is body, so adhyatma means Reality pertaining to body, or in other words, Reality connected to body and hence Reality enclosed by body, figuratively, therefore, called as the embodied, देही and शरीरी in Chapter-2. Brahman with respect to embodiment is adhyatma therefore it is also sakshi. So all these are same: svabhaava, adhyaatma, pratyagaatma, dehii, sahriirii, sakshi-caitanya.
भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः the offering in sacrifice for deities which does this origination of presence of beings is called karma - भूतभावोद्भवकरः भूतानां भावः भूतभावः तस्य उद्भवः भूतभावोद्भवः तं करोतीति भूतभावोद्भवकरः भूतवस्तूत्पत्तिकर इत्यर्थः. भावः is state of being or presence - the state of being or presence of beings is भूतभावः. तस्य उद्भवः भूतभावोद्भवः - the origination of that presence of being is भूतभावोद्भवः. भूतभावोद्भवकरः is the one who does this origination of presence of being. विसर्गः विसर्जनं देवतोद्देशेन चरुपुरोडाशादेः द्रव्यस्य परित्यागः स एष विसर्गलक्षणो यज्ञः - visarga is visarjanam - dropping of offerings like चरु (liquid made of grains) and पुरोडाश (solid made of grains) etc. for the sake of deity in the spirit of giving away. The yajna that has characteristics of visarga (offerings) is named karma. Why is such a yajna भूतभावोद्भवकरः - the cause for origination of presence of beings? From this sacrifice, which serves as the seed (एतस्मात् हि बीजभूतात्), through the sequence beginning with rain (वृष्ट्यादिक्रमेण), all stationary and moving beings come into existence (स्थावरजङ्गमानि भूतानि उद्भवन्ति). Manusmrti 3.76 states this:
अग्नौ प्रास्ताऽहुतिः सम्यगादित्यमुपतिष्ठते ।
आदित्याज्जायते वृष्टिर्वृष्टेरन्नं ततः प्रजाः ॥ ७६ ॥
An oblation duly thrown into the fire reaches the sun; from the sun proceeds rain from rain, food, and from food, the creatures.
Whatever is offered into agnikunda, goes to Aditya and He then bestows rains, from it food comes about and then the beings arise from food (after all beings are nothing but what is eaten as food).
This is similar to the cycle described in Chapter-3 of Gita also and annādvai prajāḥ prajāyantē (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-2-1).
अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम् ।
अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर ॥ ८-४॥
क्षरः भावः अधिभूतम् (अस्ति)। पुरुषः अधिदैवतम् च (अस्ति)। देहभृताम् वर! अत्र देहे अहम् एव अधियज्ञः (अस्मि)।
अधिभूतम् = adhibhutam, क्षरः = perishable, भावः = thing, पुरुषः = Purusha, च = and, अधिदैवतम् = adhidaiva, अधियज्ञः = adhiyajna, अहम् = I, एव = alone, अत्र देहे = in this body, देहभृताम् वर = O best among embodied beings
The perishable thing is adhibhutam. Adhidaiva is Purusha. O best among embodied beings! Adhiyajna is I alone in this body.
अधिभूतम् – अधि + भूत, नपुं, प्र, एक
क्षरः – क्षर, पुं, प्र, एक
भावः – भाव, पुं, प्र, एक
पुरुषः – पुरुष, पुं, प्र, एक
च – अव्ययम्
अधिदैवतम् – अधि + देवत, नपुं, प्र, एक
अधियज्ञः – अधि + यज्ञ, पुं, प्र, एक
अहम् – अस्मद्, प्र, एक
एव – अव्ययम्
अत्र – अव्ययम्
देहे – देह, पुं, स, एक
देहभृताम् – देहभृत्, पुं, ष, बहु
वर – वर, पुं, सं, एक
अधिभूतं प्राणिजातम् अधिकृत्य भवतीति। कोऽसौ क्षरः क्षरतीति क्षरः विनाशी भावः यत्किञ्चित् जनिमत् वस्तु इत्यर्थः। पुरुषः पूर्णम् अनेन सर्वमिति पुरि शयनात् वा पुरुषः आदित्यान्तर्गतो हिण्यगर्भः सर्वप्राणिकरणानाम् अनुग्राहकः सः अधिदैवतम्। अधियज्ञः सर्वयज्ञाभिमानिनी विष्ण्वाख्या देवता यज्ञो वै विष्णुः इति श्रुतेः। स हि विष्णुः अहमेव अत्र अस्मिन् देहे यो यज्ञः तस्य अहम् अधियज्ञः यज्ञो हि देहनिर्वर्त्यत्वेन देहसमवायी इति देहाधिकरणो भवति देहभृतां वर।।
With reference to the aggregate of living beings, it is called adhibhūta (अधिभूतं प्राणिजातम् अधिकृत्य भवतीति). Who, then, is that perishable? That which perishes is perishable (कोऽसौ क्षरः क्षरतीति क्षरः), meaning a destructible entity (विनाशी भावः), in other words, whatever entity is born (यत्किञ्चित् जनिमत् वस्तु इत्यर्थः).
That Person is called Puruṣa because all this is filled by Him (पुरुषः पूर्णम् अनेन सर्वमिति), or because He dwells in the city, namely the body (पुरि शयनात् वा पुरुषः). He is Hiraṇyagarbha, the essence within the sun (आदित्यान्तर्गतो हिण्यगर्भः), the benefactor of all the sense-organs of living beings (सर्वप्राणिकरणानाम् अनुग्राहकः); that One is the adhidevatā (सः अधिदैवतम्).
The adhi-yajña is the deity presiding over all sacrifices, known as deity Viṣṇu (अधियज्ञः सर्वयज्ञाभिमानिनी विष्ण्वाख्या देवता), according to the Śruti statement “The sacrifice indeed is Viṣṇu” (यज्ञो वै विष्णुः इति श्रुतेः). That very Viṣṇu says, “That Vishnu is I alone. The sacrifice which is in this body, I am Adhiyajna of that sacrifice.” (स हि विष्णुः अहमेव अत्र अस्मिन् देहे यो यज्ञः तस्य अहम् अधियज्ञः). For sacrifice is performed through the body and therefore, depends on the body (यज्ञो हि देहनिर्वर्त्यत्वेन देहसमवायी), and therefore Ishvara as sacrifice has the body as its locus (inner controller, antaryami) (इति देहाधिकरणो भवति), O best of the embodied (देहभृतां वर).
Notes
अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः The state of being perishable is Adhibhuta. In other words, Adhibhuta is nashvarah padaarthah, the whole realm of perishability or changeful nature. All that has a beginning is destructible, that which is the realm of gross, and subtle. That which is made of the five elements is perishable. Although perishable is generic and can include all creation, Sankaracharya, in the current context, says perishability is with regard to living beings (प्राणिजातम् अधिकृत्य). He defines perishable as: क्षरतीति क्षरः विनाशी भावः यत्किञ्चित् जनिमत् वस्तु इत्यर्थः - क्षरः is that which perishes and भावः is any entity that has a beginning and in the current context, it is living beings. Therefore, all living beings together are called Adhibhuta.
पुरुषः अधिदैवतम् च Purusha is Adhidaiva. Purusha is Consciousness (Kathopanishad 1.3.11), and commonly used as a human being also. In Purusha Suktam, it is used as Ishvara (visvarupa). Here Purusha is Hiranyagarbha - the Consciousness with reference to the totality of the subtle realm. पुरुषः पूर्णम् अनेन सर्वमिति पुरि शयनात् वा पुरुषः आदित्यान्तर्गतो हिण्यगर्भः सर्वप्राणिकरणानाम् अनुग्राहकः सः अधिदैवतम् - Purusha has two meanings:
पूर्णम् अनेन सर्वमिति पुरुषः - by this all is infinite, that’s Purusha
पुरि शयनात् पुरुषः - due to its indwelling (sleeping) in the city of body it is Purusha.
Purusha is Hiraṇyagarbha, which is the essence of solar realm (आदित्यान्तर्गतो हिण्यगर्भः), the presider (as cosmic deities) of all the sense-organs of living beings (सर्वप्राणिकरणानाम् अनुग्राहकः), is Adhidaiva. Hiaranyagarbha, all pervasive, is invoked in surya-mandala, and hence it is आदित्यान्तर्गतः. स यश्चायम् पुरुषे यश्चासावादित्ये। स एकः। (Taittiriya Upanishad 3.10.6) - the one which is in humans is also that which is in Hiranyagarbha - here purusa is human and aditya is Hiranyagarbaha. The word ”ca” implies it is also the presiding deities (abhimani devatas) of sense organs at the level of microcosm. Hiranyagarbha is a collection of all cosmic deities together who have a particular cosmic function and also preside and enable the sense organs of the individual to function. That’s why in Kathopanishad 2.1.7, Hiranyagarbha is called अदितिः देवतामयी.
अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे Adhiyajna is Me (Ishvara) only in this body - सर्वयज्ञाभिमानिनी विष्ण्वाख्या देवता - abhimaani means identification, but here it means presiding, that conscious principle who presides over all the sacrifices called Vishnu. There is shruti vakya for this: yajñō vai Viṣṇuḥ‟ [Taittirīya saṁhitā 1-7-4] Yajna is Vishnu or even in Vshnu Sahasranama it is said the name of Vishnu is Yajna. All sacrifices, whoever be the deity it is offered to, ultimately go to Vishnu who dispenses the results of that sacrifices through the cosmic deity who is worshipped (verse 7.22). So Ishvara is the karma-phala-daata. Sankaracharya also brings this principle closer to the person. For sacrifice is performed through the body and therefore, depends on the body (यज्ञो हि देहनिर्वर्त्यत्वेन देहसमवायी), and therefore Ishvara is referred to as Adhiyajna with body as its locus (inner controller, antaryami) (इति देहाधिकरणो भवति). How? As antaryami controlling their vasanas prompting actions (verse 18.61). So in this way Adhiyajna, as Ishvara, makes the deities receive the sacrifices and dispense the results of it and that same Ishvara, makes the yajamana perform the yajna, being the inner controller.
Sri Krishna, pleased with this question of Arjuna, congratulates him saying he is the best among the jivas देहभृताम् वर. देहभृत - one who upholds the body, jiva. देहभृताम् - among the jivas, निर्धारणे-षष्ठी. वर - best.
The goal of these two verses is not to simply define these 6: Brahma, Adhyatma, karma, adhibhuta, adhidiva, adhiyajna. One should contemplate all of them as Ishvara or Saguna Brahman as upasana - all the life:
Brahman (Akṣara):
Meditate on Īśvara as the unchanging basis behind all change (para-prakṛti).
Adhyātma:
Contemplate the inner self as rooted in that same reality, reducing the sense of separation (without asserting full non-dual realization yet).
Karma:
Perform ritualistic yajna or in general all actions as worship of Ishvara with the attitude “I am a participant in Ishvara’s cosmic process of creation, sustenance and dissolution”
Adhibhūta:
See the entire gross world as a manifestation of Īśvara’s lower nature (apara-prakṛti).
Adhidaiva:
Meditate on the cosmic intelligence (Hiraṇyagarbha) as Īśvara functioning at the subtle level.
Adhiyajña:
Feel the presence of Īśvara as antaryāmin within oneself, the inner enabler of all functions of body-mind assemblage or karya-karana-sanghata.
Now the key connection:
1. Removes fragmented vision
Ordinarily:
“I am here”
“World is outside”
“God is somewhere else”
This teaching collapses that division into:
One integrated Īśvara-centered vision
2. Produces sustained Īśvara-consciousness
Because every experience becomes an ālambana of Ishvara upasana:
Seeing → adhibhūta
Thinking → adhyātma
Acting → karma
Order → adhidaiva
Inner functioning → adhiyajña
Meditation on Ishvara becomes continuous, not occasional
3. Leads to identification with the cosmic (not individual)
The meditator outgrows limited individuality
Gains identification with Hiraṇyagarbha-level existence which is requirement for krama-mukti
4. Determines post-death trajectory
At death:
Mind goes where it is most deeply oriented - towards Hiranyagarbha with which one is identified in upasana
Such a meditator follows the archirādi path (path of light) as described in verse 8.24
5. Culminates in Brahma-loka → final knowledge
Reaches Brahma-loka
There gains clear, unobstructed knowledge
Attains liberation → krama-mukti
The answers to six questions thus have to be meditated and practised as upasana to lead to krama-mukti: this has been stated in the last verse of this Chapter (verse 8.28) also.
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् ।
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥ ८-५॥
अन्तकाले यः माम् एव स्मरन् कलेवरम् मुक्त्वा प्रयाति च सः मद्भावम् याति। अत्र संशयः न अस्ति।
अन्तकाले = in the final moment, च = and, माम् = Me, एव = alone, स्मरन् = having thought, मुक्त्वा = having given up, कलेवरम् = the body, यः = one who, प्रयाति = goes, स = he, मद्भावम् = my state, याति = goes, न = no, अस्ति = is, अत्र = in this regard, संशयः = doubt
And one who dies (goes) in the final moment having thought of Me alone, after having given up the body, goes to my state. There is doubt in this regard.
अन्तकाले – अन्त + काल, पुं, स, एक
च – अव्ययम्
माम् – अस्मद्, द्वि, एक
एव – अव्ययम्
स्मरन् – स्मरत्, पुं, प्र, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - स्मृ + शतृँ - स्मृ आध्याने - भ्वादिः - अनिट्
मुक्त्वा – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - मुच् + क्त्वा - मुचॢँ मोक्षणे मोचने - तुदादिः - अनिट्
कलेवरम् – कलेवर, नपुं, द्वि, एक
यः – यद्, पुं, प्र, एक
प्रयाति – प्र + या धातुरूपाणि - लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - याँ गमनाय - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, एक
सः – तद्, पुं, प्र, एक
मद्भावम् – मद् + भाव, पुं, द्वि, एक
याति – या धातुरूपाणि - लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - याँ गमनाय - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, एक
न – अव्ययम्
अस्ति – अस् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - असँ भुवि - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
अत्र – अव्ययम्
संशयः – संशय, पुं, प्र, एक
अन्तकाले च मरणकाले च मामेव परमेश्वरं विष्णुं स्मरन् मुक्त्त्वा परित्यज्य कलेवरं शरीरं यः प्रयाति गच्छति सः मद्भावं वैष्णवं तत्त्वं याति। नास्ति न विद्यते अत्र अस्मिन् अर्थे संशयः -- याति वा न वा इति।।न मद्विषय एव अयं नियमः। किं तर्हि --,
At the time of death (अन्तकाले च मरणकाले च), whoever departs (यः प्रयाति गच्छति), having relinquished the body (मुक्त्वा परित्यज्य कलेवरं शरीरं), while remembering Me alone—the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu—(मामेव परमेश्वरं विष्णुं स्मरन्), he attains My state, the Viṣṇu-nature, the Reality (सः मद्भावं वैष्णवं तत्त्वं याति). In this matter, there is no doubt (नास्ति न विद्यते अत्र अस्मिन् अर्थे संशयः) - “does he attain or does he not attain?” (याति वा न वा इति).
This rule is not confined only to Me as its object (न मद्विषय एव अयं नियमः). What then? (किं तर्हि).
Notes
Bhagavan addresses the last question of Arjuna, what happens after death, from now to the end of chapter. Here He presents how one can attain his loka or realm. Two kinds of people can reach his realm by remembering Him at the time of death: those who have desires to enjoy objects of this world or hereafter and have performed great rituals to reach his loka and the others who are selfless, performed worship devotionally all through life such as ahamgrahopasana which entails using the individuality itself as symbol of Bhagavan. Carefully note that upasakas whose individuality is dissolved into the totality of Saguna Brahman while living are not the consideration here. The upasaksa who still have bheda-drshti with Saguna Brahman, but either have desires for enjoyment here or hereafter, or the total selfless ones who perform upasana of Ishvara with individuality as symbol, will go to loka of that ishta-devata. What happens after that? The ones with desires will stay in that loka until the merit accrued due to their rituals lasts after which they fall back into human plane or lower. The selfless ones will attain krama-mukti, liberation when the cycle of creation ends.
The later verses describe in detail how to remember Him during death and what practices one can do in life to make this process of remembering Him easier.
One cannot think of Bhagavan at the last minute all of a sudden. The last moment happens by the force of one’s prior practice. The thought that comes at the last moment of death, it is a culmination or projection of all the vasanas that one has gained in that particular embodiment - strongest like or dislike. This last thought is what you were in that embodiment.
The next verse gives a general rule of the result of remembering anything leads to attainment of that thing. This verse is a specific case of the next verses where the object of remembering is Ishvara.
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् ।
तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः ॥ ८-६॥
कौन्तेय! अन्ते यम् यम् वा अपि भावम् स्मरन् कलेवरम् त्यजति सदा तद्भावभावितः तम् तम् एव एति ।
यम् यम् वा अपि = whatsoever may be, स्मरन् = thinking, भावम् = entity, त्यजति = gives up, अन्ते = at death, कलेवरम् = the body, तम् तम् = to that, एव = alone, एति = goes, कौन्तेय = O Kaunteya, सदा = always, तत् = that, भावभावितः = engrossed in thought
O Kaunteya! Thinking whatsoever entity one gives up the body at death, to that entity alone he goes, always engrossed in that thought.
यम् – यद्, पुं, द्वि, एक
यम् – यद्, पुं, द्वि, एक
वा – अव्ययम्
अपि – अव्ययम्
स्मरन् – स्मरत्, पुं, प्र, एक कृदन्तरूपाणि - स्मृ + शतृँ - स्मृ आध्याने - भ्वादिः - अनिट्
भावम् – भाव, पुं, द्वि, एक
त्यजति – त्यज् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - त्यजँ हानौ - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, एक
अन्ते – अन्त, पुं, स, एक
कलेवरम् – कलेवर, नपुं, द्वि, एक
तम् – तद्, पुं, द्वि, एक
तम् – तद्, पुं, द्वि, एक
एव – अव्ययम्
एति – इ धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - इण् गतौ - अदादिः
कौन्तेय – कौन्तेय, पुं, सं, एक
सदा – अव्ययम्
तद्भावभावितः – तद् + भाव + भावित, पुं, प्र, एक
यं यं वापि यं यं भावं देवताविशेषं स्मरन् चिन्तयन् त्यजति परित्यजति अन्ते अन्तकाले प्राणवियोगकाले कलेवरं शरीरं तं तमेव स्मृतं भावमेव एति नान्यं कौन्तेय सदा सर्वदा तद्भावभावितः तस्मिन् भावः तद्भावः स भावितः स्मर्यमाणतया अभ्यस्तः येन सः तद्भावभावितः सन्।।यस्मात् एवम् अन्त्या भावना देहान्तरप्राप्तौ कारणम् --,
Remembering whatever specific deity (यं यं वापि यं यं भावं देवताविशेषं स्मरन् चिन्तयन्), relinquishes the body at the final moment which is separation of the vital forces (from body) (त्यजति परित्यजति अन्ते अन्तकाले प्राणवियोगकाले कलेवरं शरीरं), that very remembered deity alone one attains always (तं तमेव स्मृतं भावमेव एति सदा सर्वदा), and none other (नान्यं), O son of Kuntī (कौन्तेय).
तद्भावः is “in that deity” (तस्मिन् भावः तद्भावः), and one by whom through repeated remembrance of it is engrossed in that deity is तद्भावभावितः - being that तद्भावभावितः (तद्भावभावितः स भावितः स्मर्यमाणतया अभ्यस्तः येन सः तद्भावभावितः सन्).
Since this is so, the final mental disposition becomes the cause for the attainment of another body (यस्मात् एवम् अन्त्या भावना देहान्तरप्राप्तौ कारणम्).
Notes
This is a general principle for one who passes away with awareness of the individual - whatever be the last thought at the time of death, that the person achieves as the next birth. This last thought is an automatic response of the body-mijnd system as there is no conscious control over them at death. What becomes the automatic response? Whatever is the dominant vasana among many, that manifests as thought at conscious level of awareness. Hence the effort must be to make good vasanas dominant so that they come to the foreground during death. And how to make good vasanas dominant? By engaging in the corresponding actions repeatedly in life that make them stronger.
Kathopanishad states:
योनिमन्ये प्रपद्यन्ते शरीरत्वाय देहिनः ।
स्थाणुमन्येऽनुसंयन्ति यथाकर्म यथाश्रुतम् ॥२.२.७॥
Some (ignorant) jīva enter the wombs for assuming bodies while (more ignorant) others attain the immovable ones. In accordance with their actions and knowledge, (the ignorant ones attain bodies).
यथाकर्म यथाश्रुतम् - in accordance with the results of actions and vasanas, the next birth is determined. Let’s examine this more how these two determine the next brith:
यथाकर्म - according to the actions done.
A jiva has done various actions in this life and in the past lives. Each such action has to give rise to subtle result in the form of पुण्य or पाप based on whether the intention with which the action was done forms a part of धर्म or not, respectively. This result of past actions, पुण्य-पाप, manifests itself as सुख-दुःख in one’s current life. Each life, a jiva undergoes a certain amount of सुख-दुःख called प्रारब्ध-कर्म from the reservoir of accumulated पुण्य-पाप of past lives called सञ्चित-कर्म. So one of the criteria of would be the next life for a jiva is what पुण्य-पाप of past actions becomes available as सुख-दुःख for the next life or in other words, the प्रारब्ध-कर्म that needs to be undergone by jiva.
यथाश्रुतम् - according to what has been heard
Hearing represents here all five kinds of sense perceptions, so in other words, यथाश्रुतम् means according to what has been experienced. Hearing is a major source of knowledge and experience and hence it is used to represent all five sensory experiences. Every experience creates a subtle impression called वासना. This वासना is also called knowledge, because any experience is ultimately knowledge after all. Those experiences which resonate with one’s राग-द्वेष leave a stronger impression than those about which one has no strong inclination or dislikes. Every वासना has a potential to manifest as desire to drive the jiva to perform actions to undergo or avoid such an experience again as the case may be. Hence, राग-द्वेष gets intensified with repeated actions done by the incitement by वासना which further gets intensified after the action has been done. This is the cycle of संसार or bondage for a jiva. So at the time of death, the वासना that is the strongest of all, due to having done repeated actions under its influence, will be consciously active as the thought or desire and will make the jiva choose the next body to have suitable conditions for it to manifest itself. Therefore, वासना determines the next body with certain conditions for a jiva. Hence it is said to always generate and intensify good वासना so that they manifest as the thought during death to determine the next life. A dying person, devoid of energies, cannot make a conscious effort to think anything new that is different from whatever one has thought of all through the life and so those strong वासना that one has cultivated throughout one’s life automatically manifest themselves to act as the criterion for the next birth.
वासना determines the conditions what the jiva wants to have as the next body, but the jiva also must have sufficient पुण्य-पाप as प्रारब्ध-कर्म to make those desired conditions available in the next life. So यथाश्रुतम् is what jiva desires and यथाकर्म is what one deserves based on those desires. As an illustration - one goes to a mall to buy certain clothes as यथाश्रुतम्, but can only afford that which falls within one’s budget as यथाकर्म. यथाश्रुतम् determines the direction one wants to go while यथाकर्म determines how far one can go in that direction.
तं विद्याकर्मणी समन्वारभेते पूर्वप्रज्ञा च - बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् ४.४.२
Jiva whatever upasana has been done, the results follow, not only that, but even the deep-seated wisdom follows.
यथाप्रज्ञं हि सम्भवाः’ (ऐ. आ. २ । ३ । २) - ‘As per wisdom indeed attained’
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च ।
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयः ॥ ८-७॥ or संशयम्
तस्मात् सर्वेषु कालेषु (त्वम्) माम् अनुस्मर युध्यस्व (युध्य) च । मयि अर्पितमनोबुद्धिः (त्वम्) माम् एव असंशयः एष्यसि।
तस्मात् = therefore, सर्वेषु कालेषु = at all times, माम् = Me, अनुस्मर = remember, युध्यस्व (युध्य) = fight, च = and, मयि = in Me, अर्पितमनोबुद्धिः = offering mind and intellect, माम् = Me, एव = alone, एष्यसि = will attain, असंशयः/असंशयम् = doubtlessly
Therefore, at all times remember Me and fight, offering mind and intellect in Me, you will attain Me alone doubtlessly.
तस्मात् – अव्ययम्
सर्वेषु – सर्व, पुं, स, बहु
कालेषु – काल, पुं, स, बहु
माम् – अस्मद्, द्वि, एक
अनुस्मर – अनु + स्मृ धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लोट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - स्मृ आध्याने - भ्वादिः, म-पु, एक
युध्यस्व (युध्य) – युध् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लोट् लकारः आत्मने पदम् - युधँ सम्प्रहारे - दिवादिः, म-पु, एक
च – अव्ययम्
मयि – अस्मद्, स, एक
अर्पितमनोबुद्धिः – अर्पित + मनस् + बुद्धि, पुं, प्र, एक
माम् – अस्मद्, द्वि, एक
एव – अव्ययम्
एष्यसि – इ धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लृट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - इण् गतौ - अदादिः, म-पु, एक
असंशयः – अ + संशय, पुं, प्र, एक
तस्मात् सर्वेषु कालेषु माम् अनुस्मर यथाशास्त्रम्। युध्य च युद्धं च स्वधर्मं कुरु। मयि वासुदेवे अर्पिते मनोबुद्धी यस्य तव स त्वं मयि अर्पितमनोबुद्धिः सन् मामेव यथास्मृतम् एष्यसि आगमिष्यसि असंशयः न संशयः अत्र विद्यते।।किञ्च
Therefore, at all times remember Me in accordance with the injunctions of the śāstra (तस्मात् सर्वेषु कालेषु माम् अनुस्मर यथाशास्त्रम्). And fight—engage in battle, that is, perform your own prescribed duty (युध्य च युद्धं च स्वधर्मं कुरु).
