Chapter VIII (1 - 28)

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ADHYAAY VIII

AKSHARA BRAHMA YOGAM

Introduction

If other chapters in the Gita teach us how to lead our lives in this world, this chapter teaches us how to leave this world, how to handle death of the body.  There is an inspiring scene in the Bhagawat.  The Mahabharatha war was over.  Bheeshma was on the bed of arrows, in the battle field.  Yudhishtira, the eldest among Pandavas, was about to be anointed as the king.  But, his heart was not ready for it.  He felt remorseful for the lakhs killed in the terrible war.  As there is no compensatory ritual for sacrificing lives in fire, no compensatory act can be enough for the killing of so many.  Yudhishtira felt he was directly responsible for this brutality.  Shri Krishna read Yudhishtira’s mind and wanted to console him.  He asked Yudhishtira to visit Bheeshma, lying on the bed of arrows.  Yudhishtira along with other Pandavas, Draupadi and Shri Krishna went to the battlefield and met Bheeshma.  Bheeshma smiled and worshipped Shri Krishna and commanded, “I want you to fix your gaze on me.  Please do not look at me with anger because I shot piercing arrows on your beloved friend and devotee Arjuna.  Please look at me with your best smile.  I want you to be in your Divine form with four arms, dazzling ornaments and silk cloth.  Be in that form, till I breathe my last.  Please bless me so that my mind and Buddhi also are engrossed in your thoughts when I leave this world.”  Then, he explains the greatness of, Divine Nature of Shri Krishna to the Yudhishtira.  “Incited by the wicked Duryodhana’s abusive words, I had vowed to wreck havoc on Pandava army and force Shri Krishna to break his pledge and take up weapon.  Shri Krishna, true to His nature of Love for His devotees wanted to prove my words true.  He rushed towards me aggressively with chariot wheel in His hands.  He is Bhakta Vatsala.”  Afterwards, he explained to Yudhishtira, Raja Neethi (the guide for a virtuous king) and Dharma Neethi (the general principles of Dharma.)  Bheeshma said, “Now, all agitations and turbulence in my mind are eliminated.  I have attained perfect peace.”  Yudhishtira’s mind was also calmed after this meet with Bheeshma.  Bheeshma then recited thousand names of Shri Krishna (Vishnu Sahasranama) and left his physical body.  No tears, no grief on death, no talks and thoughts on petty money matters and relationships.  Unconcerned about the bodily pain due to arrows piercing every part of the body, Bheeshma left this world with calm mind focused on Him, hands folded, gaze fixed on His Form and mouth singing His praise.  He transformed the moment of death into a beautiful moment of devotion, moment of joy, moment of inspiration.  The eighth chapter discusses that final moment in a man’s life.  Come on!  Let us also plunge into the chapter and capture a few pearls....

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अर्जुन उवाच -

किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम ।

अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तं अधिदैवं किमुच्यते ॥ १ ॥

अधियज्ञः कथं कोsत्र देहेsस्मिन् मधुसूदन ।

प्रयाण काले च कथं ज्ञेयोsसि नियतात्मभिः ॥ २ ॥

Arjuna said:  What is that Brahman?  What is Adhyaatma?  What is karma?  Oh Best of Purushaas!  What is called Adhibhootha?  And what is Adhidaiva?

Hey Madhusoodana!  Who, and in what way is Adhiyagnya here in this body?  And how are Thou known at the time of death, by the self-controlled?

(VIII – 1, 2)

Arjuna listened to a few words being used by Shri Krishna in the last shlokam of the previous chapter.  His question is based on those words.  At this moment, Arjuna is totally out of his excited state.  Passions about the war have disappeared from his mind.  Why he seems to have forgotten he is in a battlefield surrounded by huge armies.  He involves intensely in the conversation.

‘Niyataama’ is one in complete control of self, one on the path of Yog.  One of the questions of Arjuna is, ‘How will the death of a Niyataatma’ be?’

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श्री भगवानुवाच -

अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोsध्यात्ममुच्यते ।

भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसञ्ज्ज्ञितः ॥ ३ ॥

Shree Bhagawaan said:  The Imperishable is the Supreme Brahman.  Its dwelling in each individual body is called Adhyaatma.  The offering in sacrifice which causes the genesis and support of beings is called Karma.

