Chapter 8 — The Yoga of the Imperishable Absolute

Om

Salutation to the Supreme Self

Arjuna said

What is that Brahman? What is the self? What is action, Supreme Person?And what is called the domain of beings? What is called the domain of the gods? ॥८- १॥

Who and how is the domain of sacrifice here in this body, Madhusudana?And at the time of departure, how are you to be known by those whose selves are disciplined? ॥८- २॥

The Blessed Lord said

The Imperishable is the supreme Brahman; one’s essential nature is called the self.The outpouring that brings forth the becoming of beings is designated action. ॥८- ३॥

The domain of beings is perishable existence, and the Person is the domain of the gods.I alone am the domain of sacrifice here in the body, best of embodied beings. ॥८- ४॥

And whoever, at the final hour, remembering me alone,leaves the body and departs, enters my being—of this there is no doubt. ॥८- ५॥

Whatever state one rememberswhen one leaves the body at the end,that very state one reaches, son of Kunti,having always been shaped by that state. ॥८- ६॥

Therefore, remember me at all times, and fight.With mind and understanding offered to me,you will come to me alone, beyond doubt. ॥८- ७॥

With consciousness joined to the yoga of constant practice,straying nowhere else,one reaches the supreme, divine Person,O Partha, by continually contemplating him. ॥८- ८॥

Whoever remembers the Seer, the Ancient, the Ruler,subtler than the subtle,the sustainer of all, whose form is inconceivable,radiant as the sun, beyond the darkness— ॥८- ९॥

At the time of departure, with unwavering mind,joined with devotion and with the power of yoga,having rightly placed the life-breath between the brows,one reaches that supreme, divine Person. ॥८- १०॥

That Imperishable which the knowers of the Veda proclaim,which ascetics free from passion enter,desiring which they live the life of sacred discipline—that state I will declare to you in brief. ॥८- ११॥

Restraining all the gates,confining the mind within the heart,placing one’s life-breath at the crown of the head,established in yogic concentration— ॥८- १२॥

Uttering Om, the one syllable that is Brahman,and remembering me,whoever departs, leaving the body,reaches the supreme destination. ॥८- १३॥

Whoever remembers me constantly, day after day,with consciousness fixed on no other—for that ever-steadfast yogi,I am easily reached, O Partha. ॥८- १४॥

Having reached me, the great souls,who have attained the highest perfection,do not take birth againin this impermanent abode of suffering. ॥८- १५॥

From the world of Brahma downward,all worlds are subject to return, Arjuna;but having reached me, son of Kunti,there is no birth again. ॥८- १६॥

Those who know that Brahma’s dayextends through a thousand ages,and that his night ends after a thousand ages—they are the knowers of day and night. ॥८- १७॥

At the coming of day, all manifest beingsarise from the Unmanifest;at the coming of night, they dissolveinto that very same which is called the Unmanifest. ॥८- १८॥

This same multitude of beings,coming into being again and again, dissolves helplesslyat the coming of night, O Partha,and arises at the coming of day. ॥८- १९॥

But beyond that Unmanifest is another existence,unmanifest and eternal,which does not perishwhen all beings perish. ॥८- २०॥

It is called the Unmanifest, the Imperishable;they call it the supreme destination.Having reached it, none return:that is my supreme abode. ॥८- २१॥

That supreme Person, O Partha,is reached through undivided devotion alone.All beings abide within him,and by him all this is pervaded. ॥८- २२॥

Now I will tell you, best of the Bharatas,the times at which yogis departand go either to nonreturnor to return. ॥८- २३॥

Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight,the six months of the sun’s northern course—departing then, those who know Brahmango to Brahman. ॥८- २४॥

Smoke, night, the dark fortnight,the six months of the sun’s southern course—departing then, the yogi reaches the lunar lightand returns. ॥८- २५॥

These two paths, the bright and the dark,are held to be the world’s eternal paths.By one, one goes to nonreturn;by the other, one returns again. ॥८- २६॥

Knowing these two paths, O Partha,no yogi is ever deluded.Therefore, at all timesbe steadfast in yoga, Arjuna. ॥८- २७॥

The meritorious fruit ordainedfor study of the Vedas, sacrifices, austerities,and gifts—the yogi, knowing all this,passes beyond it alland reaches the supreme, primal state. ॥८- २८॥

Om Tat Sat. Thus, in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, in the knowledge of Brahman, in the teaching of yoga,in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, the eighth chapter, named “The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman.” ॥८॥