For one whose mind and intellect are offered to Me, to Vāsudeva (मयि वासुदेवे अर्पिते मनोबुद्धी यस्य), such a one—being with mind and intellect thus offered to Me (स त्वं मयि अर्पितमनोबुद्धिः सन्)—will indeed come to Me alone, as remembered in this manner (मामेव यथास्मृतम् एष्यसि आगमिष्यसि). There is no doubt in this matter (असंशयः न संशयः अत्र विद्यते).
Moreover (किञ्च).
Notes
Since whatever is the last thought at the time of death, that determines the next birth, and if one thinks of Bhagavan (Ishvara) at that time, then that person reaches Him, so one must think of Bhagavan at the time of death. To achieve this, one must always think of Bhagavan in life. Only then this vasana of thinking of Bhagavan becomes the most automatic response at the time of death to one to attain Bhagavan at death. And how does one think of Bhagavan always - only when both the emotional and intellectual faculty are offered to Bhagavan completely. One must love Bhagavan alone with all heart (emotional bond) and also consider only Bhagavan as worth having over all else (intellectual clarity). When the inner-instrument with both its faculties are harmoniously integrated towards the goal, then remembering Bhagavan becomes easy. You naturally remember what you love and hold as important.
Another important teaching given here is to remember and love God in the midst of all duties - by not giving them up. युध्य is the word Bhagavan uses as instruction for Srjuna to engage in the war. This word is correctly used as युध्यस्व. Bhagavan is teaching Karma Yoga with bhakti.
The result of such devotion and remembrance of Bhagavan while engaging in duties gives rise to remembrance of Bhagavan even at the time of death to attain krama-mukti.
Note that here one can even get jivanmukti if one has even given up individuality with a vision God alone is while the body is still alive. There being no individuality, then one can say it's as good as mukti. But this position is not presented in Vedanta by any school - primacy to jivanmukti only through knowledge is given in Advaita Vedanta or to only devotion but not mukti in other devotional Vedantic schools.
But since the injunction is given here to do upasana all life, so implies the individuality is still intact even at the time of death, thereby implying its krama-mukti.
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना ।
परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन् ॥ ८-८॥
पार्थ अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन न अन्यगामिना चेतसा (शास्त्राचार्योपदेशम्) अनुचिन्तयन् दिव्यम् परमम् पुरुषम् याति ।
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा = with a mind engaged in practice of upasana (yoga), न = not, अन्यगामिना = not get distracted by anything else, परमम् = supreme, पुरुषम् = Purusha, दिव्यम् = divine, याति = goes, पार्थ = O Partha, अनुचिन्तयन् = by contemplating
By contemplating (on teachings of scriptures and teacher) with a mind engaged in the practice of upasana (yoga) which doesn’t get distracted by anything else, O Partha! one reaches the divine Supreme Purusha.
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन – अभ्यास + योग + युक्त, नपुं, तृ, एक
चेतसा – चेतस्, नपुं, तृ, एक
न – अव्ययम्
अन्यगामिना – न + अन्य + गामिन्, नपुं, तृ, एक
परम् – पर, पुं, द्वि, एक
पुरुषम् – पुरुष, पुं, द्वि, एक
दिव्यम् – दिव्य, पुं, द्वि, एक
याति – या धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - या प्रापणे - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
पार्थ – पार्थ, पुं, सं, एक
अनुचिन्तयन् – अनु + चिन्त् धातुरूपाणि - चिन्तँ विचारणे - श
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन मयि चित्तसमर्पणविषयभूते एकस्मिन् तुल्यप्रत्ययावृत्तिलक्षणः विलक्षणप्रत्ययानन्तरितः अभ्यासः स,चाभ्यासो योगः तेन युक्तं तत्रैव व्यापृतं योगिनः चेतः तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना न अन्यत्र विषयान्तरे गन्तुं शीलम् अस्येति नान्यगामि तेन नान्यगामिना परमं निरतिशयं पुरुषं दिव्यं दिवि सूर्यमण्डले भवं याति गच्छति हे पार्थ अनुचिन्तयन् शास्त्राचार्योपदेशम् अनुध्यायन् इत्येतत्।।किं विशिष्टं च पुरुषं याति इति उच्यते -
With the mind fixed on Me alone as its object (अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन मयि चित्तसमर्पणविषयभूते एकस्मिन्), characterized by the repeated flow of an identical thought (तुल्यप्रत्ययावृत्तिलक्षणः), uninterrupted by dissimilar or contrary thoughts (विलक्षणप्रत्ययानन्तरितः) is अभ्यास (अभ्यासः). That very अभ्यास is yoga (spiritual practice or sadhana) (स च अभ्यासो योगः), and being endowed with that yoga (तेन युक्तम्), the mind of the yogi remains fully engaged in that (Bhagavan) alone (तत्रैव व्यापृतं योगिनः चेतः).
O Pārtha (हे पार्थ), by that mind (तेन चेतसा), whose very nature is not to move toward other objects or different fields of experience (नान्यगामिना न अन्यत्र विषयान्तरे गन्तुं शीलम् अस्येति नान्यगामि), he reaches (याति गच्छति) the supreme, unsurpassed, divine Reality (परमं निरतिशयं पुरुषं दिव्यम्), dwelling in the luminous sphere, in the region of the sun (दिवि सूर्यमण्डले भवं) while constantly contemplating in accordance with the instructions of the śāstra and the teacher (अनुचिन्तयन् शास्त्राचार्योपदेशम् अनुध्यायन्).
And what is that distinctive Person whom he reaches is now stated (किं विशिष्टं च पुरुषं याति इति उच्यते).
Notes
Three characteristics required for upasaka to be able to continuously think of Bhagavan as stated previously:
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा मयि चित्तसमर्पणविषयभूते एकस्मिन् तुल्यप्रत्ययावृत्तिलक्षणः विलक्षणप्रत्ययानन्तरितः अभ्यासः. What is abhyasa is stated by Sankaracharya as:
With the mind fixed on Me alone as its object (meditation)
repeated flow of an identical thought
uninterrupted by dissimilar or contrary thoughts.
A mind endowed with such abhyasa as sadhana is called अभ्यासयोगयुक्तम् चेतस्. When Bhagavan states “Me”, whom is he referring to? Krishna, Ishvara, Hiranyagarbha, Virat or ishta-devata? Sankaracharya clarifies who this is by the attainment of upasaka - given below.
अनुचिन्तयन् शास्त्राचार्योपदेशम् अनुध्यायन् - to dwell upon Bhagavan one must follow the method of meditation as given in scriptural teachings as taught by teacher.
नान्यगामिना चेतसा तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना न अन्यत्र विषयान्तरे गन्तुं शीलम् अस्येति नान्यगामि तेन नान्यगामिना by that mind, whose very nature is not to move toward other objects or different fields of experience.
The verse then states the goal attained by such an upasaka: परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति - attains the Supreme Divine Reality. Sankaracharya here states that Divine Reality as दिवि सूर्यमण्डले भवं - dwelling in the luminous sphere, in the region of the sun, this is Hiranyagarbha as stated earlier. Hiranyagarbha represents any ishta-devata that one meditates upon. One could also take it as Ishvara in general.
In what way that Divine Being that is meditated upon by the upasaka is described in the next few verses.
कविं पुराणमनुशासितार-
मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः ।
सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूप-
मादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात् ॥ ८-९॥
Anvaya in next verse
कविम् = omniscient, पुराणम् = ancient, अनुशासितारम् = the Ruler, अणोः = than the subtle, अणीयांसम् = subtler, अनुस्मरेत् = contemplates, यः = one who, सर्वस्य = of all, धातारम् = support, अचिन्त्यरूपम् = whose nature is unthinkable, आदित्यवर्णम् = of the color of Sun, तमसः परस्तात् = beyond ignorance
One who contemplates on the omniscient, ancient, the Ruler of all, subtler than the subtle, supports all, whose nature is unthinkable, the color of Sun and beyond ignorance.
कविं – कवि, पुं, द्वि, एक
पुराणम् – पुराण, पुं, द्वि, एक
अनुशासितारम् – अनुशासितृ, पुं, द्वि, एक
अणोः – अणु, पुं, पं, एक
अणीयांसम् – अणीयस्, पुं, द्वि, एक
अनुस्मरेत् – अनु + स्मृ धातुरूपाणि - स्मृ आध्याने - भ्वादिः - कर्तरि प्रयोगः विधिलिङ् लकारः परस्मै पदम्, प्र-पु, एक
सर्वस्य – सर्व, पुं, ष, एक
धातारम् – धातृ, पुं, द्वि, एक
अचिन्त्यरूपम् – अचिन्त्यरूप, पुं, द्वि, एक
आदित्यवर्णम् – आदित्यवर्ण, पुं, द्वि, एक
तमसः – तमस्, नपुं, पं, एक
परस्तात् – अव्ययम्
कविं क्रान्तदर्शिनं सर्वज्ञं पुराणं चिरन्तनम् अनुशासितारं सर्वस्य जगतः प्रशासितारम् अणोः सूक्ष्मादपि अणीयांसं सूक्ष्मतरम् अनुस्मरेत् अनुचिन्तयेत् यः कश्चित् सर्वस्य कर्मफलजातस्य धातारं विधातारं विचित्रतया प्राणिभ्यो विभक्तारम् अचिन्त्यरूपं न अस्य रूपं नियतं विद्यमानमपि केनचित् चिन्तयितुं शक्यते इति अचिन्त्यरूपः तम् आदित्यवर्णम् आदित्यस्येव नित्यचैतन्यप्रकाशो वर्णो यस्य तम् आदित्यवर्णम् तमसः परस्तात् अज्ञानलक्षणात् मोहान्धकारात् परं तम् अनुचिन्तयत् याति इति पूर्वेण संबन्धः।।किञ्च --,
He should constantly contemplate (अनुस्मरेत् अनुचिन्तयेत्) that One, who sees beyond all limits of time (कविम् क्रान्तदर्शिनम्), who is omniscient (सर्वज्ञम्), who is primordial (पुराणं चिरन्तनम्), who is the ruler of the entire universe (अनुशासितारं सर्वस्य जगतः प्रशासितारम्).
He is subtler than even the subtlest atom (अणोः सूक्ष्मादपि अणीयांसं सूक्ष्मतरम्), and He is the ordainer (धातारं विधातारम्) of all results of actions of all beings (यः कश्चित् सर्वस्य कर्मफलजातस्य) by distributing them in manifold ways among living beings (विचित्रतया प्राणिभ्यो विभक्तारम्).
His form is inconceivable (अचिन्त्यरूपम्) — not because He is nonexistent, but because, though existing, His form cannot be fixed or fully grasped by any act of ordinary thought (न अस्य रूपं नियतं विद्यमानमपि केनचित् चिन्तयितुं शक्यते इति अचिन्त्यरूपः).
He is of the radiance of the sun (तम् आदित्यवर्णम्), meaning that He possesses an eternal luminosity of consciousness, like the sun itself (आदित्यस्येव नित्यचैतन्यप्रकाशो वर्णो यस्य). He is beyond darkness (तमसः परस्तात्), beyond the darkness of ignorance and delusion (अज्ञानलक्षणात् मोहान्धकारात् परम्).
Contemplating Him thus (तम् अनुचिन्तयन्), one reaches Him — this is to be connected with what was stated earlier (याति इति पूर्वेण संबन्धः).
Further (किञ्च).
Notes
That divine being who is meditated upon is described here. The ishta-devata should be meditated upon (अनुस्मरेत् अनुचिन्तयेत्) as Ishvara by an upasaka with these characteristics:
कवि क्रान्तदर्शी सर्वज्ञ one who can see beyond time and space, all knower - क्रान्त means beyond. क्रान्तदर्शी is one who has a vision beyond what is present here and right now - in other words, one who can see past and future, and also anywhere. That’s why a कवि is सर्वज्ञ - all knower.
पुराण चिरन्तन primordial - without beginning, no birth and hence no death. Always there as Ishvara. In other words, अनादि, कारण-रहित.
अनुशासिता सर्वस्य जगतः प्रशासिता - ruler of the entire universe, under whose command all happens.
अणोः अणीयान् सूक्ष्मादपि सूक्ष्मतरम् - subtler than the subtle. Whatever you consider, there is always an entity subtler than that. And He is the subtlemost being beyond the realm of subtle - at the level of causal as Ishvara,
सर्वस्य धाता कर्मफलजातस्य विधाता विचित्रतया प्राणिभ्यो विभक्ता - bestower of the fruits of actions distributing in manifold ways for living beings. Ishvara is the dispenser of the results of actions. In the presence of His higher nature as Consciousness, His lower nature, Prakriti, unfolds the results of actions for all jivas. The manifestation of karmaphala is not arbitrary but is in keeping with the total order. What is called grace is not independent intervention, but the lawful and subtle way in which the results are fashioned and unfold, wherein the upasaka’s devotion itself becomes a contributing factor in the fructification of results—whether material ends or Ishvara Himself.
अचिन्त्यरूप न अस्य रूपं नियतं विद्यमानमपि केनचित् चिन्तयितुं शक्यते इति अचिन्त्यरूपः - अचिन्त्यरूपः is that whose established form even though manifesting, is not possible to be comprehended. Ishvara is beyond comprehension by a person because the totality is never comprehensible by microcosm - the microcosm is a part of the whole, whole cannot be known by the part.
आदित्यवर्ण आदित्यस्येव नित्यचैतन्यप्रकाशो वर्णो यस्य - one whose brilliance is like Aditya, ever Consciousness like. Ishvara is Consciousness with creation as reference.
तमसः परस्तात् अज्ञानलक्षणात् मोहान्धकारात् परं तम् अनुचिन्तयत् याति beyond the darkness of ignorance and delusion. Ishvara is mayapati, mayatita - although associated with it, but never untouched by it. Hence He is all knower, no ignorance about oneself and hence no delusion either.
Bhagavan thus gives instructions on how to meditate upon Ishvara or ishta-devata. Shankaracharya and other teachers treat this as Brahman itself (beyond attributes), but given the focus of this section, this chapter and chapters 7-12 to be Ishvara, taking it to be Ishvara is better. Having described the form of Saguna Brahma to be meditated upon, the next verse describes the process of meditation at death.
प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन
भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव ।
भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक्
स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम् ॥ ८-१०॥
प्रयाणकाले यः भक्त्या युक्तः अचलेन मनसा योगबलेन च एव भ्रुवोः मध्ये प्राणम् सम्यक् आवेश्य कविम् पुराणम् अनुशासितारम् अणोः अणीयांसम् सर्वस्य धातारम् अचिन्त्यरूपम् आदित्यवर्णम् तमसः परस्तात् अनुस्मरेत् सः तम् दिव्यम् परम् पुरुषम् उपैति ।
प्रयाणकाले = during death, अचलेन मनसा = by unwavering mind, भक्त्या = with devotion, युक्तः = imbued, योगबलेन = by the strength of concentration, च = and, एव भ्रुवोः = the eyebrows, मध्ये = between, प्राणम् = the vital force, आवेश्य = fixed, सम्यक् = well, सः = he, तम् = that, परम् पुरुषम् = Supreme Purusha, उपैति = attains, दिव्यम् = divine
During death by an unwavering mind imbued with devotion and by strength of concentration, the vital force fixed on in between the brows, he attains that divine Supreme Purusha.
प्रयाणकाले – प्रयाणकाल, पुं, स, एक
मनसा – मनस्, नपुं, तृ, एक
अचलेन – अचल, नपुं, तृ, एक
भक्त्या – भक्ति, स्त्री, तृ, एक
युक्तः – युक्त, पुं, प्र, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - युज् + क्त - युजिँर् योगे - रुधादिः - अनिट्
योगबलेन – योगबल, नपुं, तृ, एक
च – अव्ययम्
एव – अव्ययम्
भ्रुवोः – भ्रू, स्त्री, ष, द्वि
मध्ये – मध्य, पुं, स, एक
प्राणम् – प्राण, पुं, द्वि, एक
आवेश्य – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - आङ् + विश् + ल्यप् - विशँ प्रवेशने - तुदादिः - अनिट्
सम्यक् – अव्ययम्
सः – तद्, पुं, प्र, एक
तम् – तद्, पुं, द्वि, एक
परम् – पर, पुं, द्वि, एक
पुरुषम् – पुरुष, पुं, द्वि, एक
उपैति – उप + इ धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - इण् गतौ - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
दिव्यम् – दिव्य, पुं, द्वि, एक
प्रयाणकाले मरणकाले मनसा अचलेन चलनवर्जितेन भक्त्या युक्तः भजनं भक्तिः तया युक्तः योगबलेन चैव योगस्य बलं योगबलं समाधिजसंस्कारप्रचयजनितचित्तस्थैर्यलक्षणं योगबलं तेन च युक्तः इत्यर्थः पूर्वं हृदयपुण्डरीके वशीकृत्य चित्तं ततः ऊर्ध्वगामिन्या नाड्या भूमिजयक्रमेण भ्रुवोः मध्ये प्राणम् आवेश्य स्थापयित्वा सम्यक् अप्रमत्तः सन् सः एवं विद्वान् योगी, कविं पुराणम् इत्यादिलक्षणं तं परं परतरं पुरुषम् उपैति प्रतिपद्यते दिव्यं द्योतनात्मकम्।।पुनरपि वक्ष्यमाणेन उपायेन प्रतिपित्सितस्य ब्रह्मणो वेदविद्वदनादिविशेषणविशेष्यस्य अभिधानं करोति भगवान् --,
At the time of death (प्रयाणकाले मरणकाले), with a mind that is devoid of distraction (मनसा अचलेन चलनवर्जितेन), worshipful absorption is भक्ति — endowed with that भक्ति (भक्त्या युक्तः भजनं भक्तिः तया भक्तः), and also endowed with the power of Yoga (योगबलेन चैव). The power of Yoga (योगस्य बलं योगबलम्) is the steadiness of the mind produced by the accumulation of impressions born of samādhi (समाधिजसंस्कारप्रचयजनितचित्तस्थैर्यलक्षणं योगबलम्); endowed with that as well, this is the meaning (तेन च युक्तः इत्यर्थः).
Before (this samadhi abhyasa), having brought the mind under control and fixed it in the lotus of the heart (पूर्वं हृदयपुण्डरीके वशीकृत्य चित्तम्), then, through the upward-moving nāḍī (ततः ऊर्ध्वगामिन्या नाड्या), by stages of conquest beginning from the earth element (भूमिजयक्रमेण), having placed and firmly established the prāṇa between the eyebrows (भ्रुवोः मध्ये प्राणम् आवेश्य स्थापयित्वा), remaining fully nonnegligent (सम्यक् अप्रमत्तः सन्), such a yogin, possessed of true knowledge (सः एवं विद्वान् योगी), attains (उपैति प्रतिपद्यते) that Supreme and higher-than-the-highest Being (तं परं परतरं पुरुषम्), characterized earlier as the seer, the ancient one and so on (कविं पुराणम् इत्यादिलक्षणम्), who is divine and luminous by nature (दिव्यं द्योतनात्मकम्).
Further, with reference to the means that will again be stated (पुनरपि वक्ष्यमाणेन उपायेन), Bhagavān proceeds to designate that Brahman which is intended to be taught (प्रतिपित्सितस्य ब्रह्मणः), characterized as the object of realization for knowers of the Veda and as beginningless, along with its qualifying attributes (वेदविद्वदनादिविशेषणविशेष्यस्य), and thus makes its explicit mention (अभिधानं करोति भगवान्).
Notes
The previous verse described the deity who should be meditated upon. Bhagavan said in verse 8.5 that one who remembers him at the last moment (अन्तकाले स्मरन् मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्) reaches him. This verse shows the process to remember him at the last moment. In other words, it shows how to remember him throughout life because it has been established that what's done throughout life is done automatically at the time of death - thus connecting with verse 8.7 also.
At the time of death, the mind should be endowed with these:
अचलेन चलनवर्जितेन devoid of distraction - this is the mind refraining from thinking about objects of the world.
भक्त्या भजनं भक्तिः तया bhakti is devotion, by that - this is deep absorption on something one loves. Whatever one loves, that occupies the mind space. When that love is directed towards objects/people/situations of the world, it is called राग while when it is directed towards God, that same love is called भक्ति. When that love is intense, one cannot help but think of God. And upasana strengthens this love. Since whatever one loves, one thinks of that always, the reverse is also true - whatever one thinks often, one develops for that (Gita verse 2.62).
Then the vital forces need to be channelled as follows:
योगबलेन योगस्य बलं योगबलं समाधिजसंस्कारप्रचयजनितचित्तस्थैर्यलक्षणं योगबलं तेन च युक्तः इत्यर्थः योगबल is strength of Yoga whose characteristic is the steadiness of the mind produced by the accumulation of impressions born of samādhi, endowed with that - this is the meaning. Bhagavan says ashtanga-yoga is also employed to make the focus on ishta-devata steady. That is described by a single word योगबल where the word yoga means Ashtanga yoga. So the upasaka of ishta-devata uses the strength of this ashtanga yoga also to focus on Bhagavan always (चित्तैकाग्रता). What is this strength of ashtanga-yoga? Sankaracharya calls it as the steadiness of mind on ishta-devata without any distraction (चित्तस्थैर्यलक्षणम्). How is it gained? Sankaracharya describes that process as through repeated accumulation of impressions born of samādhi (समाधिजसंस्कारप्रचयजनित). A drop by drop accumulation of water makes a huge tank. As more and more deep meditations (samādhi) are attained, the awareness of all this as Ishvara arises. Then one even sees oneself as alambana for meditation on Ishvara (ahangrahopnsa) and such a person will attain krama-mukti by meditating on Bhagavan at death. The samskara of dwelling on ishta-devata strengthens with extended practice of such deep meditations and even when not formally meditating one remembers Bhagavan always thus achieving the state of remembering Bhagavan always throughout the life as recommended by Bhagavan earlier in verse 8.7. Here the remembering becomes natural (not with effort), it is like an awareness, a constant presence is felt.
Sankaracharya describes the detailed yogic method to meditate on God to gain that strength of yoga (steadiness of the focus of mind on Bhagavan). पूर्वं हृदयपुण्डरीके वशीकृत्य चित्तं ततः ऊर्ध्वगामिन्या नाड्या भूमिजयक्रमेण - योगबल Having controlled the mind in the lotus of the heart, and then by lifting up (the vital force) upward along the nerve channel through gaining control over (influence of elements) such as earth, etc.
The mental states are symbolically represented by kundalini’s position along the spinal column called chakras. A yogi following ashtanga yoga raises the mind from lower states such as focusing on objects for enjoyment as an individual: sleep, inertia, sexual pursuits, material objects, food, etc. - symbolically presented as kundalini at lower three chakras of muladhara (base of spine), svadhishthana (sexual organ), manipura (stomach) to higher states where the mind dwells on Bhagavan alone symbolically given as kundalini at the anahata chakra located at the heart and further above. Why is the heart given a special status? Kathopnaishad states it is central region where all nadis (nerve channels) from all over meet - like a junction in rail network:
शतं चैका च हृदयस्य नाड्यस्तासां मूर्धानमभिनिःसृतैका। तयोर्ध्वमायन्नमृतत्वमेति विष्वङ्ङन्या उत्क्रमणे भवन्ति ॥२.३.१६॥
Hundred and one nerves are of the heart. Among these, one goes out through the head. Going up through that one gains immortality. The other branching nerves become causes for death.
As the mantra states, all nerve channels (except one) are in the realm of subject-object relationship with focus on material enjoyment. There is one nadi called sushumna among all nadis which represents forcing the energies (focus) of the mind (prana) towards liberation. This mental movement towards liberation (pranic flow) is symbolically presented as the kundalini rising through the sushumna channel from anahata to vishuddha at the throat to ajna at the eyebrows. That’s why the verse mentions focus in between the eyebrows. And that is what a yogi does - focus only on Bhagavan to attain the state of samadhi where even the individuality is suspended and only Bhagavan alone remains (nirvikalpa samadhi). This sustained focus of yogi through channeling the mental energies towards the goal of liberation is given in Brihadaranyakopanishad 4.4.2:
एकीभवति, न पश्यतीत्याहुः; एकीभवति, न जिघ्रतीत्याहुः; एकीभवति, न रसयतीत्याहुः; एकीभवति, न वदतीत्याहुः; एकीभवति, न शृणोतीत्याहुः; एकीभवति, न मनुत इत्याहुः; एकीभवति, न स्पृशतीत्याहुः; एकीभवति, न विजानातीत्याहुः; तस्य हैतस्य हृदयस्याग्रं प्रद्योतते; तेन प्रद्योतेनैष आत्मा निष्क्रामति—चक्शुष्टो वा, मूर्ध्नो वा, अन्येभ्यो वा शरीरदेशेभ्यः; तमुत्क्रामन्तं प्राणोऽनूत्क्रामति; प्राणमनूत्क्रामन्तं सर्वे प्राणा अनूत्क्रामन्ति; सविज्ञानो भवति, सविज्ञानमेवान्ववक्रामति । तं विद्याकर्मणी समन्वारभेते पूर्वप्रज्ञा च ॥ ४.४.२ ॥
(The eye) becomes united (with the subtle body); then people say, ‘He does not see.’ (The nose) becomes united; then they say, ‘He does not smell.’ (The tongue) becomes united; then they say, ‘He does not taste.’ (The vocal organ) becomes united; then they say, ‘He does not speak.’ (The ear) becomes united; then they say, ‘He does not hear.’ (The Manas) becomes united; then they say, ‘He does not think.’ (The skin) becomes united; then they say, ‘He does not touch.’ (The intellect) becomes united; then they say, ‘He does not know.’ The top of the heart brightens. Through that brightened top the self departs,‘either through the eye, or through the head, or through any other part of the body. When it departs, the vital force follows; when the vital force departs, all the organs follow. Then the self has particular consciousness, and goes to the body which is related to that con-scioṇsness. It is followed by knowledge, work and past experience.