(VIII - 3)

Brahman is beyond destruction (Aksharam).  It is greater, higher than everything (Paramam).  It is SatChitAananda.  It has no attributes.  It has no form.  It has always been, even before anything was created and even after everything will be dissolved.  It is beyond Time.  It can not be known through the senses.  It is the basis for the whole creation.  Yet, It is not in anything.  It is cause of every action, but does not act.  Creation springs out of the Brahman and finally dissolves into It.  Brahman is the changeless behind all changes.  It is the Indestructible behind all the perishable.  It is birthless among all beings born.

The real nature, or that which Is, is Adhyaatma.  The science of knowing self is also adhyaatma.  (Self is Adhyaatma and the art of knowing self is also adhyaatma.)  Shri Krishna says in the tenth chapter, ‘Among the arts, I am the art of knowing self, adhyaatma.’  (X - 32).  What is ‘being’?  What am I?  What is my real Nature?  That which has not been created by me and that which is the cause of all my creations, is the real Me.  Rather than what I am, I start regarding what I do as me.  I am an actor!  I am a singer!  I am a trader!  I am an engineer!  The outer world may identify me from what I do.  I should not.  How do I know myself?  If work as an artist, what was I before I started art work?  What will I be, even after I cease to work as an artist?  One must know his real self, as the result of deeper and deeper introspection.  To know Self is Adhyaatma.

Bhoota or lives are of two types, Sthaavara (the ones which do not move like the vegetation) and Jangama (the ones which move like the animals, birds, insects and human).  Yagya is the effort of lives to Be.  In the beginning, Brahman wished to spin multiple lives out of self.  That was Yagya.  This desire stirs up Purusha and Prakriti into action and lives are created.  Karma thus initiated is continued by lives, generation after generation.  Karma is born when lives give up their swabhava (real Nature), turn away from Aatma.

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अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम् ।

अधियज्ञोsहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वरम् ॥ ४ ॥

Oh best of the embodied!  The perishable adjunct is the Adhibhootha, and the In-dweller is the Adhidaivata.  I alone am the Adhiyagnya here in this body.

(VIII - 4)

Adhibhootam is everything that is perishable.  All that is constituted of the five basic elements is adhibhootam.  Though these are different from Chaitalya, the Divine, these are not apart.

At the start, the Brahman desires to express self as multitudes of lives.  It resolves to create.  Purusha or Hiranyagarbha or Brahma (the God of creation), appears first.  All the lives are produced by and from Him.  Purusha is Adhidaivatam.

I am Adhiyagyam.  In other words, I am the Antaryami, the One who resides in human hearts and knows everything.  I reside in the hearts of all lives.  This is what He says in Chapter XII - shloka 17 (Hrudi sarvasya vishthitam) ‘I am seated in the heart of all lives’;  in chapter XV – 15 (sarvasya chaaham hrudi sannivishtam) ‘I am centered in the hearts of all’;  and in chapter XVIII – 61 (Sarvabhootaanaam hriddesherjuna tishtathi) ‘I rest in the heart of all lives’.  What we call as body is called Adhibhootam.  The ‘aham’ or ego, which considers self as the ‘Knower’ or ‘Doer’ is ‘Adhidaivatam’.  That which Is, even after Ahankara’ is eliminated, that which is Pure Light, Pure Knowledge, is Adhiyagyam.

Shri Ramsukhdas explains this beautifully, using the analogy of water.  In a clear sky, nothing seems to be present between us and the Sun.  But, water is there in very subtle form, invisible to our eyes.  Water particles vapourize, coagulate and transform into a cloud.  Element water, now in vapour form, becomes denser and transform into fluid form and shower as rain.  If the same becomes heavier and denser, it solidifies into hailstones or fog.  Elemental water at atomic level is Brahman.  Vapourized form of water is Vishnu or Adhiyagya.  Water in the form of cloud is Purusha or Adhidaivatam.  Water in rain drops multitudes of lives or adhyaatman.  The yagya or act of shower of rain is Karma.  Solidified snow or hailstone is adhibhootam.  That is the grossest manifestation of water.