Om

Salutations to the Supreme Self

Arjuna said:

What is that Brahman? What is the Self? What is action, Supreme Person?And what is called the realm of beings? What is called the realm of the gods? ॥८- १॥

Who and how is the one who presides over sacrifice here in this body, Madhusudana?And at the time of departure, how are you to be known by those whose minds are disciplined? ॥८- २॥

The Blessed Lord said:

The imperishable is the supreme Brahman. One’s own nature is called the Self.The outpouring that brings about the arising of beings is called action. ॥८- ३॥

The perishable state is the realm of beings, and the Person is the realm of the gods.I alone am the one who presides over sacrifice here in the body, best of embodied beings. ॥८- ४॥

Whoever leaves the body at the final moment while remembering me aloneenters my state. There is no doubt about this. ॥८- ५॥

Whatever state a person remembers when leaving the body at the end,that very state he reaches, son of Kunti, having always been shaped by that state. ॥८- ६॥

Therefore, remember me at all times, and fight.With your mind and understanding offered to me, you will come to me alone, without doubt. ॥८- ७॥

With a mind disciplined by repeated practice of yoga and not straying elsewhere,one reaches the divine Supreme Person by continually contemplating him, Partha. ॥८- ८॥

Whoever remembers the Seer, the ancient one, the ruler,smaller than the smallest,the sustainer of all, whose form is beyond thought,sun-colored and beyond the darkness— ॥८- ९॥

At the time of departure, with an unwavering mind,joined with devotion and with the power of yoga,properly fixing the life breath between the eyebrows,he reaches that divine Supreme Person. ॥८- १०॥

I will briefly tell you of that goal which the knowers of the Vedas call imperishable,which ascetics free from desire enter,and desiring which they practice celibacy. ॥८- ११॥

Restraining all the gates,confining the mind within the heart,placing one’s life breath at the crown of the head,and established in yogic concentration— ॥८- १२॥

Whoever departs while leaving the body,uttering “Om,” the single syllable that is Brahman, and remembering me,reaches the supreme destination. ॥८- १३॥

For the yogi who always and constantly remembers me,whose mind goes to no other, and who is continually united with me,I am easy to reach, Partha. ॥८- १४॥

Having reached me, the great souls who have attained supreme perfectiondo not undergo another birth in this impermanent home of suffering. ॥८- १५॥

From the world of Brahma downward, all worlds are subject to return, Arjuna.But after reaching me, son of Kunti, there is no further birth. ॥८- १६॥

Those people who know day and nightknow that Brahma’s day lasts for a thousand agesand that his night ends after a thousand ages. ॥८- १७॥

At the arrival of day, all manifest beings arise from the unmanifest.At the arrival of night, they dissolve into that very thing called the unmanifest. ॥८- १८॥

This same multitude of beings comes into existence again and again and dissolves.Helplessly, Partha, it dissolves when night arrives and arises when day arrives. ॥८- १९॥

But beyond that unmanifest is another unmanifest state, eternal,which does not perish when all beings perish. ॥८- २०॥

It is called the unmanifest and the imperishable; they call it the supreme destination.Having reached it, people do not return. That is my supreme abode. ॥८- २१॥

That Supreme Person, Partha, is reached through undivided devotion.All beings dwell within him, and all this is pervaded by him. ॥८- २२॥

I will now tell you the times at which departing yogisgo either to nonreturn or to return, best of the Bharatas. ॥८- २३॥

Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, and the six months of the sun’s northward course:departing then, those who know Brahman go to Brahman. ॥८- २४॥

Smoke, night, the dark fortnight, and the six months of the sun’s southward course:departing then, the yogi reaches the moon’s light and returns. ॥८- २५॥

These two paths, the bright and the dark, are held to be the world’s eternal paths.By one, a person goes and does not return; by the other, a person returns again. ॥८- २६॥

No yogi who knows these two paths is ever confused, Partha.Therefore, remain joined to yoga at all times, Arjuna. ॥८- २७॥

The yogi who knows all this goes beyond every meritorious resultprescribed for the Vedas, sacrifices, austerities,and gifts,and reaches the supreme, original place. ॥८- २८॥

Om Tat Sat. Thus, in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, in the knowledge of Brahman, in the teaching of yoga, in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the eighth chapter, named “The Yoga of Imperishable Brahman.” ॥८॥