Such a yogi who has done this focusing on Bhagavan well will attain that divine Supreme Being (Ishvara or ishta-devata) as krama-mukti. This Supreme Divine Being दिव्यम् परम् पुरुषम् has been mentioned in verse 8.8 as दिव्यम् परमं पुरुषम्.
The details about meditation done by an upasaka to attain Brahmaloka or ishta-devata-loka continues.
यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति
विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः ।
यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति
तत्ते पदं सङ्ग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये ॥ ८-११॥
यत् अक्षरम् वेदविदः वदन्ति यत् वीतरागाः यतयः विशन्ति यत् इच्छन्तः ब्रह्मचर्यम् चरन्ति तत् पदम् (अहम्) ते सङ्ग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये।
यत् = which, अक्षरम् = the Imperishable, वेदविदः = the knowers of Veda, वदन्ति = speak, विशन्ति = enter, यत् = which, यतयः = the yatis, वीतरागाः = devoid of attachment, यत् = which, इच्छन्तः = desiring, ब्रह्मचर्यम् = instructions given by a teacher living in gurukula, चरन्ति = follow, तत् = that, ते = they, पदम् = goal, सङ्ग्रहेण = briefly, प्रवक्ष्ये = will be explained by me
That goal will be explained by me briefly, which the knowers of Vedas speak of as Imperishable, which the yatis devoid of attachment enter into, desiring which they follow instructions given by a teacher living in gurukula.
यत् – यद्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
अक्षरम् – अक्षर, नपुं, द्वि, एक
वेदविदः – वेदवित्, पुं, प्र, बहु
वदन्ति – वद् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - वदँ व्यक्तायां वाचि - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, बहु
विशन्ति –विश् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - विशँ प्रवेशने - तुदादिः, प्र-पु, बहु
यत् – यद्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
यतयः – यति, पुं, प्र, बहु
वीतरागाः – वीतराग, पुं, प्र, बहु
यत् – यद्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
इच्छन्तः – इच्छत्, पुं, प्र, बहु, कृदन्तरूपाणि - इष् + शतृँ - इषँ इच्छायाम् - तुदादिः - सेट्
ब्रह्मचर्यम् – ब्रह्मचर्य, नपुं, द्वि, एक
चरन्ति – चर् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - चरँ गत्यर्थाः चरतिर्भक्षणर्थोऽपिँ चरँ भक्षणे च चरतिर्भक्षणेऽपि - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, बहु
तत् – तद्, नपुं, प्र, एक
ते – युष्मद्, च, एक
पदम् – पद, नपुं, प्र, एक
सङ्ग्रहेण – सङ्ग्रह, पुं, तृ, एक
प्रवक्ष्ये – प्र + वच् धातुरूपाणि - कर्मणि प्रयोगः लृट् लकारः आत्मने पदम् - वचँ परिभाषणे - अदादिः, उ-पु, एक
यत् अक्षरं न क्षरतीति अक्षरम् अविनाशि वेदविदः वेदार्थज्ञाः वदन्ति तद्वा एतदक्षरं गार्गि ब्राह्मणा अभिवदन्ति (बृ0 उ0 3।8।8) इति श्रुतेः सर्वविशेषनिवर्तकत्वेन अभिवदन्ति अस्थूलमनणु (बृ0 उ0 3।8।8) इत्यादि। किञ्च -- विशन्ति प्रविशन्ति सम्यग्दर्शनप्राप्तौ सत्यां यत् यतयः यतनशीलाः संन्यासिनः वीतरागाः वीतः विगतः रागः येभ्यः ते वीतरागाः। यच्च अक्षरमिच्छन्तः -- ज्ञातुम् इति वाक्यशेषः -- ब्रह्मचर्यं गुरौ चरन्ति आचरन्ति तत् ते पदं तत् अक्षराख्यं पदं पदनीयं ते तव संग्रहेण संग्रहः संक्षेपः तेन संक्षेपेण प्रवक्ष्ये कथयिष्यामि।।
स यो ह वै तद्भगवन्मनुष्येषु प्रायणान्तमोंकारमभिध्यायीत कतमं वाव स तेन लोकं जयतीति। तस्मै स होवाच एतद्वै सत्यकाम परं चापरं च ब्रह्म यदोंकारः इत्युपक्रम्य यः पुनरेतं त्रिमात्रेणोमित्येतेनैवाक्षरेण परं पुरुषमभिध्यायीत (प्र0 उ0 5।1।2।5।। -- स सामभिरुन्नीयते ब्रह्मलोकम् इत्यादिना वचनेन अन्यत्र धर्मादन्यत्राधर्मात् इति च उपक्रम्य सर्वे वेदा यत्पदमामनन्ति। तपांसि सर्वाणि च यद्वदन्ति। यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण ब्रवीम्योमित्येतत् (क0 उ0 1।2।14.15) इत्यादिभिश्च वचनैः परस्य ब्रह्मणो वाचकरूपेण प्रतिमावत् प्रतीकरूपेण वा परब्रह्मप्रतिपत्तिसाधनत्वेन मन्दमध्यमबुद्धीनां विवक्षितस्य ओंकारस्य उपासनं कालान्तरे मुक्तिफलम् उक्तं यत् तदेव इहापि कविं पुराणमनुशासितारम् (गीता 8।9) यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति (गीता 8।11) इति च उपन्यस्तस्य परस्य ब्रह्मणः पूर्वोक्तरूपेण प्रतिपत्त्युपायभूतस्य ओंकारस्य कालान्तरमुक्तिफलम् उपासनं योगधारणासहितं वक्तव्यम् प्रसक्तानुप्रसक्तं च यत्किञ्चित् इत्येवमर्थः उत्तरो ग्रन्थ आरभ्यते --
The knowers of the meaning of the Vedas (वेदविदः वेदार्थज्ञाः) speak (वदन्ति) (about that) as which does not perish (यत् अक्षरं न क्षरतीति अक्षरम्), the indestructible (अविनाशि). O Gārgī! the knowers of Brahman describe this very Imperishable (तद्वा एतदक्षरं गार्गि ब्राह्मणा अभिवदन्ति) (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.8.8), as declared by the Śruti. They describe it by negating all particular attributes (सर्वविशेषनिवर्तकत्वेन अभिवदन्ति), as “not gross, not subtle” and so on (अस्थूलमनणु इत्यादि).
Further (किञ्च), in which (यत्) those striving, the renunciates (यतयः यतनशीलाः संन्यासिनः), who are वीतरागाः - those from whom attachment has departed (वीतः विगतः रागः येभ्यः ते वीतरागाः), enter (विशन्ति प्रविशन्ति) upon the attainment of right vision (सम्यग्दर्शनप्राप्तौ सत्याम्). And desiring to know that Imperishable (यच्च अक्षरमिच्छन्तः), “to know” is the remainder statement (ज्ञातुम् इति वाक्यशेषः), they live with a teacher following his/her instructions. (ब्रह्मचर्यं गुरौ चरन्ति), that very goal (तत् ते पदम्), that goal known as the Imperishable (तत् अक्षराख्यं पदम्), which is worthy of being attained (पदनीयम्), I shall declare to you briefly (ते तव संग्रहेण), that is, in a concise summary (संग्रहः संक्षेपः तेन संक्षेपेण प्रवक्ष्ये कथयिष्यामि).
This same meaning is introduced in the passage beginning: “He who among human beings meditates on Om until the end of life, what world does he conquer by that?” (स यो ह वै तद्भगवन्मनुष्येषु प्रायणान्तमोंकारमभिध्यायीत कतमं वाव स तेन लोकं जयतीति). To him it is replied: “This Om, O Satyakāma, is indeed the higher and the lower Brahman” (एतद्वै सत्यकाम परं चापरं च ब्रह्म यदोंकारः), and then it is said that one who meditates on the Supreme Person by this very syllable Om consisting of three mātrās (यः पुनरेतं त्रिमात्रेणोमित्येतेनैवाक्षरेण परं पुरुषमभिध्यायीत) is led upward by the Sāman chants to the world of Brahmā (स सामभिरुन्नीयते ब्रह्मलोकम्). Likewise, in another place, beginning with “apart from dharma and apart from adharma” (अन्यत्र धर्मादन्यत्राधर्मात्), it is said: “That goal which all the Vedas proclaim, which all austerities speak of, desiring which they practice celibacy — that goal I tell you briefly: it is Om” (सर्वे वेदा यत्पदमामनन्ति … तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण ब्रवीम्योमित्येतत्).
By such statements it is taught that the meditation on Om (ओंकारस्य उपासनम्), whether as the verbal designation or as a symbolic representation of the Supreme Brahman (परस्य ब्रह्मणो वाचकरूपेण प्रतिमावत् प्रतीकरूपेण वा), serves as a means to the realization of the Supreme Brahman for those of dull and middling intellect (परब्रह्मप्रतिपत्तिसाधनत्वेन मन्दमध्यमबुद्धीनाम्), and that this meditation yields liberation after some lapse of time (कालान्तरे मुक्तिफलम् उक्तम्). That very teaching is intended here also: of the Supreme Brahman earlier described as the seer, the ancient ruler (कविं पुराणमनुशासितारम्), and referred to as “that Imperishable which the knowers of the Vedas speak of” (यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति), the meditation on Om — which has already been presented as the means of realization in the aforesaid manner — together with yogic concentration (योगधारणासहितम्), and yielding liberation after a period of time (कालान्तरमुक्तिफलम्), is now to be explained incidentally as relevant in this context (प्रसक्तानुप्रसक्तम्). With this intent, the subsequent section of the text is begun (इत्येवमर्थः उत्तरो ग्रन्थ आरभ्यते).
Notes:
स एन्द्रयोनि: । यत्रासौ केशान्तो विवर्तते । व्यपोह्य शीर्षकपालम् । भूरित्यग्नौ प्रतिष्ठति । भुव इति वायौ । सुवरित्यादित्ये । मह इति ब्रह्मणि ॥ Taittiriya 1.6
He becomes radiant and attains a divine state. At the point on the head where the hair ends, he opens (or passes through) the top of the skull. Then he becomes established in bhūḥ as fire, in bhuvaḥ as air, in suvaḥ as the sun, and in mahaḥ as Brahman.
This verse is a declaration statement (प्रतिज्ञा-वाक्य) by Bhagavan that he is going to teach about Ishvara in brief. That ishta-devata as Saguna Brahma/Ishvara which was called दिव्यम् परमम्/परम् पुरुषम् earlier in verses 8.8 and 8.10 is further described by Bhagavan as given below. Sankaracharya takes all descriptions to be Brahman beyond attributes even though this chapter is focused on Saguna Brahma. So we will use his commentary but interpret it to be Saguna Brahma to be consistent as with the flow of thought as done in previous verse.
यत् अक्षरम् वेदविदः वदन्ति यत् अक्षरं न क्षरतीति अक्षरम् अविनाशि वेदविदः वेदार्थज्ञाः वदन्ति अक्षर It is that which the knowers of Vedas call अक्षर - that which doesn’t perish, the indestructible. Sankaracharya quotes Sruti for this: एतद्वै तदक्षरः, गार्गि ब्राह्मणा अभिवदन्ति (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.8.8). O Gargi! The knowers of Brahman call that as अक्षर. सर्वविशेषनिवर्तकत्वेन अभिवदन्ति अस्थूलमनणु इत्यादि They describe it by negating all particular attributes as “not gross, not subtle” and so on. So to be consistent one can take this to be Saguna Brahma as that is also अक्षर.
यत् वीतरागाः यतयः विशन्ति विशन्ति प्रविशन्ति सम्यग्दर्शनप्राप्तौ सत्यां यत् यतयः यतनशीलाः संन्यासिनः वीतरागाः वीतः विगतः रागः येभ्यः ते वीतरागाः - In which those striving, the renunciates, who are वीतरागाः - those from whom attachment has departed, enter upon the attainment of right vision. The right vision is “totality is Bhagavan” with individuality also represented as a symbol for the same. Having this vision by performing such ahamgrahopasana, one attains karmamukti. Such upasakas have no personal likes or dislikes at all as Bhagavan is the only focus and hence they are वीतरागाः - just as those in path of jnana-marga are in verse 2.56 (वीतरागभयक्रोधः).
यत् इच्छन्तः ब्रह्मचर्यम् चरन्ति यच्च अक्षरमिच्छन्तः - ज्ञातुम् इति वाक्यशेषः - ब्रह्मचर्यं गुरौ चरन्ति आचरन्ति And desiring to know that Imperishable, “to know” is the remainder statement, they practice ब्रह्मचर्यं - live with a teacher following his/her instructions. Celibacy as brahmacharya is a very narrow definition. Brahmacharya means path leading to brahman and celibacy is only one of the many qualities that lead to it. That's why Sankaracharya simply states all those qualities as practicing instructions of the teacher in a gurukula - also called अन्तेवासी.
तत् ते पदं तत् अक्षराख्यं पदं पदनीयं ते तव संग्रहेण संग्रहः संक्षेपः तेन संक्षेपेण प्रवक्ष्ये कथयिष्यामि - that goal which is called Imperishable and which is worthy to be a goal, I will instruct to you in brief.
This is the declaration statement of what the goal of meditation will be. Earlier the description has been given in detail in verse 8.10, but the next description in verse 8.13 will be a brief one with a more practical aspect of using OM as an aid for meditation.
Sankaracharya introduces the Omkara upasana which is described in verse 8.12, we will revisit his commentary of that upasana presented in this verse over there.
This verse is similar to Kathopaniahd 1.2.15:
सर्वे वेदा यत्पदमामनन्ति
तपाꣳसि सर्वाणि च यद्वदन्ति ।
यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति
तत्ते पदꣳ सङ्ग्रहेण ब्रवीम्योमित्येतत् ॥१५॥
That which all Vedas propound as the goal, which all austerities speak of, desirous of which (they) follow brahmacharya, that goal I say succinctly to you. This is OM.
सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च ।
मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम् ॥ ८-१२॥
सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य, मनः हृदि निरुध्य च, आत्मनः प्राणम् मूर्ध्नि आधाय, योगधारणाम् आस्थितः।
सर्वद्वाराणि = all sense and motor organs, संयम्य = having controlled, मनः = the mind, हृदि = in the heart, निरुध्य = having fixed, च = and, मूर्ध्नि = in the head, आधाय = having fixed, आत्मनः = of one’s own, प्राणम् = prana, आस्थितः = established, योगधारणाम् = holding there with yoga
Having controlled all the sense and motor organs, having fixed the mind in the heart, having placed one’s own vital force in the head, established yogic concentration.
सर्वद्वाराणि – सर्वद्वार, नपुं, द्वि, बहु
संयम्य – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - सम् + यम् + ल्यप् - यमँ उपरमे यमोऽपरिवेषणे न मित् १९५३ - भ्वादिः - अनिट्
मनः – मनस्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
हृदि – हृद्, नपुं, स, एक
निरुध्य – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - नि + रुध् + ल्यप् - रुधिँर् आवरणे - रुधादिः - अनिट्
च – अव्ययम्
मूर्ध्नि – मूर्धन्, पुं, स, एक
आधाय – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - आङ् + धा + ल्यप् - डुधाञ् धारणपोषणयोः दान इत्यप्येके - जुहोत्यादिः - अनिट्
आत्मनः – आत्मन्, पुं, ष, एक
प्राणम् – प्राण, पुं, द्वि, एक
आस्थितः – आस्थित, पुं, प्र, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - आङ् + स्था + क्त - ष्ठा गतिनिवृत्तौ - भ्वादिः - अनिट्
योगधारणाम् – योगधारणा, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
सर्वद्वाराणि सर्वाणि च तानि द्वाराणि च सर्वद्वाराणि उपलब्धौ तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य संयमनं कृत्वा मनः हृदि हृदयपुण्डरीके निरुध्य निरोधं कृत्वा निष्प्रचारमापाद्य तत्र वशीकृतेन मनसा हृदयात् ऊर्ध्वगामिन्या नाड्या ऊर्ध्वमारुह्य मूर्ध्नि आधाय आत्मनः प्राणम् आस्थितः प्रवृत्तः योगधारणां धारयितुम्।।तत्रैव च धारयन् --,
सर्वद्वाराणि means all those gates (सर्वद्वाराणि सर्वाणि च तानि द्वाराणि च सर्वद्वाराणि), which are used for grasping (उपलब्धौ), having performed restraint (संयम्य संयमनं कृत्वा) on all those (तानि सर्वाणि), having confined the mind in the lotus of the heart (मनः हृदि हृदयपुण्डरीके निरुध्य निरोधं कृत्वा) and brought it to a state of non-wandering (निष्प्रचारम् आपाद्य), and with that mind thus brought under mastery (तत्र वशीकृतेन मनसा), ascending upward from the heart through the upward-moving nāḍī (हृदयात् ऊर्ध्वगामिन्या नाड्या ऊर्ध्वम् आरुह्य), placing the one’s own vital force in the head (मूर्ध्नि आधाय आत्मनः प्राणम्), steadily engaged (आस्थितः प्रवृत्तः), one undertakes to hold the yogic concentration (योगधारणां धारयितुम्).
And holding it there itself (तत्रैव च धारयन् —).
Notes
This verse states what an upasaka must do at the time of death using asthanga-yoga.
सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य - सर्वद्वाराणि सर्वाणि च तानि द्वाराणि च सर्वद्वाराणि उपलब्धौ तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य - सर्वद्वाराणि means all those gates which are used for grasping, having performed restraint on all those. All gates mean the ten indriyas - five jnanendriyas and five karmendriyas. They are under perfect control:
when not in formal upasana, their use is regulated - used only when required such as during sadhana and livelihood, but not for any other selfish motives of enjoyment.
while doing formal upasana, they are fully restrained - no engagement with any of their respective objects.
मनः हृदि निरुध्य च - मनः हृदि हृदयपुण्डरीके निरुध्य निरोधं कृत्वा निष्प्रचारमापाद्य तत्र वशीकृतेन मनसा हृदयात् ऊर्ध्वगामिन्या नाड्या ऊर्ध्वमारुह्य having confined the mind in the lotus of the heart and brought it to a state of non-wandering and with that mind thus brought under mastery, ascending upward from the heart through the upward-moving nāḍī. Heart is the golaka for antahkarana just as ear seen on the body is the golaka for the subtle sense-organ ear. When antahkarana is not active, it is said to rest in the heart. This antahkarana, means the entire subtle realm of thoughts, emotions, etc. are brought to the heart - inward looking, not distracted by any objects outside. This inward turn of the heart has been called as aavrta-cakshu in Kathopanishad which makes one focus on the Self. This focusing on the Self is symbolically said as motion through sushumna nadi towards head amongst innumerable nadis that arise from the heart.
आत्मनः प्राणम् मूर्ध्नि आधाय - मूर्ध्नि आधाय आत्मनः प्राणम् placing one’s own vital force in the head. The prana (kundalini) is pushed through sushumna nadi that passes from heart (anahata chakra of kundalini) to throat (ajna of kundalini) to forehead (vishuddha of kundalini) and finally to the crown of the head called sahasrara. This pushing is a symbolic representation of mentally disidentifying with various entities one normally gets identified with and affected by to finally realise that one is
योगधारणाम् आस्थितः - आस्थितः प्रवृत्तः योगधारणां धारयितुम् steadily engaged, one undertakes to hold the yogic concentration. There, holding the prana (mental energies) to focus on the Self, one remains in that state of awareness to do the next step given in the next verse - omkara upasana.
The next step describes the upasana itself after having got rid of distractions of all entities other than Ishvara.
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् ।
यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम् ॥ ८-१३॥
यः एकाक्षरम् ओम् ब्रह्म इति व्याहरन्, माम् अनुस्मरन्, देहम् त्यजन् प्रयाति, सः परमाम् गतिम् याति।
ओम् = OM, इति = thus, एकाक्षरम् = one syllable, ब्रह्म = Brahman, व्याहरन् = while uttering, माम् = Me, अनुस्मरन् = remembering, यः = one who, प्रयाति = dies (goes), त्यजत् = giving up, देहम् = body, सः = he, याति = goes, परमाम् = supreme, गतिम् = goal
One who while uttering OM, the one syllable (representing) Brahman, remembering Me dies giving up the body, he goes to the supreme goal.
ओम् – अव्ययम्
इति – अव्ययम्
एकाक्षरम् – एकाक्षर, नपुं, द्वि, एक
ब्रह्म – ब्रह्मन्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
व्याहरन् – व्याहरत्, पुं, प्र, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - वि + आङ् + हृ + शतृँ - हृञ् हरणे - भ्वादिः - अनिट्
माम् – अस्मद्, द्वि, एक
अनुस्मरन् – अनुस्मरत्, पुं, प्र, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - अनु + स्मृ + शतृँ - स्मृ चिन्तायाम् - भ्वादिः - अनिट्
यः – यद्, पुं, प्र, एक
प्रयाति –प्र + या धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - या प्रापणे - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
त्यजन् – त्यजत्, पुं, प्र, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - त्यज् + शतृँ - त्यजँ हानौ - भ्वादिः - अनिट्
देहम् – देह, पुं, द्वि, एक
सः – तद्, पुं, प्र, एक
याति – या धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - या प्रापणे - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
परमाम् – परमा, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
गतिम् – गति, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
ओमिति एकाक्षरं ब्रह्म ब्रह्मणः अभिधानभूतम् ओंकारं व्याहरन् उच्चारयन् तदर्थभूतं माम् ईश्वरम् अनुस्मरन् अनुचिन्तयन् यः प्रयाति म्रियते सः त्यजन् परित्यजन् देहं शरीरम् -- त्यजन् देहम् इति प्रयाणविशेषणार्थम् देहत्यागेन प्रयाणम् आत्मनः न स्वरूपनाशेनेत्यर्थः -- सः एवं याति गच्छति परमां प्रकृष्टां गतिम्।।किञ्च --,
One who (यः), while uttering the single syllable Om (व्याहरन् उच्चारयन्), which is a name of Brahman (ओमिति एकाक्षरं ब्रह्म ब्रह्मणः अभिधानभूतम्) ओंकारं), and remembering, Me, the Lord, who am the meaning of that (Om̐kāra) (तदर्थभूतं माम् ईश्वरम् अनुस्मरन् अनुचिन्तयन्), dies (प्रयाति म्रियते) while abandoning the body (त्यजन् परित्यजन् देहं शरीरम्) — the expression abandoning the body is intended only as a specification of departure (त्यजन् देहम् इति प्रयाणविशेषणार्थम्), meaning that departure takes place through the relinquishment of the body and not through the destruction of one’s own nature - this is the meaning (देहत्यागेन प्रयाणम् आत्मनः न स्वरूपनाशेनेत्यर्थः) — such a one (सः एवं) attains the supreme, most excellent state (याति गच्छति परमां प्रकृष्टां गतिम्).
Further (किञ्च —).
Notes
In this verse, Bhagavan gives a method to do upasana of Ishvara and the goal of such an upasana. Any upasana has these important facets (for more details in comparison with jnana see notes of verse 7.29):
An alambana - a support which is used as a representation of Higher Principle which is beyond senses and mind. This alambana is based on scriptures, but not one’s own whimsical one. The alambana can be pratimaa - human-like features with head, limbs, etc. such as Vishnu, Shiva Durga, Ganesha, Narasimha, or pratiika - purely a symbolic one such as shiva-linga, salagrama, omkara
Born of Shraddha/vishvasa in scriptures which teach the upasana method along with alambana.
ओमिति एकाक्षरं ब्रह्म
Bhagavan presents the alambana OM and says one who chants it while remembering Him, Ishvara, will attain Him - go to his loka - this is the goal of upasana to attain krama-mukti.
We will now show why OM is a suitable alambana naturally and then also invoke Upanishads where OM has been presented as alamabana for upasana.
Om (AUM) is revered in the Upanishadic tradition as a profound symbol of the totality of existence. One way to understand its significance is through its relation to the human voice apparatus and the nature of language itself.
The syllable Om is composed of three sounds—A, U, and M. These are not arbitrary, but together span the entire range of sound production. The sound “A” originates from the throat, representing the beginning of vocal expression. “U” is produced as the sound rolls forward along the palate, and “M” culminates at the lips, marking the closure of sound. Thus, A-U-M encompasses the full spectrum of articulation, from the origin to the end of speech. Any sound that can be uttered falls within this range. In this way, Om symbolically includes all possible sounds.