A conflict arises in our minds.  ‘The world is unreal.  Illusionary.  Paramaatman is Real’, the shastras say.  The great visionaries have corroborated this.  On the contrary, the world, experienced by us, seems so real and we can only accept the Paramaatman.  The world gives us pleasures and pains.  Yes.  We lose our peace and become restless when we find that pleasures are got as and when we desire and are transient and pains do not go on our demand.  Paramaatman is Blissful, say the shastras and the wise.  We experience one and can only accept the other.  Nevertheless, the effort should continue.  At present, the world is more prior in our minds than Paramaatman.  With continued effort, gradually Paramaatman becomes more and more prior and the world loses importance in our minds.  When Paramaatman occupies the entire space in our minds, then we realize that, ‘the world never was and never will be.  That which presently appears to be, is also continuously getting deformed and moving towards dissolution.’  Paramaatman always Is and every where, when the world was not, when the world will not be and at present when the world appears to be.  This is experienced and realized by the seeker as the result of continued practise.

The seekers are usually of two types, men of head (Viveka dominant) and men of heart (Shraddha dominant).  The former knows and the later accepts.  The Formless, without any atribute is preferred by the former while Form with attributes is liked by the later.  ‘Paramaatman is neither Sat nor Asat’, says Viveki.  ‘He is Sat as well as Asat’, says Shraddhavan.  But, both strive to get away from the inert Prakriti.  Viveki uses his discretion to discard the inert, while the devotee faces Paramaatman and gets away from the Inert.  Both attain Paramaatman by getting away from Prakriti and enjoy the Blissful state.

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अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् ।

यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥ ५ ॥

And he, who at the time of death, meditating on Me alone, goes forth, leaving the body, attains My being:  there is no doubt about this.

(VIII - 5)

What a promise!  It prompts us to think that, “It is so convenient.  Let me enjoy this dazzling world and leave Paramaatman for old age.”  But, do we know the final moment?  It may be the immediate next moment.  It may come during sleep in the night.  Any moment during unconsciousness or sickness might be the final moment.  It may be in childhood, youth, middle age and old age.  It may be a moment when we are deeply engrossed in some other work.  We have only one option.  We should realize that “this moment may be the for me” and keep alive the thoughts on Him every moment.

What is remembering Him?  The God of our remembrance may be formless and without any attributes.  It may be a form, with attributes.  It may be any form, a Name, a Pilgrim center or a Divine action of His.  Usually we forget Him, when involved deeply in a work;  when experiencing sad or happy moments, success or failure, loss or gain; or while striving to want or avoid these.  Hence, while involving in worldly activities, complete detachment from the activity and its projected result and constant remembrance of Him is what we ought to do.

There are four possibilities.  1. Continuing spiritual practices the whole life, remembering Him all the while and obviously remembering Him at the final moment too.  2. Spending the whole life in worldly and sensual experiences without any time for spiritual practice, passing away with the same thoughts and continuing in the cycle of birth and death.  3. Although involed in continuous practices through out the life, not remembering Him at the final moment and hence continuing in birth and death cycle.  4.  Not doing anything whole of life but remembering Him at the final moment and reaching Him.

The first two possibilities are understandable.  The next two prompt us to doubt His way of Justice.  The glaring example in the third possibility is Bharata Muni.  He was a king, who looked after his people like a father would love and care for his children.  He was a great devotee and spent his whole life in His devotion.  He performed regularly every religious ritual prescribed for a king.  He never desired favourable fruit from his rituals and would dedicate the results to Him.  After many years of judicious rule, he transferred the mantle to his son and retired into a forest for a life of penance and meditation.  He created an ashram on the banks of river Gandaki and began living a peaceful life of solitude and devotion.  A pregnant deer once arrived at the river side to quench its thirst.  The same moment, a lion roared and pounced on the deer.  The frightened deer jumped with an intent to cross the river.  It slipped and fell into the river.  A calf deer was born, but the mother was dead.  The calf also fell in the river and was being flown along the stream.  Bharata Muni saw this and was full of compassion for the calf.  He lifted it, placed in his lap and started patting it.  He fed it with cow’s milk.  His whole mind was occupied by the thoughts of the calf.  He spent the whole time worrying about it and fulfilling its needs.  He left this world when he was engrossed in thoughts of deer calf and was born as deer in his next birth.

Bharatha Muni thought about and got trapped in worldly thoughts only towards the end of his life.  Hence, he had to go through just one life as deer and was then born as a great sage, Jada Bharatha and attained Godhood.  Most of us are deeply involved worldly thoughts although appea to be in Divine activities outwardly.  It is no surprise that we do not think of Paramaatman at the final moment.

Ajamilan is a well known example for the fourth type.  Ajamilan never remembered Paramaatman.  He merely called his youngest son Narayana at the final moment.  The goodness he carried from his previous birth, probably prompted him to give his son God’s name.  It was the same which caused Narayana to be near him when he was on the verge of dying.  Yet, not so near and he had to call out his name loudly and his life left the body.  Ajamilan was taken to Vaikuntha, the world of Vishnu, by the Parshads (messengers) of Shri Vishnu.

The punya of previous births, Kripa of God or contact with a sadhu (Godly man) may be the spark which ignites remembrance of Paramaatman and riddance of worldly affection at the last moment.  It may be just for a few seconds, but is enough for him to reach Divinehood, as his mind is totally filled up with Divine thoughts with no trace of worldly ones.

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यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् ।

तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः ॥ ६ ॥

Remembering whatever object, at the end, he leaves the body, that alone is reached by him, Oh son of Kunti!  (because) of his constant thought of that object.

(VIII - 6)

The one who remembers Paramaatman attains Him.  Similarly, others too take births to pursue the wish occupying the mind at the final moment.  ‘As you think, so ou become’, they say.  The last thought before sleep becomes the first one immediately on getting up in the morning.  Death is also similar to sleep, a longer one.  The bhavana continues even after death.  One who has eliminated all vasanas, but desire to eat Idly at the last moment, will be born again, only to fulfill that desire.  There is a practise in our houses.  We are discouraged to demand anything in the night.  If we desire and demand something in the night, it is fulfilled.  What if his life departs during sleep;?..  We must be reborn for that single desire!  Hence, the demand is fulfilled.

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तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च ।

मय्यार्पित मनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम् ॥ ७ ॥

Therefore, at all times, constantly remember Me, and fight.  With mind and intellect absorbed in Me, thou shall doubtless come to Me.

(VIII - 7)

The fond wish of Paramaatman is that all the lives should get liberated from the clutches of birth and death cycle and reach Him.  He simplifies the way towards that.  ‘Take up the struggles in life, but keep me in remembrance all the while.  Dedicate the mind and Buddhi to Me.’

To remember Him always does mean not doing anything else.  Do every work while simultaneously remembering Him.  Then, should we be reciting His names continuously?  Of course, His Name and Form remind Him.  Name is an effective instrument to remember Him.  But, it is possible that inspite of being among Names, in spite of continuous recital of Names, one does not remember Him at all.  The Name recital just becomes mechanical.  Kabirdas weaved his clothes for Shri Rama.  He used to regard the trader who comes to purchase the weaved cloth, as Shri Rama and welcome and treat him as such.  We climb down from the Divine remembrance, we come out from the Light, whenever anger, greed, desire, untruth and vengeance rise their heads in mind.

One need not run away from the battle field.  One need not escape from the life.  Continue, but with His constant remembrance.  Let us offer mind and Buddhi at His feet.  These are His.  These are instruments in His service.  His should be for Him.  That is Surrender.  The mind desires.  Buddhi thinks of ways to achieve that desire.  When the mind is not mine, it does not desire for me.  If at all it desires, it desires for Him.  The Buddhi is not mine.  It does not suggest ways to acquire for me.  Let us continue in the battlefield of life.  Be it success or failure, it is His.  We get or not is His Will.

There is a geneal opinion.  Household life and thoughts on Paramaatman do not go together.  One must relinquish family life if he has to involve in the thoughts of Paramaatman.  It is impossible to be in family and think on Him.  Shri Krishna’s suggestion is different.  ‘No need to run away from family.  Offer mind and Buddhi to Me, constantly remember Me and actively continue in the battlefield of life’.

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अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना ।

परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन् ॥ ८ ॥

With the mind not moving towards anything else, made steadfast by the method of habitual meditation, and dwelling on the Supreme, Resplendent Purusha, Oh son of Pritthaa!  one goes to Him.

(VIII - 8)

Abhyasa is practise.  To remember Him, while being involved in worldly activities, is to be practised.  Yog is equipoise.  The mind gets elated on some occassions and gets depressed on other occassions during practise.  To avoid both and continue the practise is Abhyasa Yog.  Involve in worldly activities and remember Him or remember Him and do the worldly duties, i.e. worldly activity is priority or His remembrance is.  In the first case, worry about the completion and success of the activity, dominate the mind.  In the later case, remembering Him is the priority and the worldly activity and its success become secondary.  The best way is to regard the work itself as His.  Many activities are undertaken on the occassin of daughter’s marriage.  Sarees, jewels, utensils and household articles are to be purchased.  The marriage hall, transport and other such arrangements are to be made.  Many persons in various places are to be invited personally.  When involved in these activities, the father always remembers that all these are for her, her marriage.  Is it not so!