Language plays a central role in how we engage with the world. Any entity we know is associated with a name. In fact, it is difficult to conceive of an object without mentally associating a name or a word with it. When a previously unknown entity is discovered, the first step is to name it, thereby bringing it into the realm of recognition and communication. Thus, names are fundamental to our experience and understanding of the world.
This insight is beautifully captured in the Chandogya Upanishad, which states:
वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयम् (vacharambhanam vikaro nama-dheyam) — all modifications are merely names, based upon speech. The teaching implies that what we consider as distinct objects are, from a deeper standpoint, nothing but names superimposed upon an underlying reality. The differentiation we perceive is sustained by language.
If all entities are known through names, and all names are ultimately sounds, then all entities are, in a sense, reducible to sound. Since all possible sounds are encompassed within A-U-M, Om becomes a symbol for the entirety of names and forms—indeed, the entire manifest universe.
Thus, Om is not merely a sound, but a representation of totality. It stands for all that can be expressed, conceived, and experienced. By meditating upon Om, one symbolically contemplates the whole universe and, ultimately, the underlying reality that transcends all names and forms.
ॐ इत्येतदक्षरमिदं सर्वम् । तस्योपव्याख्यानं भूतं भवद्भविष्यदिति सर्वमोङ्कार एव । यच्चान्यत्त्रिकालातीतं तदप्योङ्कार एव ॥ Om is all this. As an explanation of Om: all that is in the past, present, and future is indeed Om. Even that which is beyond time is Om.
The significance of Om extends further in the Mandukya Upanishad, where A-U-M is shown to represent the three states of experience (avasthas):
“A” represents the waking state (jagrat)
“U” represents the dream state (svapna)
“M” represents the deep sleep state (sushupti)
The silence that follows Om is most significant—it represents turiya, the substratum of all three states, pure Consciousness that is ever-present and unchanging. Thus, Om encompasses the entire range of human experience and its underlying reality.
Om also serves multiple roles in Vedantic meditation:
As vachaka — a sound-symbol that indicates Brahman
As pratika — a visual symbol for meditation
As vachya/upasya — that which is indicated, namely Brahman itself - both Saguna and Nirguna
Thus, Om is both the name of Brahman and a means to contemplate Brahman.
OM as the symbol and symbolised for upasana is elaborated in the Prashna Upanishad (5.1) where the question is asked:
स यो ह वै तद्भगवन्मनुष्येषु प्रायणान्तमोंकारमभिध्यायीत कतमं वाव स तेन लोकं जयतीति। If a person meditates upon Om until the end of life, which world does he attain?
The reply is: एतद्वै सत्यकाम परं चापरं च ब्रह्म यदोंकारः । This Om, O Satyakama, is indeed both the higher and the lower Brahman. Higher and Lower Brahman here are Nirguna and Saguna, respectively.
Further, it is said: यः पुनरेतं त्रिमात्रेणोमित्येतेनैवाक्शरेण परं पुरुषमभिध्यायीत स तेजसि सूर्ये संपन्नः । यथा पादोदरस्त्वचा विनिर्भुच्यत एवं ह वै स पाप्मना विनिर्भुक्तः स सामभिरुन्नीयते ब्रह्मलोकं स एतस्माज्जीवघनात्परात्परं पुरुशयं पुरुषमीक्शते ॥ ५ ॥ But if he meditates on the supreme Purusha by this very letter ‘Om,’ of three matras, he becomes united with the bright sun. Just as the snake puts off its skin, even so he is freed from sin. He is conducted by sama to the world of Brahma. He sees the supreme Purusha beyond this, dense with life and lodged in the heart of all.
Similarly, in the Katha Upanishad (1.2.16): एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं ब्रह्म एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं परम् । एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं ज्ञात्वा यो यदिच्छति तस्य तत् ॥ This syllable is indeed verily (Saguna) Brahman. This syllable is verily the Supreme (Nirguna Brahman). Having known this syllable, what (Saguna or Nirguna Brahman) one wishes, that (Saguna or Nirguna Brahman) one becomes.
In the Taittiriya Upanishad (1.1), Om is presented as both the name and the symbol of Consciousness and also Consciousness associated with maya: ॐ इति ब्रह्म, ॐ इति इदं सर्वम् Om is Brahman itself and also all this manifest universe.
In the Mundaka Upanishad (2.2.4), Om is presented as a means of contemplation, a pratiika for upasana: प्रणवो धनुः शरो ह्यात्मा ब्रह्म तल् लक्ष्यं उच्यते Om as the bow, the individual self as the arrow, and Brahman as the target.
Chandogya Upanishad states:
1.1.1: ॐ इत्येतदक्षरमुद्गीथमुपासीत । Om—this syllable is to be meditated upon as the Udgītha (the Sāma-chant).
1.1.3 स एष रसानां रसतमः परमः परार्ध्योऽष्टमो यदुद्गीथः ॥ This Om (Udgītha) is the essence of all essences, the highest, the most exalted, and the eighth (in this sequence of refinements).
1.1.8: ॐ इत्येतदनुज्ञाक्षरम् । Om is the syllable of assent (approval).
Together, all these Upanishidic teachings show that Om is the name of Brahman - Saguna and Nirguna, the symbol (alambana) of Brahman as sound or visual and the means to realise Brahman by using the sound or form to chant—it is at once the name, the support for meditation, and the gateway to the highest truth.
व्याहरन् उच्चारयन् तदर्थभूतं - chanting OM and also with meaning of it - Ishvara in this case as it is upasana and krama-mukti is the goal (माम् ईश्वरम् अनुस्मरन् अनुचिन्तयन्).
यः प्रयाति त्यजन् देहं - यः प्रयाति म्रियते सः त्यजन् परित्यजन् देहं शरीरम् -- त्यजन् देहम् इति प्रयाणविशेषणार्थम् देहत्यागेन प्रयाणम् आत्मनः न स्वरूपनाशेनेत्यर्थः the expression abandoning the body is intended only as a specification of departure meaning that departure takes place through the relinquishment of the body and not through the destruction of one’s own nature Sankaracharya says this to show that there is something that persists death to negate the position of shunyavadis or rationalists who say nothing exists beyond this body.
सः याति परमां गतिम् - सः एवं याति गच्छति परमां प्रकृष्टां गतिम् - he attains the highest goal of upasana which is kramamukti.
अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः ।
तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः ॥ ८-१४॥
पार्थ! यः अनन्यचेताः माम् सततम् नित्यशः स्मरति, अहम् तस्य नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः सुलभः।
अनन्यचेताः = mind not thinking of anything else, सततम् = at every moment, यः = one who, माम् = Me, स्मरति = remembers, नित्यशः = daily for long time, तस्य योगिनः = of that yogi, अहम् = I, सुलभः = of easy (attainment), पार्थ = O Partha, नित्ययुक्तस्य = ever concentrated
One who remembers Me at every moment daily for a long time, with mind not thinking anything else, for that yogi, who is ever concentrated, I am of easy attainment.
अनन्यचेताः – अनन्य + चेतस्, पुं, प्र, एक
सततम् – अव्ययम्
यः – यद्, पुं, प्र, एक
माम् – अस्मद्, द्वि, एक
स्मरति – स्मृ धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् स्मृ धातुरूपाणि - स्मृ आध्याने - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, एक
नित्यशः – अव्ययम्
तस्य – तद्, पुं, ष, एक
अहम् – अस्मद्, प्र, एक
सुलभः – सुलभ, पुं, प्र, एक
पार्थ – पार्थ, पुं, सं, एक
नित्ययुक्तस्य – नित्य + युक्त, पुं, ष, एक
योगिनः – योगिन्, पुं, ष, एक
अनन्यचेताः न अन्यविषये चेतः यस्य सोऽयम् अनन्यचेताः योगी सततं सर्वदा यः मां परमेश्वरं स्मरति नित्यशः। सततम् इति नैरन्तर्यम् उच्यते नित्यशः इति दीर्घकालत्वम् उच्यते। न षण्मासं संवत्सरं वा किं तर्हि यावज्जीवं नैरन्तर्येण यः मां स्मरतीत्यर्थः। तस्य योगिनः अहं सुलभः सुखेन लभ्यः हे पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य सदा समाहितचित्तस्य योगिनः। यतः एवम् अतः अनन्यचेताः सन् मयि सदा समाहितः भवेत्।।तव सौलभ्येन किं स्यात् इत्युच्यते श्रृणु तत् मम सौलभ्येन यत् भवति --,
For that yogi, whose mind is not directed toward any other object, he is called अनन्यचेताः (अनन्यचेताः न अन्यविषये चेतः यस्य सोऽयम् अनन्यचेताः योगी). Such a one, who remembers Me, the supreme Lord, constantly (सततं सर्वदा यः मां परमेश्वरं स्मरति नित्यशः). The term सततम् signifies uninterrupted continuity (सततम् इति नैरन्तर्यम् उच्यते), while the term नित्यशः signifies long duration (नित्यशः इति दीर्घकालत्वम् उच्यते) - not for six months or for a year; rather, it means one who remembers Me throughout life (न षण्मासं संवत्सरं वा किं तर्हि यावज्जीवं नैरन्तर्येण यः मां स्मरतीत्यर्थः).
O Pārtha (हे पार्थ), for that yogī, (तस्य योगिनः), whose mind is always collected and absorbed (नित्ययुक्तस्य सदा समाहितचित्तस्य योगिनः), I am easily attainable (अहं सुलभः सुखेन लभ्यः). Because this is so, therefore, being अनन्यचेताः, one should remain always absorbed in Me (यतः एवम् अतः अनन्यचेताः सन् मयि सदा समाहितः भवेत्).
What then results from this ease of attaining Me? Hear that — what comes about through My easy attainability (तव सौलभ्येन किं स्यात् इत्युच्यते श्रृणु तत् मम सौलभ्येन यत् भवति —).
Notes
Bhagavan has given these instructions of upasana till now:
Meditate on Ishvara whose nature has been described using OM as alambana
Use ashtanga-yoga practices for focus on Bhagavan and reduction of distractions on things of the world
This upasana must be done during death to attain Bhagavan. But to do this automatically at death, because conscious control is not possible then, one must have done these practices throughout life. If done so, Bhagavan is guaranteeing in this verse that attaining Bhagavan is certain to happen. To make this upasana practice automatic, it needs to go deep to the subconscious level with long daily practice. For that a person must first have intense love for Bhagavan given as:
अनन्यचेताः न अन्यविषये चेतः यस्य सोऽयम् अनन्यचेताः one whose mind is not directed toward any other object, nothing else other than Bhagavan interests this person. This is intense love for Bhagavan.
And what does such a person who loves Bhagavan intensely do? One who loves something always thinks of that - be it a person or an object. Here too, this person with that intense love for Bhagavan, does the upasana of Ishvara (मां परमेश्वरं स्मरति). How long should it be done in a day and for how many days? That’s given by two words: सततम् and नित्यशः.
सततम् सततम् इति नैरन्तर्यम् उच्यते - सततम् is said to be uninterrupted continuity.
नित्यशः नित्यशः इति दीर्घकालत्वम् उच्यते - नित्यशः is said to be for long time. How long? न षण्मासं संवत्सरं वा किं तर्हि यावज्जीवं नैरन्तर्येण not for six months or for a year; rather, it means throughout life
In Patanjali’s Yogasutras also such a phrase comes: स तु दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमि : ।। 14 ।। But that practice becomes firm only when done with love for long duration continuously.
तस्य योगिनः अहं सुलभः सुखेन लभ्यः - for such a yogi, I’m easily attainable.
The word yogi here means upasaka who is using OMkara as alambana and ashtanga yoga for control of mind and focus on Bhagavan.
This verse is an elaboration of verse 8.7 where Bhagavan asked to remember Him always and do your duty as a grihastha. But in the next ashrama, one can do such an upasana as a full-time commitment with no hindrances of duties and responsibilities. The next ashrama, sannyasa, even such upasana is also up and sravana-manana-nididhyasana as jnana-yoga is practised.
Bhagavan says such an upasaka, with such love for Bhagavan and dedicated practice attains Him. What happens in attaining Him? It is stated in the next verse that attaining Bhagavan means krama-mukti.
मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम् ।
नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः ॥ ८-१५॥
संसिद्धिम् परमाम् गताः महात्मानः माम् उपेत्य दुःखालयम् अशाश्वतम् पुनर्जन्म न आप्नुवन्ति ।
माम् = Me, उपेत्य = having reached, पुनर्जन्म = rebirth, दुःखालयम् = abode of sorrow, अशाश्वतम् = impermanent, न = do not, आप्नुवन्ति = attain, महात्मानः = the great personages, संसिद्धिम् = perfection, परमाम् = supreme, गताः = have attained
The great personages who have attained supreme perfection, having reached Me, there is no gaining of rebirth which is an abode of sorrow and impermanent.
माम् – अस्मद्, द्वि, एक
उपेत्य – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - उप + इ + ल्यप् - इण् गतौ - अदादिः - अनिट्
पुनर्जन्म – पुनः + जन्मन्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
दुःखालयम् – दुःख + आलय, पुं, द्वि, एक
अशाश्वतम् – अ + शाश्वत, पुं, द्वि, एक
न – अव्ययम्
आप्नुवन्ति – आप् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - आपॢँ व्याप्तौ - स्वादिः, प्र-पु, बहु
महात्मानः – महात्मन्, पुं, प्र, बहु
संसिद्धिम् – संसिद्धि, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
परमाम् – परमा, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
गताः – गत, पुं, प्र, बहु, कृदन्तरूपाणि - गम् + क्त - गमॢँ गतौ - भ्वादिः - अनिट्
माम् उपेत्य माम् ईश्वरम् उपेत्य मद्भावमापद्य पुनर्जन्म पुनरुत्पत्तिं नाप्नुवन्ति न प्राप्नुवन्ति। किं विशिष्टं पुनर्जन्म न प्राप्नुवन्ति इति तद्विशेषणमाह -- दुःखालयं दुःखानाम् आध्यात्मिकादीनां आलयम् आश्रयम् आलीयन्ते यस्मिन् दुःखानि इति दुःखालयं जन्म। न केवलं दुःखालयम् अशाश्वतम् अनवस्थितस्वरूपं च। नाप्नुवन्ति ईदृशं पुनर्जन्म महात्मानः यतयः संसिद्धिं मोक्षाख्यां परमां प्रकृष्टां गताः प्राप्ताः। ये पुनः मां न प्राप्नुवन्ति ते पुनः आवर्तन्ते।।किं पुनः त्वत्तः अन्यत् प्राप्ताः पुनरावर्तन्ते इति उच्यते --,
Having attained Me, the Lord, having entered into My own being (माम् उपेत्य माम् ईश्वरम् उपेत्य मद्भावम् आपद्य), they do not obtain rebirth (पुनर्जन्म पुनरुत्पत्तिं नाप्नुवन्ति न प्राप्नुवन्ति).
What kind of rebirth is it that they do not attain, that specification he says (किं विशिष्टं पुनर्जन्म न प्राप्नुवन्ति इति तद्विशेषणमाह). A repository in which sufferings such as those that are internal and the rest abide is दुःखालयं - a birth which is दुःखालयं (दुःखालयं दुःखानाम् आध्यात्मिकादीनां आलयम् आश्रयम् आलीयन्ते यस्मिन् दुःखानि इति दुःखालयं जन्म).
Not only is it a dwelling of sorrow, it is also unstable in its very nature (न केवलं दुःखालयम् अशाश्वतम् अनवस्थितस्वरूपं च). Such a rebirth (ईदृशं पुनर्जन्म), those striving ascetics (महात्मानः यतयः), who have reached the supreme perfection called liberation (संसिद्धिं मोक्षाख्यां परमां प्रकृष्टां गताः प्राप्ताः), do not attain (नाप्नुवन्ति).
But those who do not attain Me, they return again, they revolve once more in saṃsāra (ये पुनः मां न प्राप्नुवन्ति ते पुनः आवर्तन्ते).
Who are those others, different from you, who, having attained something else, still return, this is now stated (किं पुनः त्वत्तः अन्यत् प्राप्ताः पुनरावर्तन्ते इति उच्यते —).
Notes
The previous verse stated that the yogi who is अनन्यचेताः (desires nothing else) and सततं नित्यशः मां स्मरति (every moment for the rest of the life remembers Me) will attain Bhagavan after death. Now what that attainment means is described in this verse.
माम् उपेत्य माम् ईश्वरम् उपेत्य मद्भावमापद्य - Having attained Me, the Lord, having entered into My own being. मद्भावमापद्य means oneness between Ishvara and upasaka. The upasaka of Ishvara, retaining the individuality, sees Himself as the totality like Virat or Hiranyagarbha. Such an upasana, where the individuality itself is seen as totality (of gross or subtle realms), is called ahangrahopasana and an upasaka who performs such ahangrahopasana alone is qualified to go to Brahmaloka to attain krama-mukti there where that individuality is dissolved and oneness with Ishvara is realised.
पुनर्जन्म नाप्नुवन्ति पुनरुत्पत्तिं न प्राप्नुवन्ति doesn’t attain rebirth. This ahangrahopasaka, therefore, leaves behind all other 13 lokas of brahmanda, specifically the bhu-loka, implying no more birth.
Rebirth in other lokas has been described by Bhagavan Himself in this way:
दुःखालयं दुःखानाम् आध्यात्मिकादीनां आलयम् आश्रयम् आलीयन्ते यस्मिन् दुःखानि इति दुःखालयं जन्म A repository in which sufferings such as those that are internal and the rest abide is दुःखालयं - a birth which is दुःखालयं. Rebirth in all lokas is said to be being born into such a state characterised by presence of three kinds of sorrows: आध्यात्मिक - from oneself (body and mind), आधिभौतिक (from other beings), आधिदैविक (from natural calamities). No one can avoid these - even jnanis, although they may not see it as sorrowful situations for oneself. But even when there are good times, there is a lurking fear of that state not lasting long and hence it is not a state of happiness either. Even after the moments of happiness, the very fact of its absence feels like sorrow. And the addiction to such happiness through object enjoyment will not be quenched by enough object enjoyment. So sorrow is always the outcome regardless of whether there is happiness or not.
अशाश्वतम् अनवस्थितस्वरूपं च - and it is the nature of instability. Why is life unstable? Because it changes all the time - good times become bad and bad times become good. This instability itself makes someone worried who looks for assurance and surety.
महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः - महात्मानः यतयः संसिद्धिं मोक्षाख्यां परमां प्रकृष्टां गताः प्राप्ताः Those striving ascetics, who have reached the supreme perfection called liberation. These people will not get re-birth. Here it is assumed that the uapsaka goes to Brahmaloka after death to attain krama-mukti.
The next verse talks about those upasakas who do not go through this path of krama-mukti.
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन ।
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ॥ ८-१६॥
अर्जुन! आब्रह्मभुवनात् लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनः । कौन्तेय! माम् उपेत्य तु पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते।
आब्रह्मभुवनात् = together with the world of Brahma, लोकाः = the worlds, पुनरावर्तिनः = subject to return, अर्जुन = O Arjuna, माम् = Me, उपेत्य = having attained, तु = but, कौन्तेय = O Kaunteya, पुनर्जन्म = rebirth, न = does not, विद्यते = exist
All the worlds together with the world of Brahma are subject to return, O Arjuna. But having attained me, O Kaunteya, there is no rebirth.
आब्रह्मभुवनात् – आ + ब्रह्मभुवन, नपुं, प, एक
लोकाः – लोक, पुं, प्र, बहु
पुनरावर्तिनः – पुनरावर्तिन्, पुं, प्र, बहु
अर्जुन – अर्जुन, पुं, सं, एक
माम् – अस्मद्, द्वि, एक
उपेत्य – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - उप + इ + ल्यप् - इण् गतौ - अदादिः - अनिट्
तु – अव्ययम्
कौन्तेय – कौन्तेय, पुं, सं, एक
पुनर्जन्म – पुनः + जन्मन्, नपुं, प्र, एक
न – अव्ययम्
विद्यते – विद् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः आत्मने पदम् - विदँ सत्तायाम् - दिवादिः, प्र-पु, एक
आ ब्रह्मभुवनात् भवन्ति अस्मिन् भूतानि इति भुवनम् ब्रह्मणो भुवनं ब्रह्मभुवनम् ब्रह्मलोक इत्यर्थः आ ब्रह्मभुवनात् सह ब्रह्मभुवनेन लोकाः सर्वे पुनरावर्तिनः पुनरावर्तनस्वभावाः हे अर्जुन। माम् एकम् उपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म पुनरुत्पत्तिः न विद्यते।।ब्रह्मलोकसहिताः लोकाः कस्मात् पुनरावर्तिनः कालपरिच्छिन्नत्वात्। कथम्
All the worlds (लोकाः सर्वे), including the world of Brahmā (आ ब्रह्मभुवनात् सह ब्रह्मभुवनेन), have the nature of subject to return (पुनरावर्तिनः पुनरावर्तनस्वभावाः), O Arjuna (हे अर्जुन). The word ‘world’ (भुवनम्) means that in which beings exist (भवन्ति अस्मिन् भूतानि इति भुवनम्); the world of Brahmā (ब्रह्मभुवनम्) means the realm of Brahmā (ब्रह्मणः भुवनं ब्रह्मभुवनम्), that is, Brahmaloka (ब्रह्मलोक इत्यर्थः). Even up to Brahmaloka (आ ब्रह्मभुवनात्), all worlds are subject to return. But (तु), having attained Me alone (माम् एकम् उपेत्य), O son of Kuntī (कौन्तेय), there is no rebirth (पुनर्जन्म पुनरुत्पत्तिः न विद्यते). The worlds including Brahmaloka are subject to return (ब्रह्मलोकसहिताः लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनः) because they are limited by time (कालपरिच्छिन्नत्वात्). How (कथम्)?
Notes
Those who do not attain Ishvara, in other words, those who are not अनन्यचेताः, and therefore, have not done सततम् नित्यशः स्मरति as described in the previous verse, those upasakas who seek enjoyment from the objects of the world or hereafter, what happens to them is stated in this verse.
कर्मणा पितृलोकः विद्यया देवलोकः (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.5.16) - If sakaami have done only karma they will attain pitrloka - bhuvarloka and svargaloka, and If they perform vidyā (upāsanā, which is a contemplative discipline distinct from karma, though sometimes associated with it), they will attain higher worlds including Brahmaloka such as the performers of पञ्चाग्नि and त्रिणाचिकेताः.
What is भुवनम्? भवन्ति अस्मिन् भूतानि इति भुवनम् - भुवनम् means that world in which beings exist. All fourteen worlds of a brahmanda are भुवन.
ब्रह्मभुवनम् - ब्रह्मणः भुवनम् - the realm of ब्रह्मा or also called ब्रह्मलोक.
This verse states आब्रह्मभुवनात् - the prefix आङ् is used in two ways based on whether to include or exclude the limit it specifies:
मर्याद-अर्थः - exclusion
अभिविधि-अर्थः - inclusion
So in this verse does आब्रह्मभुवनम् include or exclude ब्रह्मलोक? Sankaracharya states that it includes brahmaloka also in the perishable category for a sakaama-upasaka - he states सह ब्रह्मभुवनेन - along with Brahmaloka. Why are all these worlds perishable?
Mundakopanishad (1.2.7) states:
प्लवा ह्येते अदृढा यज्ञरूपा
अष्टादशोक्तम् अवरं येषु कर्म ।
एतच्छ्रेयो येऽभिनन्दन्ति मूढाः
जरामृत्युं ते पुनरेवापियन्ति ॥
These sacrificial rites (yajñas), which are of the nature of fragile boats and are declared as eighteenfold, are inferior. Those deluded ones who regard them as the highest good, again return to old age and death.
These higher worlds attained due to karma and upasana by a sakaami are perishable worlds:
A karmi can be a dweller in svarga as long as the punya attained through that karma lasts. This has been presented in verse 9.21 (ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति) and Mundakopanishad 1.2.7 (पुनरेवापियन्ति) given above. Once that punya accrued through karma exhausts, the jiva returns to cycles of birth and death again.
In the case of an upāsaka who attains Brahma-loka, if right knowledge does not arise there, then rebirth is inevitable. Even Brahma-loka is perishable, and when it resolves at the end of Brahmā’s lifespan, those who have not gained Self-knowledge return to saṃsāra in the next cycle of creation.
Hence, both:
a sākāma-karmi returning from svarga upon exhaustion of puṇya, and
a sākāma-upāsaka returning from Brahma-loka due to absence of knowledge
are subject to repeated birth and death.
However, if an upāsaka gains Self-knowledge in Brahma-loka, then there is no return. Such a person attains liberation, described as krama-mukti.
Thus, the decisive factor is not merely the practice (karma or upāsanā), but whether knowledge arises in Brahmaloka.
We will quote some excerpts from various translators on this subject.
Madhusudana Saraswati:
ब्रह्मलोकेन सह सर्वेऽपि लोका मद्विमुखानामसम्यग्दर्शिनां भोगभूमयः पुनरावर्तिनः पुनरावर्तनशीलाः For those turned away from Īśvara / without right knowledge, all lokas (including Brahma-loka) are places of enjoyment and return
ये क्रममुक्तिफलाभिरुपासनाभिर्ब्रह्मलोकं प्राप्तास्तेषामेव तत्रोत्पन्नसम्यग्दर्शनानां ब्रह्मणा सह मोक्षः।
Those who reach Brahma-loka through upāsanā that leads to krama-mukti, and gain right knowledge there → attain mokṣa
येतु पञ्चाग्निविद्यादिभिरतत्क्रतवोऽपि तत्र गतास्तेषामवश्यंभावि पुनर्जन्म।
But those who, by means of the Pañcāgni-vidyā and similar (practices), even though they are not of that (i.e., not possessing that specific meditation/resolve), have gone there (to Brahma-loka)—for them, rebirth is inevitable.
Sridhara Swami:
य एवं क्रममुक्तिफलाभिरुपासनाभिर्ब्रह्मलोकं प्राप्तास्तेषामेव तत्रोत्पन्नज्ञानानां ब्रह्मणा सह मोक्षो नान्येषाम्।
But those who, through upāsanās whose result is gradual liberation (krama-mukti), reach Brahma-loka—only for them, when true knowledge arises there, there is liberation along with Brahmā, not for others.
तथाचब्रह्मणा सह ते सर्वे संप्राप्ते प्रतिसंचरे। परस्यान्ते कृतात्मानः प्रविशन्ति परं पदम्।
At the end of Brahmā’s full lifespan, those whose minds have become identified with Brahman attain that state.
परस्यान्ते ब्रह्मणः परमायुषोऽन्ते कृतात्मानो ब्रह्मभावापादितमनोवृत्तयः कर्मद्वारेण येषां ब्रह्मलोकप्राप्तिस्तेषां न मोक्ष इति परिनिष्ठितिः।
At the end of Brahmā’s full lifespan, those whose minds have become identified with Brahman attain that state. However, for those whose attainment of Brahma-loka is through karma (as the means), there is no liberation—this is the settled conclusion.
Dhanpati:
ब्रह्मलोकं गता अपि ये अश्वमेधादिकर्मणा विगतापापत्वातस्वच्छतामापन्नास्तत्र गतास्ते पुनरावर्तन्ते।
Even those who have gone to Brahma-loka—having reached there through rites such as the Aśvamedha, and having become purified (free from sin)—they return again.
ये तु मत्संबन्धिहिरण्यगर्भाद्युपासकास्ते तत्रोत्पन्नसम्यग्दर्शनाः न पुनरावर्तन्ते इति व्यवस्थां सूचयति।
But those who are meditators on Hiranyagarbha and the like, connected with Me—when right knowledge arises there (in Brahma-loka), they do not return; thus, this distinction is indicated.
Neelakantha:
ये क्रममुक्तिफलाभिर्दहरादिविद्याभिर्ब्रह्मलोकं गतास्ते तत्रैव ज्ञानं प्राप्य ब्रह्मणा सह मुच्यन्ते।
Those who, through upāsanās such as Dahara-vidyā—which yield gradual liberation (krama-mukti)—have reached Brahma-loka, they, attaining knowledge there itself, are liberated along with Brahmā.
येतु पञ्चाग्निविद्याभिर्ब्रह्मलोकं गतास्तेऽनुपासितपरमेश्वराः पुनरावर्तन्त इति।
But those who, through Pañcāgni-vidyā, have reached Brahma-loka—being ones who have not meditated upon the Supreme Lord—they return again.
Upāsanās that lead to Brahma-loka include practices such as Pañcāgni-vidyā (as stated by Madhusudana Saraswati and Neelakantha) and other meditations; even Vedic rituals like Aśvamedha, when accompanied by appropriate contemplative elements (as indicated by Dhanapati), lead to attainment of Brahma-loka. However, those who reach Brahma-loka through such means—being devoid of the specific Brahman-oriented upāsanā and the resultant knowledge—do return to saṃsāra, as explicitly stated by these commentators.
In contrast, upāsanās such as Dahara-vidyā, which are oriented toward Brahman/Īśvara, lead to krama-mukti, in which the upāsaka reaches Brahma-loka and becomes qualified for the rise of Self-knowledge there. In this context, the upāsaka is said to identify with Hiraṇyagarbha (as in ahaṅgraha-upāsanā), and upon the rise of Self-knowledge in Brahma-loka, the jīva is no longer identified with Hiraṇyagarbha as a distinct entity. Final liberation is described as occurring along with Brahmā at the end of his lifespan, where there is no further return to saṃsāra.
कौन्तेय मामुपेत्य तु पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते - By attaining Īśvara, there is no more birth. This indicates that one who truly attains the Supreme (through knowledge) is free from rebirth. In this context, a niṣkāma-upāsaka, who seeks Īśvara alone, reaches Brahma-loka and becomes qualified for krama-mukti there, where Self-knowledge arises. This reiterates the earlier verse: “मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म न आप्नुवन्ति.” Thus, when there is exclusive devotion to Īśvara, without desire for worldly or heavenly enjoyments, the upāsaka reaches Brahma-loka and gains Self-knowledge there, leading to liberation (krama-mukti).
Note that Bhagavad Gita 8.24 describes śukla-gati—the path through various stages (archis, ahaḥ, etc.) by which an upāsaka reaches Brahma-loka, generally associated with non-return when knowledge arises there. Verse 8.25 describes kṛṣṇa-gati, wherein a sākāma-karmi reaches svarga-loka and returns upon exhaustion of karma-phala.
Those who reach Brahma-loka but do not gain Self-knowledge are not explicitly assigned a separate gati for their return in śāstra. Their eventual return is therefore understood (इत्यनुमीयते) to occur upon the dissolution of Brahma-loka, unlike the return in kṛṣṇa-gati, which occurs within the same cycle due to exhaustion of merit. Such upāsakas travel through śukla-gati to reach Brahma-loka, but, in the absence of knowledge, return to saṃsāra in a subsequent cycle.
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद् ब्रह्मणो विदुः ।
रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः ॥ ८-१७॥
ते अहोरात्रविदः जनाः यत् ब्रह्मणः सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तम् अहः युगसहस्रान्ताम् रात्रिम् (च) विदुः।
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तम् = ends in thousand caturyugas, अहः = day, यत् = which, ब्रह्मणः = of Brahma, विदुः = knowers, रात्रिम् = night, युगसहस्रान्ताम् = ends in thousand caturyugas, ते = those, अहोरात्रविदः = knowers of day and night, जनाः = people
Those people, who are knowers of day and night, know (that) which is a day of Brahma ending in thousand chaturyugas and a night ending in thousand chaturyugas.
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तम् – सहस्र + युग + पर्यन्त, नपुं, द्वि, एक
अहः – अहन्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
यत् – यद्, नपुं, प्र, एक
ब्रह्मणः – ब्रह्मन्, पुं, ष, एक
विदुः – विद् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - विदँ ज्ञाने - अदादिः, प्र-पु, बहु
रात्रिम् – रात्रि, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
युगसहस्रान्ताम् – युग + सहस्र + अन्ता, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
ते – तद्, पुं, प्र, बहु
अहोरात्रविदः – अहोरात्र + विद्, पुं, प्र, बहु
जनाः – जन, पुं, प्र, बहु
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तं सहस्राणि युगानि पर्यन्तः पर्यवसानं यस्य अह्नः तत् अहः सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तम् ब्रह्मणः प्रजापतेः विराजः विदुः रात्रिम् अपि युगसहस्रान्तां अहःपरिमाणामेव। के विदुरित्याह -- ते अहोरात्रविदः कालसंख्याविदो जनाः इत्यर्थः। यतः एवं कालपरिच्छिन्नाः ते अतः पुनरावर्तिनो लोकाः।।प्रजापतेः अहनि यत् भवति रात्रौ च तत् उच्यते
That which spans thousand (catur)yugas is सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तम् (सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तं सहस्राणि युगानि पर्यन्तः पर्यवसानं यस्य). One such सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तम् day is a day of Hiranyagarbha or Prajapati or Virat (अह्नः तत् अहः सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तम् ब्रह्मणः प्रजापतेः विराजः). The night also lasts for the same measure as a day - thousand (catur)yugas (रात्रिम् अपि युगसहस्रान्तां अहःपरिमाणामेव). Who knows (this)? He says (के विदुरित्याह). Those people who understand the day and night—versed in time and its counting—know, this is the meaning (विदुः ते अहोरात्रविदः कालसंख्याविदो जनाः इत्यर्थः). Because of temporal limitation this way, therefore, the worlds are subject to return (यतः एवं कालपरिच्छिन्नाः ते अतः पुनरावर्तिनो लोकाः).
That which comes into being during the day of Prajapati and dissolves during his night—is said (प्रजापतेः अहनि यत् भवति रात्रौ च तत् उच्यते).
Notes
This verse shows even Hiranyagarbaha or Brahma, the Highest manifestation, is limited in time. Hence the world of Brahma itself is perishable as stated in previous verse.
The verse simply describes one day of Brahma (12 Brahma-hours = 1 kalpa) as the same as one night of Brahma (12 Brahma-hours = 1 kalpa). In other words, 24 Brahma-hours = 2 kalpa. By simply stating a day and night of Brahma, this verse indicates even Brahma’s lifespan is limited and so is the world of Brahma. Therefore, a jiva going to Brahmaloka through upasana to enjoy there - will have to come back once their punya is over (verse 9.21) or when Brahma’s life itself is over as mentioned in this verse.
Who knows this duration of Brahma’s day? There are people who have the ability to have this vision of lifespan of entities of much larger timespan than human life. Thus these numbers need to be accepted on faith,
The following is given in notes of verse 4.1 also.
Life of Brahma = 100 Brahma years
1 Brahma year = 360 Brahma days and nights
1 Brahma day and night = 24 Brahma hours = 2 kalpa
1 kalpa = 12 Brahma hours = 1 Brahma day = 1 Brahma night
1 kalpa = 1000 mahayugas (caturyugas) = 14 Manvantaras + 15 Sandhyas (intermediate periods of dawn/dusk)
1 Sandhya = 1 Satya Yuga duration
Yugas timespan ratio, Satya : Treta : Dvapara : Kali = 4 : 3 : 2 : 1
1 Caturyuga = 10 kali yugas
1 Yuga = Main-phase + 1 Sandhya (dawn) + 1 Sandhyamsa (dusk)
1 Sandhya of yuga = 1 Sandhyamsa of yuga = 10% of the main-phase of that Yuga
You have to now fit in human years somewhere. Two sources from scriptures:
1 kalpa = 4.32 billion human years
1 caturyuga = 4.32 million human years
Now, you can calculate all cosmological units of time in human years. Use any one of the above, the other one follows.
Time Unit
Definition / Calculation
Duration (Human Years)
Kali Yuga - Given 432,000
Dvapara Yuga = 2 × Kali Yuga 864,000
Treta Yuga = 3 × Kali Yuga 1,296,000
Satya Yuga = 4 × Kali Yuga 1,728,000
Mahāyuga/Caturyuga = 4 Yugas combined 4,320,000
Manvantara = 71 Mahayugas 306,720,000
Manvantara Sandhyā (Interval) = 1 Satya Yuga 1,728,000
Full Manvantara = 1 Manvantara + 1 Sandhyā 308,448,000
14 Manvantaras = 14 × 71 Mahayugas 4,294,080,000
15 Sandhyās = 25,920,000
Kalpa (Brahma Day) = 1000 Mahayugas OR 14 Manvantaras + 15 Sandhyas 4,320,000,000
Brahma Night = 1 Kalpa 4,320,000,000
Brahma Day + Brahma Night = 2 Kalpa 8,640,000,000
1 Brahma Year = 360 Day-Night cycles 3,110,400,000,000
Life of Brahma = 100 Brahma years 311,040,000,000,000
Current time:
Puja sankalpa says - "ब्रह्मणः द्वितीयपरार्धे श्वेतवराहकल्पे वैवस्वत-मन्वन्तरे अष्टाविंशतितमे कलियुगे प्रथमे पादे"
Brahma’s second half of 100 year life - more specifically it is the first day of 51st Brahma year.
This Brahma day or kalpa is called श्वेतवराह.
The Manvantara name is वैवस्वत - which is 7th among the 14 Manvantaras.
In that Manvantara, we are in Kali Yuga of 28th caturyuga. 3102 BC is the starting of Kali Yuga.
Each Yuga has 4 quarters, we are in the first quarter of Kali Yuga.
अव्यक्ताद् व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे ।
रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके ॥ ८-१८॥
अहरागमे अव्यक्तात् व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्ति । रात्र्यागमे तत्र अव्यक्तसंज्ञके एव प्रलीयन्ते।
अव्यक्तात् = from the Unmanifested, व्यक्तयः = the manifested, सर्वाः = all, प्रभवन्ति = come, अहरागमे = in the coming of day, रात्र्यागमे = in the coming of night, प्रलीयन्ते = they merge, तत्र = there, एव = indeed, अव्यक्तसंज्ञके = in what is called the Unmanifested.
On the arrival of the day (of Brahma), all the manifested come from the Unmanifested (Prakriti). On the arrival of the night (of Brahma), they merge there in what is called the Unmanifested (Prakriti) indeed.
अव्यक्तात् – अव्यक्त, पुं, प, एक
व्यक्तयः – व्यक्त, स्त्री, प्र, बहु
सर्वाः – सर्व, स्त्री, प्र, बहु
प्रभवन्ति – प्र + भू धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - भू सत्तायाम् - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, बहु
अहःआगमे – अहः + आगम, पुं, स, एक
रात्र्यागमे – रात्रि + आगम, पुं, स, एक
प्रलीयन्ते – प्र + ली धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः आत्मने पदम्- लीङ् श्लेषणे - दिवादिः, प्र-पु, बहु
तत्र – अव्ययम्
एव – अव्ययम्
अव्यक्तसंज्ञके – अव्यक्त + संज्ञक, पुं, स, एक
अव्यक्तात् अव्यक्तं प्रजापतेः स्वापावस्था तस्मात् अव्यक्तात् व्यक्तयः व्यज्यन्त इति व्यक्तयः स्थावरजङ्गमलक्षणाः सर्वाः प्रजाः प्रभवन्ति अभिव्यज्यन्ते अह्नः आगमः अहरागमः तस्मिन् अहरागमे काले ब्रह्मणः प्रबोधकाले। तथा रात्र्यागमे ब्रह्मणः स्वापकाले प्रलीयन्ते सर्वाः व्यक्तयः तत्रैव पूर्वोक्ते अव्यक्तसंज्ञके।।अकृताभ्यागमकृतविप्रणाशदोषपरिहारार्थम् बन्धमोक्षशास्त्रप्रवृत्तिसाफल्यप्रदर्शनार्थम् अविद्यादिक्लेशमूलकर्माशयवशाच्च अवशः भूतग्रामः भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते इत्यतः संसारे वैराग्यप्रदर्शनार्थं च इदमाह
The state of sleep of Prajāpati is unmanifest (अव्यक्तात् अव्यक्तं प्रजापतेः स्वापावस्था), from that unmanifest (तस्मात् अव्यक्तात्) all creatures (सर्वाः प्रजाः), characterized as moving and non-moving, appear (व्यक्तयः व्यज्यन्त इति व्यक्तयः स्थावरजङ्गमलक्षणाः प्रभवन्ति अभिव्यज्यन्ते) - the coming of day is अहरागमः - during that अहरागमः, during this day of Brahmā (काले ब्रह्मणः प्रबोधकाले). Similarly, during the night of Brahmā (रात्र्यागमे) in his sleep period (स्वापकाले), all manifested beings ( सर्वाः व्यक्तयः) dissolve (प्रलीयन्ते), as was previously described in the context of the term “unmanifest” (पूर्वोक्ते अव्यक्तसंज्ञके).
This is described to remove the faults (that may arise if one considers jivas to be destroyed with dissolution and created afresh again with creation): destruction of pending karma with dssolution and creation of new karma for jivas (अकृताभ्यागम-कृतविप्रणाश-दोषपरिहारार्थम्), to illustrate the efficacy of scriptures on bondage and liberation (बन्ध-मोक्ष-शास्त्र-प्रवृत्ति-साफल्य-प्रदर्शनार्थम्), and to explain the repeated dissolution of beings forcibly due to the accumulation of past karmic seeds rooted in ignorance and affliction (अविद्यादि-क्लेश-मूलकर्माशयवशाच्च अवशः भूतग्रामः भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते इति). Hence, in the world, this account serves to demonstrate the purpose of renunciation and detachment (अतः संसारे वैराग्यप्रदर्शनार्थं).
Notes
What happens when a kalpa begins or ends - at the end of every 12 Brahma-hours - a day or night of Brahma is given in this verse.
First lets see the 14 lokas that make up a brahmanda (source: wikipedia):
Satyaloka (सत्यलोक): The highest realm, also known as Brahmaloka, where Lord Brahma resides.
Tapoloka (तपलोक): The realm of penance, inhabited by enlightened sages.
Janaloka (जनलोक): The realm where the sons of Brahma and great saints reside.
Maharloka (महर्लोक): The abode of great rishis and spiritual masters who survive the destruction of the lower worlds.
Svarloka (स्वर्गलोक): Often called Svarga or Heaven, ruled by Indra and inhabited by Devas.
Bhuvarloka (भुवर्लोक): The intermediate atmospheric realm between Earth and Heaven.
Bhuloka (भूलोक): The physical plane where humans and other living beings reside (Earth).
Atala (अतल): Ruled by the demon Bala; a realm of worldly pleasures.
Vitala (वितल): Ruled by Lord Shiva in his form as Hara-Bhava, known for its abundance of gold.
Sutala (सुतल): The kingdom of the pious King Bali, guarded by Lord Vishnu.
Talatala (तलातल): The domain of Maya, the great architect and sorcerer.
Mahatala (महातल): The realm of multi-hooded serpent beings known as Nagas.
Rasatala (रसातल): The home of powerful demons like Daityas and Danavas.
Patala (पाताल): The lowest realm, also called Nagaloka, ruled by the serpent king Vasuki.
There are 4 kinds of laya or dissolution experienced by an individual.
Nitya-pralaya: Deep sleep state where the whole subtle and gross realms are dissolved for the individual.
Naimittika-pralaya: Nimitta means a reason or cause and the reason is a day-time of Brahma, 12 Brahma hours, 1 kalpa. Brahma going to sleep implies this dissolution. This is the dissolution of all worlds from svarga to down below up to paataala.
Praakrtika-pralaya: Ultimate dissolution of all creation - all manifested worlds are dissolved into the unmanifest Prakriti. This end of life of Brahma, at the end of 100 Brahma years. All jivas dissolve into Prakriti and in the next creation cycle, under new Brahma, these jivas again come back.
Atynatika-pralaya: This is the ultimate dissolution of all creation with no birth for individual again. This is possible only through Self-knowledge, with awareness that I am Brahman - Existence, Consciousness, Bliss.
This verse from the Bhagavad Gita refers to naimittika-pralaya, the dissolution occurring at the end of a day of Brahmā. Brahmā’s “sleep” signifies not a total destruction but a temporary resolution of the manifest universe into अव्यक्त or Prakriti. Since Hiraṇyagarbha represents the totality of the subtle realm (समष्टि सूक्ष्मोपाधि), when this total subtle upādhi becomes unmanifest (resolved into अवयक्त or Prakriti), all that depends upon it—namely the gross universe and the individual subtle and gross bodies—also becomes resolved into Prakriti. Thus, all beings from Bhūḥ to Svar-loka are withdrawn.
This cosmic condition is analogous to the individual state of deep sleep (सुषुप्ति), wherein the antaḥkaraṇa is resolved and individuality is unmanifest, with no transactional world available, though the causal ignorance (अविद्या) remains. The same antahkarana and individuality emerges once the dream or waking state ensues from the causal state.
Sankaracharya wants to show why jivas are not created anew in the new cycle once dissolved. He gives three reasons:
This is described to remove the faults (that may arise if one considers jivas to be destroyed with dissolution and created afresh again with creation): destruction of pending karma with dssolution and creation of new karma for jivas (अकृताभ्यागम-कृतविप्रणाश-दोषपरिहारार्थम्) -
if due to dissolution, the jivatva is gone, then that implies sancita karma of jivas are lost without having its fruition. This violates law of karma - कृतविप्रणाशदोष. Then jivas will be motivated to do all bad actions as anyway sancita will be nullified at the end of kalpa. This distrubs moral order and therefore the cosmic order.
The other fault is during the next cycle, all jivas must have some karma to begin with to have some differentiation between them. Various bodies and experiences come to a jiva only because of their karma. If jivas are all afresh without karma during the beginning of the creation cycle, then Bhagavan has to add karma to each of them in various ways, that means Bhagavan is being impartial. This is अकृताभ्यागमदोष.
To illustrate the efficacy of scriptures on bondage and liberation (बन्ध-मोक्ष-शास्त्र-प्रवृत्ति-साफल्य-प्रदर्शनार्थम्).
If jivas are destroyed completely anyway at the end of kalpa, then scriptures which talk of sadhana to free oneself from bondage of krama will be rendered useless. This is now avoided thereby establishing the primacy and efficacy of moksha-shastra.
Also those jnanis who got videhamukti can be reborn again as jivas are anyway created afresh.
To show the renunciation in samsara due to repeated dissolution of beings forcibly due to the accumulation of past karmic seeds rooted in ignorance and affliction (अविद्यादि-क्लेश-मूलकर्माशयवशाच्च अवशः भूतग्रामः भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते इति). Since the continuity of jivas is there across cycles, there will be a scope to develop vairagya for object-oriented enjoyment.
भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते ।
रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे ॥ ८-१९॥
पार्थ! (यः) भूतग्रामः (पूर्वस्मिन् कल्पे आसीत्) सः एव अयम् (अहरागमे) भूत्वा भूत्वा रात्र्यागमे (पुनः पुनः) प्रलीयते। अहरागमे (सः) अवशः प्रभवति (एव च) ।
भूतग्रामः = the collection of beings, सः = that, एव = alone, अयम् = this, भूत्वा भूत्वा = having born again and again, प्रलीयते = merge, रात्रि आगमे = in coming of night, अवशः = uncontrolled, पार्थ = O Partha!, प्रभवति = come, अहरागमे = in the coming of day
O Partha! That collection of beings (of the previous cycle) having born again and again (at the arrival of day), merge (again) at the arrival of night. (And that collection of beings) helplessly emerge at the arrival of the day (indeed).
भूतग्रामः – भूत + ग्राम, पुं, प्र, एक
सः – तद्, पुं, प्र, एक
एव – अव्ययम्
अयम् – इदम्, पुं, प्र, एक
भूत्वा – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - भू + क्त्वा - भू सत्तायाम् - भ्वादिः - सेट्
भूत्वा – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - भू + क्त्वा - भू सत्तायाम् - भ्वादिः - सेट्
प्रलीयन्ते – प्र + ली धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः आत्मने पदम्- लीङ् श्लेषणे - दिवादिः, प्र-पु, एक
रात्र्यागमे – रात्रि + आगम, पुं, स, एक
अवशः – अवश, पुं, प्र, एक
पार्थ – पार्थ, पुं, सं, एक
प्रभवति – प्र + भू धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - भू सत्तायाम् - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, एक
अहःआगमे – अहः + आगम, पुं, स, एक
भूतग्रामः भूतसमुदायः स्थावरजङ्गमलक्षणः यः पूर्वस्मिन् कल्पे आसीत् स एव अयं नान्यः। भूत्वा भूत्वा अहरागमे प्रलीयते पुनः पुनः रात्र्यागमे अह्नः क्षये अवशः अस्वतन्त्र एव हे पार्थ प्रभवति जायते अवश एव अहरागमे।।
यत् उपन्यस्तम् अक्षरम् तस्य प्राप्त्युपायो निर्दिष्टः ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म (गीता 8।13) इत्यादिना। अथ इदानीम् अक्षरस्यैव स्वरूपनिर्दिदिक्षया इदम् उच्यते अनेन योगमार्गेण इदं गन्तव्यमिति
That community of beings (सः भूतग्रामः भूतसमुदायः) characterised as moving and non-moving (स्थावरजङ्गमलक्षणः), which existed in the previous kalpa (यः पूर्वस्मिन् कल्पे आसीत्), is this alone; not another (एव अयं नान्यः). Having manifested (भूत्वा भूत्वा) during the day of Brahmā (अहरागमे), it dissolves (प्रलीयते) helplessly indeed (अस्वतन्त्र एव) again at night - day’s dissolution (पुनः पुनः रात्र्यागमे अह्नः क्षये) and arising (प्रभवति जायते) helplessly indeed during Brahmā’s day (अवश एव अहरागमे).
The imperishable which is worshipped (यत् उपन्यस्तम् अक्षरम्), the means to obtain that has been prescribed (तस्य प्राप्त्युपायो निर्दिष्टः): the one-syllable Om is Brahman (ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म, गीता 8.13). Now (अथ इदानीम्), wanting to describe the very nature of the imperishable (अक्षरस्यैव स्वरूपनिर्दिदिक्षया) this is said (इदम् उच्यते): through this path of yoga (अनेन योगमार्गेण) this must be attained (इदं गन्तव्यमिति).
Notes
This verse reiterates what has been stated in previous verse with additional information that there is:
continuity of jivas across the cycles and nothing else (स एव अयम् न अन्यः). Bhagavan also does not create any new jivas. Jiva is anadi - not created.
jivas have no choice in this matter as they are helplessly (अवशः) driven by their karma to be created and dissolved again and again.