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कविं पुराणमनुशासितारमणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः ।

सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूपमादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात् ॥ ९ ॥

प्रयाणकाले मनसाचलेन भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव ।

भृवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक् स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम् ॥ १० ॥

The Omniscient, the Ancient, the Overruler, minuter than an atom, the Sustainer of all, of form inconceivable, self-luminous like the Sun, and beyond the darkness of Maayaa, - he who meditates on Him thus, at the time of death, full of devotion, with the mind unmoving and also by the power of Yog, fixing the whole Praana betwixt the eye-brows, he goes to that Supreme, Resplendent Purusha.

(VIII – 9, 10)

There is a chance of me surrender before some one greater than me.  We do not surrender.  We just become humble, nay, just act humble.  Surrender is not dependant on his qualification, but on our own attitude.  We can refine this attitude by knowing how small and negligible are we, thus smashing our ego.  Surrender becomes easier by realizing how great He is.

Do we know everything?  We may assume that we know.  The people around us may repeat that we know.  The louder we scream that we know, the clearer we know that we do not know.  Do we the what is in store the next moment?  He is omniscient.  He knows everything, the past, present, the future, how to create, how to destroy, how conduct, how to conclude, etc.

Are we permanent?  Our life is at best hundred years.  Have other things lasted?  Countries have changed.  Some have perished.  Mountains have become seas, seas have dried to become lands.  Flourishing areas have become deserts.  The scientists say, this Sun will be extinguished in future.  Will lives continue to thrive on the earth after the Sun?

But, lives will continue, in some other planets.  There are lakhs of Suns in this universe.  Every Sun has planets revolving around it.  All the lakhs of planets and stars in universe are revolving and moving at tremendous speed towards a dark centre.  In other words, these are all moving towards destruction.  Thus nothing is permanent.  He is.  Science says that creation was from the explosion and expansion of a bright spot.  Yogees say, He was that.  He is bright.  He is brighter than thousand suns put together, say the Yogees.   It was from Him this whole creation sprang.  Thus He was before creation and He will be after destruction.  He is eternal.

His power is boundless.  The speed at which our planets are moving is 20,000 miles per second.  We are upset if we sit in a giant wheel at the speed of 0.03 miles per second.  (This is the fastest giant wheel we have at present.)  An ant does not get upset in the same wheel.  We can realize how infinitesimal we must be, not to be upset even though our planet is revolving and moving at a speed of 20,000 miles per second.  He controls all the movements of  all the planets, all the solar systems and all the milky ways, with perfection.

He is ‘macro’ in size covering the whole universe.  He is also ‘micro’ in size.  He resides in a small cell of even the smallest creature.  He is in a small seed.  There are millions of cells in every life.  Life sustaining activity ges on in every cell.  He is in the cell, and is the cause for the activities.  He is in the ‘Macro’ and the ‘Micro’ simultaneously.

He holds and sustains everything.  In the tenth chapter, He says, ‘the whole world is on My finger tip’.  This does not seem impossible if we visualize the size of the whole universe.  Shreemad Bhagawatham narrates how He took the form of a huge tortoise and held on His back, the earth submerged in water.  he holds us, our earth, our solar system, our milky way and millions of milky ways.

After having said all this, there is no scope left to doubt the statement that He is beyond ignorance and darkness.  He is Knowledge, Brightness, Power in total.