The only escape from this cycle is to realise one’s true nature either as jivan-mukti or krama-mukti.
One may get a doubt if jivas are not created anew and if they attain moksha, then jivas will eventually get reduced? Jīvas are not independently existing entities that can be counted at all. Each jīva is nothing but Brahman appearing through the limiting adjunct (उपाधि) of ignorance (अविद्या). This ignorance does not create real multiplicity; rather, it projects an apparent multiplicity without any change in Brahman itself—much like a kaleidoscope presenting varied patterns without altering the underlying reality.
From the empirical standpoint, therefore, jīvas may be regarded as innumerable or effectively infinite, such that the liberation of some does not make any meaningful difference to the total.
Thus, whether one speaks of “many,” “infinite,” or “countless” jīvas, all such descriptions pertain only to the level of appearance (व्यवहार), and not to the absolute (पारमार्थिक) reality.
Sankaracharya connects the next verse this way: The means to worship (upasana) the imperishable (अक्षर Brahman) to obtain it has been prescribed: using the one-syllable Om is Brahman as support (alambana) for the upasana (verse 8.13). The very nature of the imperishable Brahman, which must be attained through this path of yoga, is described in the next few verses.
परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः ।
यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति ॥ ८-२०॥
यः तु तस्मात् अव्यक्तात् परः अन्यः सनातनः अव्यक्तः भावः (अस्ति) सः सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति।
परः = different, तस्मात् अव्यक्तात् = from that Unmanifested (Prakriti), तु = but, भावः = Brahman, अन्यः = distinct, अव्यक्तः = Unmanifested (Brahman), सनातनः = ancient, यः = who, सः = that, सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु = when all beings are destroyed, न = not, विनश्यति = destroyed
But that which is unmanifested eternal Brahman, different and distinct from that Unmanifested (Prakriti), that is not destroyed when all beings are destroyed.
परः – पर, पुं, प्र, एक
तस्मात् – तद्, पुं, पं, एक
तु – अव्ययम्
भावः – भाव, पुं, प्र, एक
अन्यः – अन्य, पुं, प्र, एक
अव्यक्तः – अव्यक्त, पुं, प्र, एक
अव्यक्तात् – अव्यक्त, पुं, पं, एक
सनातनः – सनातन, पुं, प्र, एक
यः – यद्, पुं, प्र, एक
सः – तद्, पुं, प्र, एक
सर्वेषु – सर्व, पुं, स, बहु
भूतेषु – भूत, पुं, स, बहु
नश्यत्सु –,नश्यत्,पुं, स, बहु, कृदन्तरूपाणि - नश् + शतृँ - णशँ अदर्शने - दिवादिः - वेट्
न – अव्ययम्
विनश्यति – वि + नश् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - णशँ अदर्शने - दिवादिः, प्र-पु, एक
परः व्यतिरिक्तः भिन्नः कुतः तस्मात् पूर्वोक्तात्। तु शब्दः अक्षरस्य विवक्षितस्य अव्यक्तात् वैलक्षण्यविशेषणार्थः। भावः अक्षराख्यं परं ब्रह्म। व्यतिरिक्तत्वे सत्यपि सालक्षण्यप्रसङ्गोऽस्तीति तद्विनिवृत्त्यर्थम् आह -- अन्यः इति। अन्यः विलक्षणः। स च अव्यक्तः अनिन्द्रियगोचरः। परस्तस्मात् इत्युक्तम् कस्मात् पुनः परः पूर्वोक्तात् भूतग्रामबीजभूतात् अविद्यालक्षणात् अव्यक्तात्। अन्यः विलक्षणः भावः इत्यभिप्रायः। सनातनः चिरन्तनः यः सः भावः सर्वेषु भूतेषु ब्रह्मादिषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति।।
The supreme (परः) is different (व्यतिरिक्तः भिन्नः). From what? (कुतः). From that (Unmanifest Prakriti) which was stated earlier (तस्मात् पूर्वोक्तात्). The word तु (तु शब्दः) indicates the sense of distinction (वैलक्षण्यविशेषणार्थः) of the Imperishable (Brahman) (अक्षरस्य) that will be spoken of (विवक्षितस्य) from the unmanifest (Prakriti) (अव्यक्तात्). The word भावः (भावः) is the Supreme Brahman which is called अक्षर (अक्षराख्यं परं ब्रह्म). In differentiation (व्यतिरिक्तत्वे), there can still be similarity (सालक्षण्यप्रसङ्गोऽस्तीति). For negating that (possibility) (तद्विनिवृत्त्यर्थम्) the (Lord) says the “other” (आह -- अन्यः इति). This “other” (अन्यः) means distinction (विलक्षणः). And that unmanifest (स च अव्यक्तः) is beyond sense perception (अनिन्द्रियगोचरः). It is said: (अक्षर Brahman) is different from that (अव्यक्त Prakriti) (परस्तस्मात् इत्युक्तम्). From what again (कस्मात् पुनः)? From the aforesaid Unmanifest (Prakriti) (पूर्वोक्तात् अव्यक्तात्) which is the seed of the multitude of beings (भूतग्रामबीजभूतात्) marked with ignorance (अविद्यालक्षणात्). The meaning intended (अभिप्रायः) is that Brahman (भावः) is distinct (अन्यः विलक्षणः). Brahman is that which is (यः सः भावः) eternal (सनातनः चिरन्तनः) and which is not destroyed (न विनश्यति) when all beings such as Brahma, etc. are destroyed (सर्वेषु भूतेषु ब्रह्मादिषु नश्यत्सु).
Notes
This verse mentions that there is Reality (Brahman) which is different from the Unmanifest Prakriti and this Reality is unaffected by this merging and dissolution of beings (भूतग्राम) ino Prakriti.
भावः अक्षराख्यं परं ब्रह्म - भावः is Supreme Brahman which was called अक्षर - the Imperishable earlier (verse 8.3). सर्वदा अस्ति इति भावः - that which is ever there - Brahman. Note that this word भाव is used in the same context in verse 2.16 also. But in verse 7.13 it is used in the context of state of mind based on the three gunas.
The word अव्यक्त appears twice in this verse: तस्मात् अव्यक्तात् - from that Unmanifested. सनातनः अव्यक्तः - the eternal Unmanifested. The word अव्यक्त in the phrase तस्मात् अव्यक्तात् refers to Prakriti: Sankaracharya says तस्मात् is पूर्वोक्तात् referring to verse 8.18 where अव्यक्त was meant Prakriti. The word अव्यक्त in सनातनः अव्यक्तः refers to भावः which is Brahman. Moreover, the word सनातनः ais used only for Brahman not Maya - therefore, अव्यक्त in सनातनः अव्यक्तः is Brahman. In other words, this verse compares two different entities Prakriti/Maya and Brahman which are both denoted as अव्यक्त.
Similarly the word अक्षर, which means Imperishable, is used for both, but in this chapter, it is used for Brahman - that's why the chapter name also is अक्षर-ब्रह्म.
The two words परः and अन्यः in this verse are similar but convey a slightly different meaning. The first word परः implies Brahman is different from Prakriti - तस्मात् अव्यक्तात् परः व्यतिरिक्तः भिन्नः different from that Unmanifested (Prakriti). But something can be different from an entity and yet may be exactly similar to that entity - like two objects of the same kind. To remove that commonness of class जाति - the second word अन्यः is used in the context that Brahman is not just different from Prakriti but also its nature is distinct from it.
Brahman being different and distinct from Prakriti implies Brahman is the substratum and Prakriti is a superimposition and dependent on Brahman. Thus even though all emergence and dissolution of all creation including the multitude of living beings भूतग्राम happens from and into Prakriti, Brahman is unaffected. The analogy is: the rope that appears as a snake is unaffected by whatever seems to happen to the snake.
अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम् ।
यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥ ८-२१॥
(यः) अव्यक्तः अक्षरः इति उक्तः तम् परमाम् गतिम् आहुः यम् प्राप्य (लोकाः) न निवर्तन्ते तत् मम परमम् धाम (अस्ति) ।
अव्यक्तः = Unmanifested, अक्षरः = Imperishable, इति = thus, उक्तः = is said, तम् = that, आहुः = they say, परमाम् गतिम् = supreme goal, यम् = which, प्राप्य = having attained, न = not, निवर्तन्ते = they return, तद्धाम = that abode, परमम् = supreme, मम = my
Thus that unmanifested, which is imperishable (Brahman), and that they call the supreme goal. Having attained my supreme abode, they don’t return.
अव्यक्तः – अव्यक्त, पुं, प्र, एक
अक्षरः – अक्षर, पुं, प्र, एक
इति – अव्ययम्
उक्तः – उक्त, पुं, प्र, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - वच् + क्त - वचँ परिभाषणे - अदादिः - अनिट्
तम् – तद्, पुं, द्वि, एक
आहुः – ब्रू धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - ब्रूञ् व्यक्तायां वाचि - अदादिः, प्र-पु, बहु
परमाम् – परमा, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
गतिम् – गति, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
यम् – यद्, पुं, द्वि, एक
प्राप्य – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - प्र + आप् + ल्यप् - आपॢँ लम्भने - चुरादिः
न – अव्ययम्
निवर्तन्ते – नि + वृत् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः आत्मने पदम् - वृतुँ वर्तने - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, बहु
तत् – तद्, नपुं, प्र, एक
धाम – धामन्, नपुं, प्र, एक
परम् – पर, नपुं, प्र, एक
मम – अस्मद्, ष, एक
योऽसौ अव्यक्तः अक्षरः इत्युक्तः तमेव अक्षरसंज्ञकम् अव्यक्तं भावम् आहुः परमां प्रकृष्टां गतिम्। यं परं भावं प्राप्य गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते संसाराय तत् धाम स्थानं परमं प्रकृष्टं मम विष्णोः परमं पदमित्यर्थः।।तल्लब्धेः उपायः उच्यते
That which is said as unmanifest and imperishable (योऽसौ अव्यक्तः अक्षरः इत्युक्तः) that alone (तमेव) is named the imperishable (अक्षरः अक्षरसंज्ञकम्) and the unmanifest pure existence (अव्यक्तं भावम्). (They) say that is the supreme (आहुः परमां) and the highest goal (प्रकृष्टां गतिम्). Having realised (attained) that pure existence (as one’s true nature) (यं परं भावं प्राप्य), beings do not return to worldly existence (न निवर्तन्ते संसाराय). That abode (धाम स्थानं) is the supreme (परमं प्रकृष्टं) my, Vishnu’s, supreme destination (मम विष्णोः परमं पदम्).
The means of attaining it (तल्लब्धेः उपायः) is then prescribed.
Notes
This verse gives the destination of jnanis as a contrast to the destination of ajnanis or भूतग्राम given in verses 18 and 19 - who are released and absorbed from and into Prakriti, respectively.
The previous verse connected the word अव्यक्त with भाव while this verse connects अव्यक्त with अक्षर. भाव means that which is ever there (Existence) while अक्षर is Imperishable - both refering to Brahman. Both are said as Unmanifested अव्यक्त.
परमां प्रकृष्टां गतिम् the highest goal - This attainment of the unmanifest, imperishable, ever-present Brahman alone (यम् प्राप्य) is declared in the Bhagavad Gita to be the highest goal (परमां प्रकृष्टां गतिम्). Why so?
First, the word “attainment” (प्राप्ति) here is not to be understood as a physical or real acquisition, as in the case of objects that are previously unattained (अप्राप्तस्य प्राप्तिः). For Brahman is not an object separate from oneself, nor is it something newly produced. Being one’s very nature, it is ever-attained. Therefore, this “attainment” is only figurative, referring to the recognition of an already accomplished fact (प्राप्तस्य प्राप्तिः). It is the clear knowledge in the form of the immediate awareness, “I am Brahman,” which arises through the removal of ignorance (अज्ञान-निवृत्ति). Thus, no real change, transformation, or gaining of possession takes place; only a false notion is sublated.
Next, the effect of such “attainment” is indicated by “न निवर्तन्ते” — there is no return. This does not merely mean absence of travel to another place, but the cessation of the very notion of individuality that is born of identification with body, mind, and other superimposed attributes. With the rise of the knowledge “I am Brahman,” the ignorance that gave rise to the cycle of birth and death is destroyed. Consequently, there is no further coming and going as an individual (जीव), since the basis for such transmigration—self-ignorance—no longer exists. Nor can that ignorance reassert itself, for true knowledge, once arisen, is not sublated by any other means of knowledge. Thus, “no return” signifies freedom from saṁsāra in an absolute sense.
Therefore, this goal is called the highest (परमा गति) not as the best among many comparable attainments, but because it is incomparable (अनुपमेय) to any other goals. This incomparability of the result of the attainment of the goal with any other goals is being said as highest.
All other goals sought as an individual are:
Products of action,
Result is limited in scope,
Subject to decay,
Maintains the realm of duality - the awareness of “I am individual” which is ignorance and the root for all such goals.
In contrast, this attainment of awareness of “I am Brahman” is:
Not a product of action as nothing new is produced,
Once attained is not subject to loss,
and not an object distinct from the self.
Sublates all other pursuits and is never sublated in turn.
Hence, by virtue of its absolute nature, irreversibility, and freedom from all limitations, it is termed the supreme goal - that word supreme denotes uniqueness and incomparability with any other goal, not as the best among many.
Bhagavān refers to this highest goal as “My supreme abode” (मम परमम् धाम) to indicate that this highest goal attained by jnani, the awareness that “I am Brahman” is none other than realising that one’s own nature is same as His own essential nature (स्वरूप), which is identical with Brahman. The word “मम” (My) does not denote possession in a dualistic sense, but points to His higher nature (परा प्रकृतिः) described in Chapter-7, which is the very essence—pure consciousness.
Further, the word “धाम” (abode) is not to be understood as a physical location or a realm to be reached, since all such abodes—whether earthly or heavenly—are subject to origination and destruction (आगमन-गमन). That which comes and goes cannot be absolute. Therefore, “dhāma” here signifies that in which one truly abides always, i.e., one’s own real nature (स्वरूप), which is ever-present and unchanging.
Since Brahman alone is:
नित्य (eternal)
अविकार (unchanging)
सर्वगत (all-pervasive)
it alone qualifies as the true “abode.” All other abodes are merely temporary conditions of experience within ignorance.
Moreover, this “abode” is called “paramam” (supreme) because:
it is not subject to coming and going
it is not a place reached by travel
it is free from return (न निवर्तन्ते)
it is one’s own ever-attained nature (प्राप्तस्य प्राप्तिः)
पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया ।
यस्यान्तः स्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ॥ ८-२२॥
पार्थ सः परः पुरुषः अनन्यया भक्त्या तु लभ्यः। यस्य अन्तः स्थानि भूतानि (भवति)। येन सर्वम् इदम् ततम् ।
पुरुषः = Purusha, सः = That, परः = Supreme, पार्थ = O Partha!, भक्त्या = by devotion, लभ्यः = is attained, तु = indeed, अनन्यया = one pointed, यस्य = in whom, अन्तः स्थानि = included, भूतानि = beings, येन = by which, सर्वम् = all, इदम् = this, ततम् = pervaded
O Partha! That Supreme Purusha in whom all beings are included and by which all this is pervaded, is attained indeed by one-pointed devotion.
पुरुषः – पुरुष, पुं, प्र, एक
सः – तद्, पुं, प्र, एक
परः – पर, पुं, प्र, एक
पार्थ – पार्थ, पुं, सं, एक
भक्त्या – भक्ति, स्त्री, तृ, एक
लभ्यः – लभ्य, पुं, प्र, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - लभ् + यत् - डुलभँष् प्राप्तौ - भ्वादिः
तु – अव्ययम्
अनन्यया – अनन्या, स्त्री, तृ, एक
यस्य – यद्, पुं, ष, एक
अन्तः-स्थानि – अन्तः-स्थ, नपुं, प्र, बहु
भूतानि – भूत, नपुं, प्र, बहु
येन – यद्, पुं, तृ, एक
सर्वम् – सर्व, नपुं, द्वि, एक
इदम् – इदम्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
ततम् – तत, नपुं, द्वि, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - तन् + क्त - तनुँ विस्तारे - तनादिः
पुरुषः पुरि शयनात् पूर्णत्वाद्वा स परः पार्थ परः निरतिशयः यस्मात् पुरुषात् न परं किञ्चित्। सः भक्त्या लभ्यस्तु ज्ञानलक्षणया अनन्यया आत्मविषयया। यस्य पुरुषस्य अन्तःस्थानि मध्यस्थानि भूतानि कार्यभूतानि कार्यं हि कारणस्य अन्तर्वर्ति भवति। येन पुरुषेण सर्वं इदं जगत् ततं व्याप्तम् आकाशेनेव घटादि।।प्रकृतानां योगिनां प्रणवावेशितब्रह्मबुद्धीनां कालान्तरमुक्तिभाजां ब्रह्मप्रतिपत्तये उत्तरो मार्गो वक्तव्य इति यत्र काले इत्यादि विवक्षितार्थसमर्पणार्थम् उच्यते आवृत्तिमार्गोपन्यासः इतरमार्गस्तुत्यर्थः
Purusha (पुरुषः): that one called due to indwelling in the body (city) (पुरि शयनात्) or one called so due to infinitude (पूर्णत्वात्) - that supreme one is transcendent (स परः निरतिशयः), since there is nothing higher than Purusha (यस्मात् पुरुषात् न परं किञ्चित्). He is attainable through devotion (भक्त्या), which is marked by knowledge (ज्ञानलक्षणया), focused solely on the Self (अनन्यया आत्मविषयया). For whom (Purusha) (यस्य पुरुषस्य), are the entire created beings within (अन्तःस्थानि मध्यस्थानि भूतानि कार्यभूतानि), because the effect (कार्यं) resides within the cause (कारणस्य अन्तर्वर्ति भवति). By whom (the Purusha) all this world (येन पुरुषेण सर्वं इदं जगत्), is pervaded like the objects, etc. by space (ततं व्याप्तम् आकाशेनेव घटादि).
For the upasaka (yogi) of the current topic (Saguna Brahman) (प्रकृतानां योगिनां), whose minds are established in the Pranava-upasana (प्रणवावेशितब्रह्मबुद्धीनाम्), who are destined for liberation after the passage of time (कालान्तरमुक्तिभाजां), the way to the realization of Brahman (ब्रह्मप्रतिपत्तये) is the higher path (उत्तरो मार्गः) should be taught (वक्तव्यः). For the purpose of teaching the intended message (विवक्षितार्थसमर्पणार्थम्) यत्र काले (इति यत्र काले) is said (उच्यते). The discussion of the path of return (आवृत्तिमार्गोपन्यासः) is for the purpose of praising the other path (इतरमार्गस्तुत्यर्थः).
Notes
This verse gives the means to realise one’s true nature as भाव the realisation of which was stated in previous verse as point of no return to cycle of birth-death, characterized by sorrow, change, impermanence, rooted in individuality, etc.
सः परः पुरुषः that Supreme Purusha - Our true nature, which was called भाव in the previous verse, is called the Supreme Purusha परः पुरुषः in this verse. What is Purusha?
पुरि शयनात् पुरुषः - that is called Purusha due to it being the indweller in the body
पूर्णत्वात् पुरुषः - that is called Purusha due to it being infinite/unlimited/complete
Why is Purusha पर Supreme? Because there is nothing higher than this - higher is in terms of more subtle, pervasive and inner.
This verse echoes Kathopanishad mantras:
इन्द्रियेभ्यः परा ह्यर्था अर्थेभ्यश्च परं मनः ।
मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्बुद्धेरात्मा महान्परः ॥१०॥
Higher than organs are the objects, higher than objects is the mind, higher than mind is indeed the intellect and higher than the intellect is Mahat.
महतः परमव्यक्तमव्यक्तात्पुरुषः परः ।
पुरुषान्न परं किञ्चित्सा काष्ठा सा परा गतिः ॥११॥
Higher than mahat is Avyakta, higher than unmanifested is Purusha, higher than Purusha there is nothing superior. That is the Highest, that is the goal.
That the highest goal of awareness of my true nature is much higher than any realm one can be in through various assumed false identities.
Having defined the highest goal as awareness of our true nature which is Supreme among all other temporary false identities, the path to realise our true nature as Purusha is described.
अनन्यया भक्त्या तु लभ्यः - That Purusha is attained, in other words one realises one’s true nature as Purusha, through अनन्य-भक्ति or अनन्या भक्ति. This अनन्या भक्ति is what has been called एक-भक्ति in verse 7.17, the people who had it as अनन्याः चिन्तयन्तः of verse 9.22, अनन्य योग of verse 12.6. The focus is only on the Self or Ishvara, and nothing else. Sankaracharya says the devotion here is ज्ञानलक्षण - marked by knowledge that “I am Ishvara in true nature” or “I am Brahman” - called Para-Prakriti in verse 7.5.
The second line of the verse ahs two expressions:
“येन सर्वम् इदं ततम्” (that by which all this is pervaded)
“यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि” (in whom all beings abide)
The first expression—“येन सर्वम् इदं ततम्” (that by which all this is pervaded)—reveals immanence: the reality in question is not elsewhere or separate, but the very presence because of which every object, thought, and experience is known and sustained. Nothing can exist independently of existence itself, which is the very nature of Purusha. This removes the notion that Brahman is something “out there,” separate from creation; rather, all that is experienced is pervaded by it, much like space pervades everything within it. This phrase appears in verse 2.17 also.
The second expression—“यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि” (in whom all beings abide)—reveals transcendence: the entire universe, with all beings and phenomena, exists within that reality, which is not confined, divided, or affected by what appears in it. This prevents reducing the Absolute to a subtle substance spread across objects. Just as space, while pervading everything, remains unaffected by anything within it, so too this reality is ontologically distinct—free from all limitations of the world it supports. Sankaracharya refers to this mantra: तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मनः आकाशः सम्भूतः । आकाशाद्वायुः ॥ tasmādvā ētasmāt ātmanaḥ ākāśaḥ sambhūtaḥ. Ākāśādvāyuḥ. (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-1-2). In which Purusha (यस्य पुरुषस्य), are the entire created beings within (अन्तःस्थानि मध्यस्थानि भूतानि कार्यभूतानि), because the effect (कार्यं) resides within the cause (कारणस्य अन्तर्वर्ति भवति) - effect is nothing but cause in another form. In this case, there is no real change or effect, but there is an appearance of something changeful upon another which is changeless.
The next set of verses describe the path taken by the Omkara upasaka of Saguna Brahma with ashtanga-yoga as additional support for sadhana to lead to liberation. Also those who are engrossed in samsara their destiny is also described only to praise the upasakas for liberation.
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः ।
प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ ॥ ८-२३॥
भरतर्षभ यत्र काले तु प्रयाताः योगिनः अनावृत्तिम् आवृत्तिम् एव च यान्ति तम् कालम् वक्ष्यामि।
यत्र काले = In the responsibility of which kala-devata, तु = indeed, अनावृत्तिम् = no return, आवृत्तिम् = return, च = and, एव = alone, योगिनः = the yogis, प्रयाताः = the departed, यान्ति = go, तम् = that, कालम् = kala-devata, वक्ष्यामि = I will tell, भरतर्षभ = O best of Bharata lineage
O best of Bharata lineage! In the responsibility of which kaala-devata indeed the departed yogis return and do not return, I will tell you about that kaala-devata.
यत्र – अव्ययम्
काले – काल, पुं, स, एक
तु – अव्ययम्
अनावृत्तिम् – अन् + आवृत्ति, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
आवृत्तिम् – आवृत्ति, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
च – अव्ययम्
एव – अव्ययम्
योगिनः – योगिन्, पुं, प्र, बहु
प्रयाताः – प्रयात, पुं, प्र, बहु, कृदन्तरूपाणि - प्र + या + क्त - या प्रापणे - अदादिः
यान्ति – या धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - या प्रापणे - अदादिः, प्र-पु, बहु
तम् – तद्, पुं, द्वि, एक
कालम् – काल, पुं, द्वि, एक
वक्ष्यामि – वच् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लृट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - वचँ परिभाषणे - अदादिः, उ-पु, एक
भरतर्षभ – भरत + ऋषभ, पुं, सं, एक
यत्र काले प्रयाताः इति व्यवहितेन संबन्धः। यत्र यस्मिन् काले तु अनावृत्तिम् अपुनर्जन्म आवृत्तिं तद्विपरीतां चैव। योगिनः इति योगिनः कर्मिणश्च उच्यन्ते कर्मिणस्तु गुणतः -- कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् (गीता 3।3) इति विशेषणात् -- योगिनः। यत्र काले प्रयाताः मृताः योगिनः अनावृत्तिं यान्ति यत्र काले च प्रयाताः आवृत्तिं यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ।।तं कालमाह
“यत्र काले” is in connection with remotely placed “प्रयाताः” (यत्र काले प्रयाताः इति व्यवहितेन संबन्धः). In (the responsibility) of which कालाभिमानिनी देवता (यत्र यस्मिन् काले) no-rebirth (अनावृत्तिम् अपुनर्जन्म) and opposite to that indeed (आवृत्तिम् तद्विपरीतां चैव) (happens)? The term “yogis” (योगिनः) refers to both those established in (upasana) yoga (meditation) (योगिनः) and those who perform rituals (कर्मिणः) by their very nature (गुणतः) due to special usage as in “through Karma Yoga for the ritualists” (Gita 3.3) (कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् (गीता 3।3) इति विशेषणात्).
In (the responsibility) of which kala-devata (यत्र काले), the dead (प्रयाताः मृताः) yogins attain non-return (अनावृत्तिं यान्ति), and in (the responsibility) of which kala-devata they attain rebirth (यत्र काले च प्रयाताः आवृत्तिं यान्ति), that time (कालं), I shall now describe, O best of the Bharatas (भरतर्षभ).
(The Lord) says about that kala-devata (तं कालमाह).
Notes
This verse is simply a summary statement of what is being said in the next two verses - the paths or realms which a nishkama-upasaka and karmi access after death.
कर्मणा पितृलोकः विद्यया देवलोकः (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.5.16) - If sakaami have done only karma they will attain pitrloka - bhuvarloka and svargaloka, and If they perform vidyā (upāsanā, which is a contemplative discipline distinct from karma, though sometimes associated with it), they will attain higher worlds including Brahmaloka such as the performers of पञ्चाग्नि and त्रिणाचिकेताः. How an upasaka through vidya attains brahmaloka is given in 8.24 and how a karmi attains svarga loka is explained in verse 8.25.
The word काल here means not just time, but the cosmic deity identified with a certain time called कालाभिमानिनी देवता. Just as jivas, we are identified with a body to be called देहाभिमानी, there are deities, कालाभिमानिनी देवता, who are identified with specific time.
When a jiva gives up its physical body, the jiva travels through various realms and this travel through each realm is facilitated by a specific कालाभिमानिनी देवता. The jiva has no choice of what realms it would travel through as all its mental faculties are withdrawn, the karma and upasana done by the jiva when it had the physical body, determines the destination of travel and thereafter facilitated by कालाभिमानिनी देवता - just as a mother facilitates the motion of a new-born who is totally unaware. Such travel can be classified into two categories based on the end result - cessation of travel completely forever called krama-mukti or continuity of it through numerous birth-death cycles called samsara. This process is explained in detail in the next verse with references from bhashya of Sankaracharya on Brahmsutras.
Sankaracharya states that both the upasakasa (nishkama and sakama, meditator with and without desires) and karmi (performer of activities such as rituals, social service, etc. with or without desires) are called योगी in this verse. How come a karmi is called yogi? Sankaracharya provides evidence stating that Bhagavan Himself calls a karmi as yogi in the context of Karma Yoga (verse 3.3). One may say that was a karma yogi, how about sakaama-karmi? A sakaama-karmi also focuses on the deity for fulfillment of desire. Hence a Karma Yogi who focuses on Ishvara alone out of love and devotion, a sakaama-karmi also focuses on the deity of worship to fulfill one’s desires. The word yogi is commonly used for both upasakas and karmis due to their common characteristics of focus on the deity of worship.
The two paths of return and no return are called by various names:
Anaavrtti marga, Aavrti marga.
Archidadi and Dhumadi marga.
Devayaana marga and Pitrayaana marga
Uttarayana marga and Dakshinaayana marga
Punaravrtti marga and Apunaravrtti marga
Let’s see the various destinations one can attain in the context of upasana.
An upāsaka, for the purpose of meditation, deliberately assumes identification with the upāsya using the full force of contemplation through emotion (bhāvanā). This is clearly seen in the teaching of the Nachiketa Agni in the Katha Upanishad:
त्रिणाचिकेतस्त्रयमेतद्विदित्वा य एवं विद्वाँश्चिनुते नाचिकेतम् ।
स मृत्युपाशान् पुरतः प्रणोद्य शोकातिगो मोदते स्वर्गलोके ॥१.१.१८॥
The wise one, who has performed Nachiketa-agni thrice (or upasana, adhyaya and anushThana), having known the three (the types of bricks, the number and their arrangement), in this way conducts the karma of Nachiketa-agni, casts off the clutches of death (vice, ignorance, likes and dislikes) even before (the body drops off), goes beyond grief, (and) rejoices in the heavenly world.
As Adi Shankaracharya explains in his commentary on “य एवं,” the meditation involves आत्मस्वरूपेण अग्निं—taking that fire, which is a symbol of Virat, as oneself, i.e., a deliberate identification with Virat in the upāsanā.
Similarly, Om (ॐ) is employed as a pratīka-ālambana for Ishvara in upāsanā, functioning in a twofold manner—as auditory and visual supports. As an auditory support, Om is chanted, and as a visual support, it serves as a basis for contemplation—both serving as means for invoking the upāsya, Ishvara, upon Om. Since Ishvara’s conditioning factor, Maya, is not directly objectifiable, the upāsaka necessarily employs such supports to relate to manifest and conceivable totalities such as Hiranyagarbha and Virat. Thus, the upāsaka of Ishvara identifies with these cosmic manifestations, namely Hiranyagarbha and Virat, in meditation, as implied in the Katha Upanishad teaching above. Through this mode of meditation, the upāsaka attains Brahmaloka, gains sāyujya with Brahmā (i.e., Hiranyagarbha), and there, upon the rise of Self-knowledge, attains krama-mukti. Thus, at the time of death, the upāsaka must retain the contemplative identification of oneself as the total subtle reality, Hiranyagarbha, to attain krama-mukti in Brahmaloka. Such an upāsanā is also called ahaṅgrahopāsanā, which leads to krama-mukti through identification with Hiranyagarbha. Bhagavad Gita 8.24 refers to this path as śukla-gati, by which the upāsaka reaches Brahmaloka and, upon gaining Self-knowledge there, attains krama-mukti.
In contrast, the jijñāsu (jñāna-yogī) of Bhagavad Gita 7.14 does not employ Om as a pratīka but considers it as the direct name (vācaka) for Brahman itself. This sādhaka does not engage in identification with any upādhi—gross, subtle, or causal—but recognizes all of them as mithyā, dependent appearances. Understanding the identity of jīva and Ishvara as non-dual Consciousness (ब्रह्म), the jijñāsu no longer requires any meditative support, but assimilates and abides in that understanding in life. Thus, while the upāsaka operates through committed meditative identification and symbolic support within avidyā, the jijñāsu transcends all such supports through knowledge, and upon the rise of firm knowledge, becomes a jñānī and attains jīvanmukti.
At the same time, there is a third category of exalted bhaktas whose lives outwardly express total absorption into Ishvara, freedom from individuality, and effortless devotion, appearing indistinguishable from the state of a jīvanmukta. From an Advaita standpoint, such cases are understood as either devotion that has culminated in Self-knowledge, or as an exceptionally refined form of upāsanā that effectively converges upon Self-knowledge, even if not formally pursued in jñāna-yoga terms.
A fourth category is that of sākāma karmī/upāsaka, who performs rituals and meditations with specific desires. Such a person may also reach higher worlds—including even Brahmaloka depending on the upāsanā—but, lacking Self-knowledge, does not attain final liberation. After exhausting the results of their actions and enjoyments, they return to saṁsāra. Thus, unlike the niṣkāma upāsaka who progresses to krama-mukti, the sākāma performer remains within the cycle of return. Bhagavad Gita 8.25 refers to the path of such a jīva as kṛṣṇa-gati, where the jīva enjoys higher realms but, upon depletion of that upāsanā result, returns to saṁsāra as stated in Bhagavad Gita 9.21 (क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति), or Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.10 (नाकस्य पृष्ठे ते सुकृतेऽनुभूत्वेमं लोकं हीनतरं वा विशन्ति).
अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् ।
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः ॥ ८-२४॥
अग्निः र्ज्योतिः अहः शुक्लः षण्मासाः उत्तरायणम् तत्र प्रयाताः ब्रह्मविदः जनाः ब्रह्म गच्छन्ति ।
अग्निः ज्योतिः = bright Agni, अहः = day, शुक्लः = bright fortnight, षण्मासाः उत्तरायणम् = the six months of uttarayana, तत्र = following that path, प्रयाताः = the departed, गच्छन्ति = go, ब्रह्म = Brahmaloka, ब्रह्मविदः = the worshippers of Brahman, जनाः = people
The deities identified with: Agni, light, the day, the bright fortnight, the six months of uttarayana, following that path, the departed people, the worshippers of Brahman, go to Brahmaloka.
अग्निः – अग्नि, पुं, प्र, एक
ज्योतिः – ज्योतिस्, नपुं, प्र, एक
अहः – अहन्, नपुं, प्र, एक
शुक्लः – शुक्ल, पुं, प्र, एक
षण्मासाः – षट् + मास, पुं, प्र, बहु
उत्तरायणम् – उत्तर + अयन, नपुं, प्र, एक
तत्र – अव्ययम्
प्रयाताः – प्रयात, पुं, प्र, बहु, कृदन्तरूपाणि - प्र + या + क्त - या प्रापणे - अदादिः
गच्छन्ति – गम् धातुरूपाणि लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - गमँ गतौ - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, बहु
ब्रह्म – ब्रह्मन्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
ब्रह्मविदः – ब्रह्म + विद्, पुं, प्र, बहु
जनाः – जन, पुं, प्र, बहु
अग्निः कालाभिमानिनी देवता। तथा ज्योतिरपि देवतैव कालाभिमानिनी। अथवा अग्निज्योतिषी यथा श्रुते एव देवते। भूयसा तु निर्देशो यत्र काले (गीता 8।23) तं कालम् (गीता 8।23) इति आम्रवणवत्। तथा अहः देवता अहरभिमानिनी अहः शुक्लः शुक्लपक्षदेवता षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् तत्रापि देवतैव मार्गभूता इति स्थितः अन्यत्र अयं न्यायः। तत्र तस्मिन् मार्गे प्रयाताः मृताः गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो ब्रह्मोपासकाः ब्रह्मोपासनपरा जनाः। क्रमेण इति वाक्यशेषः। न हि सद्योमुक्तिभाजां सम्यग्दर्शननिष्ठानां गतिः आगतिर्वा क्वचित् अस्ति न तस्य प्राणा उत्क्रामन्ति इति श्रुतेः। ब्रह्मसंलीनप्राणा एव ते ब्रह्ममया ब्रह्मभूता एव ते।
The deity identified with the segment of time called अग्नि (अग्निः कालाभिमानिनी देवता). Likewise, deity identified with the segment of time called ज्योति (तथा ज्योतिः देवतैव कालाभिमानिनी). Or just as अग्नि and ज्योति are the deities (अथवा यथा अग्निज्योतिषी देवते) of the scriptures (श्रुते). The indication (तु निर्देशः) (of these cosmic deities as कालाभिमानिनी देवता) in यत्र काले (Gita 8.23) and तं कालम् (Gita 8.23) is due to predominance (भूयसा) (of कालाभिमानिनी देवता in that verse) as in the example of the mango grove (आम्रवणवत्).
Similarly, the deity identified with day (तथा अहः देवता अहरभिमानिनी अहः), the deity identified with bright half of the lunar month (शुक्लः शुक्लपक्षदेवता), and also the deity identified with six months of the northern course of the sun (षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् तत्रापि देवतैव). (All these times) being paths alone (but not specific times) has been established elsewhere through logic (मार्गभूता इति स्थितः अन्यत्र अयं न्यायः). In that path (तत्र तस्मिन् मार्गे), the deceased, who are knowers of Brahman (ब्रह्मविदो), the worshippers of Brahman (ब्रह्मोपासकाः), the people established in Brahman worship (ब्रह्मोपासनपरा जनाः), go to Brahman (गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म).
The phrase “by stages” (क्रमेण) is the remaining statement (वाक्यशेषः). There is no going or coming (न गतिः आगतिर्वा क्वचित् अस्ति) for those who are qualified for immediate liberation (सद्योमुक्तिभाजां) and who are established in realization of “I am Brअhman” (सम्यग्दर्शननिष्ठानां) based on sruti (न तस्य प्राणा उत्क्रामन्ति इति श्रुतेः), nor is it the case that pranas depart immediately (क्वचित् प्राणा उत्क्रामन्ति). They are the ones whose sukshma-sharira merged in Brahman (ब्रह्मसंलीनप्राणाः एव ते), being full of Brahman (ब्रह्ममयाः), they become Brahman indeed (ब्रह्मभूताः एव ते).
Notes
This verse shows the path taken by those who do nishkama upasana and go to Brahmaloka passing through various realms - not to return again into samsara of birth-death cycles. This verse is an extension of verse 8.5 - where Bhagavan said one who remembers Him at death will reach Him.
After death, the jiva goes through various realms accompanied by a deity.
अग्निः कालाभिमानिनी देवता अथवा यथा श्रुते एव देवता the deity identified with the segment of time called अग्नि or just as deity अग्नि from scriptures.
ज्योतिरपि देवतैव कालाभिमानिनी अथवा यथा श्रुते एव देवता the deity identified with the segment of time called ज्योति or just as deity ज्योति from scriptures.
Sankaracharya gives two options for these two words अग्नि and ज्योति.
One is a deity identified with segments of time called अग्नि and ज्योति, respectively. But these segments of time are not known.
So the other option is to consider them to be the popular cosmic deities in scriptures.
If it is second option, then a question may arise why they have been called कालाभिमानिनी देवता in the previous verse through यत्र काले (गीता 8।23) and तं कालम् (गीता 8।23) by Bhagavan? For that Sankaracharya says, the majority determines the group identity itself. Since there are three कालाभिमानिनी देवता later in the verse: day, fortnight and six months, the first two cosmic deities of अग्नि and ज्योति are also called कालाभिमानिनी देवता as a group. He gives an example of a mango-grove where there may be many trees but because mango trees are in majority, the grove is called mango-grove.
अहः देवता अहरभिमानिनी अहः deity identified with day
शुक्लः शुक्लपक्षदेवता deity identified with bright fortnight of the moon
षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् तत्रापि देवतैव deity identified with the six months of sun’s northern movement.
Sankaracharya says these terms like day, bright fortnight, six months of sun’s northern movement are not seen as specific times, but as guides along the path. This has been proved elsewhere through logic.
Why the entities agni, jyoti, ahah, etc, are non-human guides along the path?
The following is Sankaracharya’s commentary on Brahmasutras 4.3.4-6:
आतिवाहिकास्तल्लिङ्गात् ॥ ४ ॥
तेष्वेव अर्चिरादिषु संशयः — किमेतानि मार्गचिह्नानि, उत भोगभूमयः, अथवा नेतारो गन्तॄणामिति । तत्र मार्गलक्षणभूता अर्चिरादय इति तावत्प्राप्तम् , तत्स्वरूपत्वादुपदेशस्य । यथा हि लोके कश्चिद्ग्रामं नगरं वा प्रतिष्ठासमानोऽनुशिष्यते — गच्छ इतस्त्वममुं गिरिं ततो न्यग्रोधं ततो नदीं ततो ग्रामं नगरं वा प्राप्स्यसीति — एवमिहापि ‘अर्चिषोऽहरह्न आपूर्यमाणपक्षम्’ इत्याद्याह । अथवा भोगभूमय इति प्राप्तम् । तथाहि लोकशब्देन अग्न्यादीननुबध्नाति — ‘अग्निलोकमागच्छति’ (कौ. उ. १ । ३) इत्यादि । लोकशब्दश्च प्राणिनां भोगायतनेषु भाष्यते — ‘मनुष्यलोकः पितृलोको देवलोकः’ (बृ. उ. १ । ५ । १६) इति च । तथा च ब्राह्मणम् — ‘अहोरात्रेषु ते लोकेषु सज्जन्ते’ इत्यादि । तस्मान्नातिवाहिका अर्चिरादयः । अचेतनत्वादप्येतेषामातिवाहिकत्वानुपपत्तिः । चेतना हि लोके राजनियुक्ताः पुरुषा दुर्गेषु मार्गेष्वतिवाह्यान् अतिवाहयन्तीति । एवं प्राप्ते, ब्रूमः — आतिवाहिका एवैते भवितुमर्हन्ति । कुतः ? तल्लिङ्गात् । तथा हि — ‘चन्द्रमसो विद्युतं तत्पुरुषोऽमानवः स एनान्ब्रह्म गमयति’ (छा. उ. ४ । १५ । ५) इति सिद्धवद्गमयितृत्वं दर्शयति । तद्वचनं तद्विषयमेवोपक्षीणमिति चेत् , न, प्राप्तमानवत्वनिवृत्तिपरत्वाद्विशेषणस्य । यद्यर्चिरादिषु पुरुषा गमयितारः प्राप्ताः ते च मानवाः, ततो युक्तं तन्निवृत्त्यर्थं पुरुषविशेषणम् — अमानव इति ॥ ४ ॥ ननु तल्लिङ्गमात्रमगमकम् , न्यायाभावात्; नैष दोषः —
Among these stages beginning with arciṣ (flame), a doubt arises—whether they are merely indicators of the path, or places of enjoyment, or guides of the travellers.
First, it may be supposed that arciṣ and the rest are of the nature of path-indicators, because the instruction is given in that form; just as in the world a person setting out for a village or city is instructed, “From here go to that mountain, then to that banyan tree, then to that river, and thereafter you will reach the village or city,” so here also it is said, “from flame to day, from day to the bright fortnight,” and so on.
Or it may be supposed that they are places of enjoyment, because the word “loka” is connected with fire and the rest, as in “he reaches the world of fire,” and the word “loka” is commonly used for the abodes of experience of beings, as in “the human world, the world of the ancestors, the world of the gods,” and also because a Brāhmaṇa passage says, “they become connected with those worlds of day and night,” and so on; therefore arciṣ and the rest are not guides. Moreover, since they are insentient, it is not reasonable that they should function as guides, for in the world conscious persons appointed by a king guide travellers across difficult regions. Thus the prima facie view stands.
To this we reply: they must indeed be guides (ātivāhikas). Why? Because of an indication. For it is shown, as something already established, that they lead, in the statement, “from the moon to lightning; there a non-human person leads them to Brahman.” If it be said that this statement is limited only to that context, it is not so, because the qualification “non-human” serves to exclude the possibility of human guides that might otherwise be assumed; if guides were already present in earlier stages, and if they were human, then such a qualification would be meaningful only as excluding them. Further, it may be objected that such an indication alone is insufficient; but there is no defect…
उभयव्यामोहात्तत्सिद्धेः ॥ ५ ॥
ये तावदर्चिरादिमार्गगाः ते देहवियोगात् सम्पिण्डितकरणग्रामा इति अस्वतन्त्राः, अर्चिरादीनामप्यचेतनत्वादस्वातन्त्र्यम् — इत्यतः अर्चिराद्यभिमानिनश्चेतना देवताविशेषा अतियात्रायां नियुक्ता इति गम्यते । लोकेऽपि हि मत्तमूर्छितादयः सम्पिण्डितकरणाः परप्रयुक्तवर्त्मानो भवन्ति । अनवस्थितत्वादप्यर्चिरादीनां न मार्गलक्षणत्वोपपत्तिः । न हि रात्रौ प्रेतस्य अहःस्वरूपाभिसम्भव उपपद्यते । न च प्रतिपालनमस्तीत्युक्तं पुरस्तात् । ध्रुवत्वात्तु देवतात्मनां नायं दोषो भवति । अर्चिरादिशब्दता च एषाम् अर्चिराद्यभिमानादुपपद्यते । ‘अर्चिषोऽहः’ (छा. उ. ४ । १५ । ५) इत्यादिनिर्देशस्तु आतिवाहिकत्वेऽपि न विरुध्यते — अर्चिषा हेतुना अहरभिसम्भवति, अह्ना हेतुना आपूर्यमाणपक्षमिति । तथा च लोके प्रसिद्धेष्वप्यातिवाहिकेषु एवंजातीयक उपदेशो दृश्यते — गच्छ त्वम् इतो बलवर्माणं ततो जयसिंहं ततः कृष्णगुप्तमिति । अपि च उपक्रमे ‘तेऽर्चिरभिसम्भवन्ति’ (बृ. उ. ६ । २ । १५) इति सम्बन्धमात्रमुक्तम् , न सम्बन्धविशेषः कश्चित् । उपसंहारे तु ‘स एनान्ब्रह्म गमयति’ (छा. उ. ४ । १५ । ५) इति सम्बन्धविशेषः अतिवाह्यातिवाहकत्वलक्षण उक्तः । तेन स एवोपक्रमेऽपीति निर्धार्यते । सम्पिण्डितकरणत्वादेव च गन्तॄणां न तत्र भोगसम्भवः । लोकशब्दस्तु अनुपभुञ्जानेष्वपि गन्तृषु गमयितुं शक्यते, अन्येषां तल्लोकवासिनां भोगभूमित्वात् । अतः अग्निस्वामिकं लोकं प्राप्तः अग्निना अतिवाह्यते, वायुस्वामिकं प्राप्तो वायुना — इति योजयितव्यम् ॥ ५ ॥ कथं पुनरातिवाहिकत्वपक्षे वरुणादिषु तत्सम्भवः ? विद्युतो ह्यधि वरुणादय उपक्षिप्ताः, विद्युतस्त्वनन्तरम् आ ब्रह्मप्राप्तेः अमानवस्यैव पुरुषस्य गमयितृत्वं श्रुतम् — इत्यत उत्तरं पठति —
because the conclusion is established by the mutual dependence of both. The travellers on the path of arciṣ, having departed from the body, with their organs gathered together, are not independent; and the stages such as arciṣ are also insentient and not independent; therefore it is understood that conscious deities presiding over these stages are appointed for conducting the journey. Even in the world, persons who are unconscious, intoxicated, or fainting, having their faculties withdrawn, are led along a path by others. Moreover, since arciṣ and the rest are not stable entities, they cannot serve as path-indicators; for a departed person cannot consistently attain the state of “day” if it happens to be night, and it has already been stated earlier that there is no regulation in this regard. On the other hand, if they are deities, there is no such defect, because deities are constant. The designation by the terms arciṣ, etc., is appropriate because of their identification with those entities. And the statements such as “from flame to day” are not opposed to their being guides; they may be understood as meaning “through flame as the cause, he reaches day; through day as the cause, he reaches the bright fortnight,” just as in common usage one says, “Go from here to so-and-so, then to so-and-so,” referring to successive guides. Further, at the beginning it is only stated that “they reach flame,” indicating mere connection, without specifying the nature of the relation; but at the end it is stated, “that non-human person leads them to Brahman,” which clearly indicates a relation of being led and leader, and that same relation must be understood throughout. Moreover, because the travellers have their organs gathered together, there can be no experience of enjoyment there; and although the word “loka” is used, it can apply even where the traveller does not enjoy, since those worlds are places of enjoyment for others residing there. Therefore, it is to be understood that having reached the region presided over by fire, one is led by the deity of fire; having reached the region presided over by air, one is led by the deity of air, and so on. Then how, on this view of guides, is it possible to include Varuṇa and others? Since they are mentioned after lightning, and since it is stated that from lightning onward a non-human person leads them all the way to Brahman, it should be understood that …
वैद्युतेनैव ततस्तच्छ्रुतेः ॥ ६ ॥
ततो विद्युदभिसम्भवनादूर्ध्वं विद्युदनन्तरवर्तिनैवामानवेन पुरुषेण वरुणलोकादिष्वतिवाह्यमाना ब्रह्मलोकं गच्छन्तीत्यवगन्तव्यम् , ‘तान्वैद्युतात्पुरुषोऽमानवः स एत्य ब्रह्मलोकं गमयति’ इति तस्यैव गमयितृत्वश्रुतेः । वरुणादयस्तु तस्यैव अप्रतिबन्धकरणेन साहाय्यानुष्ठानेन वा केनचित् अनुग्राहका इत्यवगन्तव्यम् । तस्मात्साधूक्तम् — आतिवाहिका देवतात्मानोऽर्चिरादय इति ॥ ६ ॥
…from the point of reaching lightning, that very non-human person, who stands immediately after lightning, leads them through the realms such as that of Varuṇa up to Brahma-loka; for the scripture declares his function of leading. Varuṇa and the others are to be understood as assisting him, either by not obstructing or by rendering help in some way. Therefore, it is rightly concluded that the stages beginning with arciṣ are deities functioning as guides (ātivāhikas).
To summarise Sankaracharya’s above commentary:
Three initial interpretations:
Path indicators: Based on scriptural language like “from flame to day,” similar to directions given in ordinary travel.
Places of enjoyment: Because terms like loka (world) are used, which usually denote realms of experience.
Not guides: Since flame, day, etc. are insentient and cannot consciously lead.
Refutation of these three interpretations:
Denial of path indicators: Insentient or changing entities (like day/night) cannot reliably function as path markers.
Denial of places of enjoyment: The use of loka does not imply enjoyment, since the traveller is not in a state to experience pleasure.
Denial of position as not guides: Both the traveller (with withdrawn faculties) and the stages (being insentient) are dependent, requiring conscious agents.
Positive conclusion as guides:
Scripture explicitly mentions a non-human guide leading from lightning onward, implying guidance throughout.
These stages represent presiding deities who guide the soul step-by-step.
Expressions like “from flame to day” imply progression through successive guiding agencies.
Role of later deities (like Varuṇa):
From lightning onward, a single non-human guide leads the soul.
Other deities assist indirectly, without obstructing the journey.
Final conclusion:
The stages beginning with arciṣ are best understood as conscious non-human guiding deities (ātivāhikas), not mere markers or enjoyment-realms.
The following are excerpts from Upanishads that describe shukla-gati.