‘Surrender in Him’ says Shri Krishna.  If it is not possible to live remembering Him, it is also impossible to remember Him with firm mind at the final moment.  Pranayama practise makes that easier.  Pranayama is not restricting breathe.  The energy driving various operations in our body is Prana.  There are five types of Prana in our bodies.  Prana, Apaana, Vyaana, Samaana and Udaana.  Nourishment and energy to all the senses and organs is Prana.  Energy which pushes out the wastes in solid, liquid and aseous forms is Apaana.  The nergy which digests food is Vyaana.  The energy which takes care of blood circulation is Samaana.  The energy for functioning of mind and thoughts is Udaana.  Number of years is not prescribed to a man.  He comes into the world with a fixed amount of energy, Prana.  Energy is depleted as he grows.  Pranayama conserves energy.  He attains ‘Yogabalam’ through Pranayama.  He does not fear death.  Manobalam, or the emotional strength is greater than physical strength.  Buddhibalam or the Intellectual strength is greater than manobalam.  Aanmabalam or Yogabalam or Strength of the Spirit is greater than Buddhibalam.  When Pranayama is practised for attaining Paramaatman, rather than some special powers, mind and Buddhi gain strength.  Then, it is possible to leave the world stabilizing Prana between the eyebrows.  That is the location of third eye.  It is also called ‘Agya Chakra’.  The moment mind gets stable and calm, is the moment when Prana reaches Agya Chakra.  If that could be the moment of leaving this world, the Yogee reaches Paramaatman.

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यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः ।

यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं सङ्ग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये ॥ ११ ॥

What the knowers of Veda speak of as Imperishable, what the self-controlled (Sannyaasins), freed from attachment enter, and to gain which goal they live the life of brahmachaarin, that I shall declare unto thee in brief.

(VIII - 11)

In the last two verses, Shri Krishna had discussed ‘Saguna – Niraakara’ Paramaatman.  Here, discussion on ‘Nirguna – Niraakara’ Paramaatman continues.  Aksharam is Imperishable.  Aksharam also denotes the syllable ‘Om’ or Pranava Mantra.  Om also denotes Paramaatman.

The scholars of Veda know That as Aksharam.  The chatur Veda, or the four Vedas declare Him as Akshara Brahmam.  Hence, the scholars of Veda know Him as Aksharam.  Veda means Knowledge.  (As the text expresses knowledge, the text is called Veda.)  There have been Gyaanis, who have never studied the Vedas.  These Gyaanis too have known Him as Aksharam.

The great ones who have given up attachment continue their practice to attain Him.  Veetaragi also means Sannyaasi.  Should practice be continued after attachment is eliminated; after desires are evaporated?  Normally, No.  But, Shri Krishna says, ‘Yes.  The practice must continue’.  The one mssage repeated again and again in the Gita is, ‘Eradicate attachment and Continue Practice’.  It is no surprise if effort continues as long as attachment is alive.  We commoners do this.  We practise for a competition, study for an examination, sing for an appreciation, speak for claps, work for money.  We always practise for a desire.  We’ll say, ‘It is impossible to practise once desire vanishes.’  If we see someone doing that, we may even call him mad.  The social scientists also feel same way.  If effort itself is joyful, desire or attachment is not needed to stimulate effort.  He is a Karma Yogee.  He also involves in pactice to attain the Paramaatman.

The ascetics, who practise severe disciplines like Brahmacharya also seek to attain the same Brahmam.  Brahmacharya is walk on the path towards Brahmam.  The destiny on this path is Brahmam.  Thus, the final goal of Gyaani, Karmi and Dhyaana Yogee is the One and Only One Paramaatman.

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सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च ।

मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणम् ॥ १२ ॥

ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्  ।

यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम् ॥ १३ ॥

Controlling all the senses, confining the mind in the heart, drawing the Praana into the head, occupied in the practice of concentration, uttering the one-syllabled “Om” – the Brahman, and meditating on Me; - he who so departs, leaving the body, attains the Supreme Goal.

(VIII – 12, 13)

Shri Krishna talks here about the final moment of one practising Dhyaana.  He lays down three conditions.

One who has shut the doors of the senses:  He uses the word holes or doors of the senses, as the objects of pleasure enter through these senses.  These are also the exit doors for the mind.  Mind chases the objects through these doorways.  These doors are to be shut at the final moment.  The practitioner of Dhyaana has strived to control the mind.  If he has been successful in this, he would be able to shut the holes of the senses and restrain the mind from going behind the objects.  That is, his senses will not be interested in their respective feeds, shabdam (sound), sparsham (touch), roopam (sight), rasam (taste) and gandham (scent).  The throat will not interested in speech.  This will not be due to old age, disease or unconsciousness.  The mind has been consciously put away from the senses and senses from their objects.  The next condition makes this point more explicit.

Station the mind in heart:  Heart is the place for mind.  The mind is no more engaged with the senses and does not chase the objects.  The accumulated vasanas are totally erased.  The mind is rid of all thoughts, including good ones.  The mind thus calmed rests in the heart.