From Chandogya Upanishad 5.10.1-2:
ये चेमेऽरण्ये श्रद्धा तप इत्युपासते तेऽर्चिषमभिसंभवन्त्यर्चिषोऽहरह्न आपूर्यमाणपक्षमापूर्यमाणपक्षाद्यान्षडुदङ्ङेति मासांस्तान् ॥ ५.१०.१ ॥
मासेभ्यः संवत्सरं संवत्सरादादित्यमादित्याच्चन्द्रमसं चन्द्रमसो विद्युतं तत्पुरुषोऽमानवः स एनान्ब्रह्म गमयत्येष देवयानः पन्था इति ॥ ५.१०.२ ॥
Those who in the forest practice faith and austerity reach the flame; from the flame they go to the day, from the day to the bright fortnight, from the bright fortnight to the six months of the northern course of the sun, from those months to the year, from the year to the sun, from the sun to the moon, from the moon to lightning; then a non-human being leads them further—this is the path of the gods, and by this path they are led to Brahman.
From Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 6.2.15:
ते य एवमेतद्विदुः, ये चामी अरण्ये श्रद्धां सत्यमुपासते, तेऽर्चिरभिसंभवन्ति, अर्चिषोऽहः, अह्न आपूर्यमाणपक्शम्, आपूर्यमाणपक्शाद्यान्षण्मासानुदङ्ङादित्य एति; मासेभ्यो देवलोकम्, देवलोकादादित्यम्, आदित्याद्वैद्युतम्; तान्वैद्युतान्पुरुषो मानस एत्य ब्रह्मलोकान् गमयति; ते तेषु ब्रह्मलोकेषु पराः परावतो वसन्ति; तेषां न पुनरावृत्तिः ॥६.२.१५॥
Those who know thus, and those who in the forest practice faith and truth, reach the flame; from the flame they go to the day, from the day to the bright fortnight, from the bright fortnight to the six months during which the sun moves northward; from those months they go to the world of the gods, from the world of the gods to the sun, from the sun to lightning. From there, a person born of the mind leads them to the worlds of Brahman (Hiranyagarbha). In those worlds of Brahman they dwell for a long time, and for them there is no return.
This Gita verse gives only a few deities in shukla-gati, while the Upanishads give a full list as follows:
Arciṣ (Flame / Light) — Agni-devatā
Ahaḥ (Day) — deity of day
Śukla Pakṣa (Bright fortnight) — deity of waxing phase
Uttarāyaṇa (Six months northward) — deity of the northern course
Māsa (Months) — presiding deities of months
Saṃvatsara (Year) — deity of the year (explicit in Chāndogya)
Deva-loka (World of gods) — (explicit in Bṛhadāraṇyaka)
Āditya (Sun) — sun deity
Candra (Moon) — (explicit in Chāndogya)
Vidyut (Lightning) — deity of lightning
Amanava Puruṣa (Non-human / mental being) — the conscious guide (ātivāhika)
Brahma-loka (worlds of Brahman / Hiraṇyagarbha)
धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम् ।
तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते ॥ ८-२५॥
धूमः रात्रिः तथा कृष्णः षण्मासाः दक्षिणायनम् चान्द्रमसम् ज्योतिः तत्र प्राप्य योगी निवर्तते ।
धूमः = smoke, रात्रिः = night, तथा = and, कृष्णः = dark fortnight, षण्मासाः दक्षिणायनम् = six months of dakshinayana, तत्र = following this path, चान्द्रमसम् ज्योतिः = bright lunar light, योगी = karmi, प्राप्य = having obtained, निवर्तते = returns
Smoke, night, dark fortnight, six months of dakhsinayana, following this path resulting in lunar realm, the karmi returns.
धूमः – धूम, पुं, प्र, एक
रात्रिः – रात्रि, स्त्री, प्र, एक
तथा – अव्ययम्
कृष्णः – कृष्ण, पुं, प्र, एक
षण्मासाः – षट् + मास, पुं, प्र, बहु
दक्षिणायनम् – दक्षिण + अयन, नपुं, प्र, एक
तत्र – अव्ययम्
चान्द्रमसम् – चान्द्रमस, नपुं, द्वि, एक
ज्योतिः – ज्योतिस्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
योगी – योगिन्, पुं, प्र, एक
प्राप्य – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - प्र + आप् + ल्यप् - आपॢँ व्याप्तौ - स्वादिः
निवर्तते – नि + वृत् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः आत्मने पदम् - वृतुँ वर्तने - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, एक
धूमो रात्रिः धूमाभिमानिनी रात्र्यभिमानिनी च देवता। तथा कृष्णः कृष्णपक्षदेवता। षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम् इति च पूर्ववत् देवतैव। तत्र चन्द्रमसि भवं चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिः फलम् इष्टादिकारी योगी कर्मी प्राप्य भुक्त्वा तत्क्षयात् इह पुनः निवर्तते।।
The deity identified with smoke and the deity identified with night (धूमो रात्रिः, धूमाभिमानिनी, रात्र्यभिमानिनी च देवता). Likewise, the deity identified with the dark half of the lunar month (कृष्णः कृष्णपक्षदेवता). The deity identified with six months of the southern course of the sun like earlier (षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम् इति च पूर्ववत् देवतैव).
The karmi (योगी कर्मी) as a result of sacrifice and other actions (ज्योतिः फलम् इष्टादिकारी), having obtained (प्राप्य भुक्त्वा) the realm of moon following that path (तत्र चन्द्रमसि भवं चान्द्रमसं), ultimately returns again here upon the exhaustion of that (result of action) (तत्क्षयात् इह पुनः निवर्तते).
Notes
The योगी in this verse is a कर्मी - who does इष्टापूर्त - ritual sacrifices and social service unlike a upasaka of previous verse who does mostly meditative rituals. Such a योगी will attain svarga loka and return upon the exhaustion of results of that action. The path called krishna-gati is described as follows with each deity accompanying the jiva at a certain stage:
धूमो धूमाभिमानिनी देवता - the deity identified with smoke
रात्रिः रात्र्यभिमानिनी देवता - the deity identified with night
कृष्णः कृष्णपक्षदेवता - the deity identified with dark fortnight
षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम् इति च पूर्ववत् देवतैव - the deity identified with 6 months of southern-journey of the sun
चन्द्रमसि भवं - the lunar realm or svarga loka, they attain this loka
ज्योतिः फलम् इष्टादिकारी - the word ज्योतिः is result of that karma they have performed.
Upon exhaustion of that result of action they return to the earthly plane (verse 9.21).
The following are excerpts from Upanishads that describe krishna-gati.
From Chandogya Upanishad 5.10.3-8:
अथ य इमे ग्राम इष्टापूर्ते दत्तमित्युपासते ते धूममभिसंभवन्ति धूमाद्रात्रिं रात्रेरपरपक्षमपरपक्षाद्यान्षड्दक्षिणैति मासांस्तान्नैते संवत्सरमभिप्राप्नुवन्ति ॥ ५.१०.३ ॥
Those who in the village (in contrast to upasakas who dwell in forest stated in earlier mantra) meditate upon works such as sacrifices and charitable acts (iṣṭa and pūrta), thinking “this has been given,” they reach smoke; from smoke they go to night, from night to the dark fortnight, and from the dark fortnight to the six months during which the sun moves southward. They do not reach the year.
मासेभ्यः पितृलोकं पितृलोकादाकाशमाकाशाच्चन्द्रमसमेष सोमो राजा तद्देवानामन्नं तं देवा भक्षयन्ति ॥ ५.१०.४ ॥
From those months they go to the world of the ancestors, and from the world of the ancestors to space, and from space to the moon. That moon is King Soma; it is the food of the gods, and the gods eat it.
तस्मिन्यवात्सम्पातमुषित्वाथैतमेवाध्वानं पुनर्निवर्तन्ते यथेतमाकाशमाकाशाद्वायुं वायुर्भूत्वा धूमो भवति धूमो भूत्वाभ्रं भवति ॥ ५.१०.५ ॥
Having dwelt there as long as the result of their actions lasts, they return again by the same path: they come to space, from space to air, becoming air they become smoke, becoming smoke they become mist, becoming mist they become cloud,
अभ्रं भूत्वा मेघो भवति मेघो भूत्वा प्रवर्षति त इह व्रीहियवा ओषधिवनस्पतयस्तिलमाषा इति जायन्तेऽतो वै खलु दुर्निष्प्रपतरं यो यो ह्यन्नमत्ति यो रेतः सिञ्चति तद्भूय एव भवति ॥ ५.१०.६ ॥
and becoming cloud they rain down. Here on earth they are born as rice, barley, herbs, trees, sesame, and beans. From there, indeed, it is difficult to come out; for whoever eats that food and whoever emits semen, that they become again.
तद्य इह रमणीयचरणा अभ्याशो ह यत्ते रमणीयां योनिमापद्येरन्ब्राह्मणयोनिं वा क्षत्रिययोनिं वा वैश्ययोनिं वाथ य इह कपूयचरणा अभ्याशो ह यत्ते कपूयां योनिमापद्येरञ्श्वयोनिं वा सूकरयोनिं वा चण्डालयोनिं वा ॥ ५.१०.७ ॥
Those among them who are of good conduct here attain a good birth—such as birth as a Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, or Vaiśya; but those of bad conduct attain a low birth—such as that of a dog, pig, or outcaste.
अथैतयोः पथोर्न कतरेणचन तानीमानि क्षुद्राण्यसकृदावर्तीनि भूतानि भवन्ति जायस्व म्रियस्वेत्येतत्तृतीयंस्थानं तेनासौ लोको न सम्पूर्यते तस्माज्जुगुप्सेत तदेष श्लोकः ॥ ५.१०.८ ॥
But those who do not know either of these two paths become these small creatures that are repeatedly born and die; this is the third state, and therefore that world is not filled up. Hence one should feel dispassion toward it; this is the teaching.
From Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 6.2.16:
अथ ये यज्ञेन दानेन तपसा लोकाञ्जयन्ति, ते धूममभिसंभवन्ति, धूमाद्रात्रिं, रात्रेरपक्शीयमाणपक्शम्, अपक्शीयमाणपक्शाद्यान्षण्मासान्दक्शिणादित्य एति, मासेभ्यः पितृलोकम्, पितृलोकाच्चन्द्रम्; ते चन्द्रं प्राप्यान्नं भवन्ति, तांस्तत्र देवा यथा सोमं राजानमाप्यायस्वापक्शीयस्वेति, एवमेनांस्तत्र भक्शयन्ति; तेषां यदा तत्पर्यवैत्यथेममेवाकाशमभिनिष्पद्यन्ते, आकाशाद्वायुम्; वायोर्वृष्टिम्, वृष्टेः पृथिवीम्; ते पृथिवीं प्राप्यान्नं भवन्ति, ते पुनः पुरुषाग्नौ हूयन्ते, ततो योषाग्नौ जायन्ते लोकान्प्रत्युथायिनः; त एवमेवानुपरिवर्तन्ते; अथ य एतौ पन्थानौ न विदुस्ते कीटाः पतङ्गा यदिदं दन्दशूकम् ॥ १६ ॥
Those who, by sacrifice, charity, and austerity, seek to attain worlds, they reach smoke; from smoke they go to night, from night to the dark fortnight, from the dark fortnight to the six months during which the sun moves southward; from those months they go to the world of the ancestors, and from the world of the ancestors to the moon. Having reached the moon, they become food; there the gods partake of them, just as one says, “Grow, O King Soma, wax and wane,” and in that manner they consume them there. When that (result of their actions) is exhausted, they again return by the same path: they come to space, from space to air, from air to rain, from rain to the earth. Having reached the earth, they become food; then they are offered into the fire that is man, and from there into the fire that is woman, and are born again. Thus they continually revolve in this cycle. But those who do not know these two paths become insects, moths, or creatures that bite.
Dhūma (Smoke) — deity of smoke
Rātri (Night) — deity of night
Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa (Dark fortnight / waning phase) — deity of the dark half
Dakṣiṇāyana (Six months southward) — deity of the southern course
Māsa (Months) — presiding deities of months
Pitṛ-loka (World of ancestors) — Pitṛ-devatās
Ākāśa (Space) — deity of space (explicit in Chāndogya)
Candra / Soma (Moon) — Soma, king; “food of the gods”
In Candra-loka (Soma-loka):
They enjoy karma-phala
Become food for the gods (figurative consumption)
Ākāśa (Space)
Vāyu (Air)
Dhūma (Smoke)
Abhra (Mist)
Megha (Cloud)
Varṣa (Rain)
Pṛthivī (Earth → food: rice, barley, etc.)
Anna (Food eaten by beings)
Retas (Semen)
Garbha (Womb / birth)
Good conduct → higher births (Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya)
Bad conduct → lower births (animals, outcaste, etc.)
Those who know neither path:
Do not go by devayāna or pitṛyāna
Become lower, repeatedly cycling beings (insects, etc.)
शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते ।
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुनः ॥ ८-२६॥
एते शुक्लकृष्णे जगतः शाश्वते गती हि मते एकया याति अनावृत्तिम् अन्यया आवर्तते पुनः।
शुक्लकृष्णे = bright and dark fortnights, गती = paths, हि = indeed, एते = these, जगतः = of this world, शाश्वते = eternal, मते = considered, एकया = by one, याति = goes, अनावृत्तिम् = no return, अन्यया = by the other, आवर्तते = returns, पुनः = again
Bright and dark fortnights, these two paths for this world are considered eternal, when gone by one, there is no return and by the other one returns again.
शुक्लकृष्णे – शुक्ल + कृष्ण, स्त्री, प्र, द्वि
गती – गति, स्त्री, प्र, द्वि
हि – अव्ययम्
एते – एतद्, स्त्री, प्र, द्वि
जगतः – जगत्, नपुं, ष, एक
शाश्वते – शाश्वत, स्त्री, प्र, द्वि
मते – मत, स्त्री, प्र, द्वि
एकया – एक, स्त्री, तृ, एक
याति – या धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - या प्रापणे - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
अनावृत्तिम् – अन् + आवृत्ति, स्त्री, द्वि, एक
अन्यया – अन्य, स्त्री, तृ, एक
आवर्तते – आङ् + वृत् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः आत्मने पदम् - वृतुँ वर्तने - भ्वादिः, प्र-पु, एक
पुनः – अव्ययम्
शुक्लकृष्णे शुक्ला च कृष्णा च शुक्लकृष्णे ज्ञानप्रकाशकत्वात् शुक्ला तदभावात् कृष्णा एते शुक्लकृष्णे हि गती जगतः इति अधिकृतानां ज्ञानकर्मणोः न जगतः सर्वस्यैव एते गती संभवतः शाश्वते नित्ये संसारस्य नित्यत्वात् मते अभिप्रेते। तत्र एकया शुक्लया याति अनावृत्तिम् अन्यया इतरया आवर्तते पुनः भूयः।।
Shuklā (शुक्ला) and Krishnā (कृष्णा) शुक्लकृष्णे—Shuklā due to illumination of knowledge (शुक्ला ज्ञानप्रकाशकत्वात्), while Krishnā due to the absence of that (illumination) (तदभावात् कृष्णा). These two—Shukla and Krishna—(एते शुक्लकृष्णे) indeed are goals (हि गती) of the world (जगतः) - for those qualified in knowledge and action (अधिकृतानां ज्ञानकर्मणोः), these two paths are not feasible for all (सर्वस्यैव एते गती न संभवतः). They are considered (मते अभिप्रेते) eternal (शाश्वते) due to the worldly existence being eternal (संसारस्य नित्यत्वात्).
Between these two (तत्र), by one phase—Shukla—there is liberation (एकया शुक्लया याति अनावृत्तिम्), while by the other—Krishna—there is return once again (अन्यया इतरया आवर्तते पुनः भूयः).
Notes
The path to Brahmaloka is called shukla-gati. Shukla means bright or white. Why is the path called so? Due to its nature being of illumination for three reasons:
Upasana leads to Brahmaloka where atma-jnana is attained which is of the nature of illumination.
The path is associated with deities who are identified with bright entities - agni, jyoti, ahah, shukla-paksha, uttarayana (for India).
In contrast the other path is called krishna-gati for its nature being opposite to shulka-gati: it leads to samsara and dukha while the deities who accompany the jiva in this journey are all identified/associated with dark entities: smoke, night, dark fortnight and southern movement of sun.
The verse says these two path are available for jagat जगतः - Sankaracahrya qualifies stating that these two paths are available for only those who follow Vadika-dharma: for those qualified in knowledge and action (अधिकृतानां ज्ञानकर्मणोः), these two paths are not feasible for all (सर्वस्यैव एते गती न संभवतः).
The two paths are शाश्वत eternal because creation is eternal (संसारस्य नित्यत्वात्). Even though creation comes and goes, it is ever there - pravāha nityatvam - eternally there but always changeful in nature.
As noted in verse 8.16, there is a possibility of an upasaka returning from brahmaloka which is not covered by either of these two gatis. One may say that such an upasaka goes through shukla-gati to Brahmaloka, and the return is only after pralaya in the next creation cycle.
नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन ।
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन ॥ ८-२७॥
पार्थ कश्चन योगी एते सृती जानन् न मुह्यति। तस्मात् अर्जुन सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तःभव।
न = not, एते सृती = these two paths, पार्थ = O Partha!, जानन् = has known, योगी = upasaka, मुह्यति = deluded, कश्चन = any, तस्मात् = therefore, सर्वेषु कालेषु = at all times, योगयुक्तः = be engaged in upasana, भव = you be, अर्जुन = O Arjuna!
O Partha! Any upasaka who knows these two paths is not deluded. O Arjuna! at all times, therefore, you be engaged in upasana.
न – अव्ययम्
एते – एतद्, स्त्री, द्वि, प्र
सृती – सृति, स्त्री, द्वि, प्र
पार्थ – पार्थ, पुं, सं, एक
जानन् – जानत्, पुं, प्र, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - ज्ञा + शतृँ - ज्ञा अवबोधने - क्र्यादिः
योगी – योगिन्, पुं, प्र, एक
मुह्यति – मुह् धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - मुहँ वैचित्त्ये - दिवादिः, प्र-पु, एक
कश्चन – किम्-पुं + चन, पुं, प्र, एक (अनिर्दिष्टप्रयोगः)
तस्मात् – अव्ययम्
सर्वेषु – सर्व, पुं, स, बहु
कालेषु – काल, पुं, स, बहु
योगयुक्तः – योग + युक्त, पुं, प्र, एक
भव – भू धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लोट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - भू सत्तायाम् - भ्वादिः, म-पु, एक
अर्जुन – अर्जुन, पुं, सं, एक
न एते यथोक्ते सृती मार्गौ पार्थ जानन् संसाराय एका अन्या मोक्षाय इति योगी न मुह्यति कश्चन कश्चिदपि। तस्मात् सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तः समाहितो भव अर्जुन।।शृणु तस्य योगस्य माहात्म्यम् -
O Pārtha (पार्थ), knowing these two stated courses (एते यथोक्ते सृती मार्गौ जानन्)—one for the world (Krishna) (संसाराय एका) and another for liberation (Shukla) (अन्या मोक्षाय इति), a yogi is never deluded (योगी न मुह्यति कश्चन कश्चिदपि). Therefore (तस्मात्), O Arjuna (अर्जुन), be (भव) one who is focused in upasana (योगयुक्तः समाहितः) at all times (सर्वेषु कालेषु).
Listen now to the greatness of that upasana (शृणु तस्य योगस्य माहात्म्यम्).
Notes
The verse concludes the topic advising Arjuna to be a upasaka to attain krama-mukti.
These two paths - shukla-gati that leads to krama-mukti and krishna-gati that leads to samsara - are to be known and the yogi, who is an upasaka in this scenario, must diligently follow upasana keeping krama-mukti as the goal between the two options.
Sri Krishna is advising Arjuna, and hence all of us, to perform yoga, upasana of Ishvara, all the time. Recall verse 8.7 which encouraged upasakas to remember Ishvara all the time. This verse concludes the topic advocating the same practice.
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव
दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम् ।
अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा
योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम् ॥ ८-२८॥
योगी यत् पुण्यफलम् वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु दानेषु च एव प्रदिष्टम् इदम् विदित्वा तत् सर्वम् अत्येति परम् आद्यम् स्थानम् उपैति च ।
वेदेषु = in all Vedas, यज्ञेषु = in all yajnas, तपःसु = in all austerities, च = and, एव दानेषु = in all donations, यत् = which, पुण्यफलम् = the result of merit, प्रदिष्टम् = declared, अत्येति = exceeds, तत् = that, सर्वम् = all, इदम् = this, विदित्वा = having known, योगी = upasaka, परम् स्थानम् = Supreme state, उपैति = attains, च = and, आद्यम् = primordial
(The result of) this (Ishvara upasana) exceeds the result of merit declared (by scriptures) in: the study of Vedas, the performance of sacrifices, austerities and donations. An upasaka having known (the answers to Arjuna’s questions and practicing upasana with that knowledge) attains the supreme primordial state (through krama-mukti).
वेदेषु – वेद, पुं, स, बहु
यज्ञेषु – यज्ञ, पुं, स, बहु
तपःसु – तपस्, नपुं, स, बहु
च – अव्ययम्
एव – अव्ययम्
दानेषु – दान, नपुं, स, बहु
यत् – यद्, नपुं, प्र, एक
पुण्यफलम् – पुण्य + फल, नपुं, द्वि, एक
प्रदिष्टम् – प्रदिष्ट, नपुं, द्वि, एक, कृदन्तरूपाणि - प्र + दिश् + क्त - दिशँ अतिसर्जने - तुदादिः
अत्येति – अति + इ धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - इण् गतौ - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
तत् – तद्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
सर्वम् – सर्व, नपुं, द्वि, एक
इदम् – इदम्, नपुं, द्वि, एक
विदित्वा – अव्ययम्, कृदन्तरूपाणि - विद् + क्त्वा - विदँ ज्ञाने - अदादिः
योगी – योगिन्, पुं, प्र, एक
परम् – पर, नपुं, द्वि, एक
स्थानम् – स्थान, नपुं, द्वि, एक
उपैति – उप + इ धातुरूपाणि - कर्तरि प्रयोगः लट् लकारः परस्मै पदम् - इण् गतौ - अदादिः, प्र-पु, एक
च – अव्ययम्
आद्यम् – आद्य, नपुं, द्वि, एक
वेदेषु सम्यगधीतेषु यज्ञेषु च साद्गुण्येन अनुष्ठितेषु तपःसु च सुतप्तेषु दानेषु च सम्यग्दत्तेषु यद् एतेषु यत् पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टं शास्त्रेण अत्येति अतीत्य गच्छति तत् सर्वं फलजातम् इदं विदित्वा सप्तप्रश्ननिर्णयद्वारेण उक्तम् अर्थं सम्यक् अवधार्य अनुष्ठाय योगी परम् उत्कृष्टम् ऐश्वरं स्थानम् उपैति च प्रतिपद्यते आद्यम् आदौ भवम् कारणं ब्रह्म इत्यर्थः।।
The result of merit (पुण्यफलं) declared by the scriptures (प्रदिष्टं शास्त्रेण) which is (यद् यत्): in proper study of Vedas (वेदेषु सम्यगधीतेषु), in performance of sacrifices with proper attitude and acts (यज्ञेषु च साद्गुण्येन अनुष्ठितेषु), in austerities performed well (तपःसु च सुतप्तेषु), in offerings given rightly (दानेषु च सम्यग्दत्तेषु), this surpasses (इदं अत्येति अतीत्य गच्छति) all that fruit that is born (from acts) (तत् सर्वं फलजातम्). Having properly understood the stated meaning through answers to the seven questions (सप्तप्रश्ननिर्णयद्वारेण उक्तम् अर्थं सम्यक् अवधार्य), and having duly performed it (अनुष्ठाय), the yogi (योगी) attains the supreme, excellent, divine state (परम् उत्कृष्टम् ऐश्वरं स्थानम्) and reaches the primeval beginning of existence (आद्यं आदौ भवम्), which is the Supreme Brahman (कारणं ब्रह्म) itself.
Notes:
This verse praises the result of upasana that leads to krama-mukti over karma, in other words, shukla-gati over krishna-gati.
Bhagavan lumps all results of karma together:
वेदेषु सम्यगधीतेषु - in the deep study of Vedas which includes chanting
यज्ञेषु च साद्गुण्येन अनुष्ठितेषु - in performance of rituals properly
तपःसु च सुतप्तेषु - in austerities dealing with rituals like fasting, etc.
दानेषु च सम्यग्दत्तेषु - in giving proper donations
All these results of karma generate punya or merit to the doer. Bhagavan says that the result of upasana by a nishkama-upasaka is much greater than these taken together (तत् सर्वं फलजातम्).
इदं विदित्वा - although this means simply knowing upasana, but it is meant to be seen as performance also. What is to be known and what is to be done? सप्तप्रश्ननिर्णयद्वारेण उक्तम् अर्थं सम्यक् अवधार्य अनुष्ठाय One must know the answers to the six questions of Arjuna and then practise them as upasana which leads to krama-mukti. How the answers to these six questions need to be meditated as Ishvara upasana continuously throughout life has been explained in the notes of verse 8.3. This result of krama-mukti is much higher than the results of karma described above because karma maintains a person in samsara as mentioned earlier while krama-mukti gives freedom from finitude, rebirth and sorrow.
ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे अक्षरब्रह्मयोगो नामाष्टमोऽध्यायः ॥ ८॥