Fix the Prana in head:  One must develop control over Prana, through Pranayama practise, draw it away from the holes calles senses and fix the Prana in head, the location of tenth hole.  Inspite of physical old age, his senses remain hungry.  Their fixation with objects has not been subsided.  The mind also, full of desires, likes and dislikes, is full of ‘life’.  Hence, his life exits via one of the senses.  The state of seeker is different.  His senses and mind become ‘lifeless’.  He is able to fix the Prana in his head.  His life exits via the tenth hole, Brahmarantram.

He must recite the mantra Om silently in this state.  This is Brahma Mantra.  Through this mantra, he must meditate on the Formless-Attributeless Brahman.  Meditation on Brahman is the firm realization that SatChitAanand Brahman alone Is in every place, person, thing, incident and experience.

One who leaves the world in the above described state reaches the Paramaatman .

The importance of Dhyaana:  Man can travel in two opposite directions.  One, outward, away from self and the other inward, towards self.  When he takes the first option, he travels via senses towards objects.  Senses are the vehicles in this travel.  Stimulation is enticing sensual pleasure visible at a distance.  There is a possibility of his realizing the futility of this travel, that this is a run towards mirage, at some stage.  He has to perform a U-turn and travel in exactly opposite direction, at that moment of realization.  Dhyaana is the vehicle in the second option.  He is led by the single syllable mantra ‘Om’.  The first is an exciting travel and the later a peaceful one.  If he continues travel peacefully without any stimulation, he reaches inexplicable depths within, away from the senses, away from the body.  For him, Divorced from the senses and with a calmed mind, death is merely the death of body, as described in the second chapter.  Death becomes a casual experience, an experience that does not affect him.  How can death affect one who has reached beyond the body and the senses?

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अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः ।

तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः ॥१४ ॥

I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast Yogee who remembers Me constantly and daily, with a single mind, Oh son Pritthaa.

(VIII - 14)

Saguna-Sakara worship (worship of a Form with attributes) is easier, says Shri Krishna.  He explained Nirguna-Nirakara and Saguna-Nirakara worship systems, in the last few verses.  Pranayama has an important role in both these.  Prana has to be fixed at the spot between the eyebrows or in the head during the final moment.  But, there is no such condition in Saguna-Sakara worship.  There is no need for any practice.  There is no need to fix Prana at any spot while departing from the world.  Mere remembrance of the eternal connection self with Him.  That is hence, He says thisis easier.

He mentions ‘Ananya Bhava’ in the ninth chapter too (IX-22).  Remembering Him, only Him and nothing else during the life in this world of sensual pleasures, is Ananya Bhava.  There is no importance for anything else but Bhagawan in the inner world.  There is no relying on anything else but Bhagawan.  The devotee with Ananya Bhava is like a dedicated wife who has no thought about anyone else but her husband, like surrendered student who has no importance for anyone else other than his Guru.

When He says, ‘Maam Smarathi’, He means a Form with attributes.  A single form, be it Shiva, Rama, Krishna, Vishnu, Durga, Karthikeya or Sun.  There may be so many forms, but there is only one for me.  I have no thought for anything else, not only objects other than God, but even other forms of God.  If I hold on to One, That will be my object of devotion.  No hatred, no low feeling for other forms.  At the same time, ‘I belong to my Ishta Deva (form of my liking), only to Him.  He belongs to me.  I have none else other than Him’.  This is Ananya Bhava.

Satatam is always.  He is to be remembered ever, right from morning as soon as one wakes up to the night till one goes to sleep.  Nityam is lifelong, right upto the moment when life departs from this world.

“I am easily attainable for such ‘nityayukta’”.  One who binds self with the Bhagawan with faith (shraddha) and love (bhakti) and does not expect anything in return is Nityayukta.  The binding with Bhagawan has always been there, will always be there, whether we remember that or not.  We bind ourselves with the body, mind and buddhi, with the feeling that these are mine and attaining Him becomes difficult.  The firm feeling that ‘I am His and He is mine’ in nityayukta makes attainment of Bhagawan easier.

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मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम् ।

नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः ॥ १५ ॥

Reaching the highest perfection, and having attained Me, the great-souled ones are no more subject to re-birth, - which is the home of pain, and ephemeral.

(VIII - 15)

There is unique expectation from the ‘pracharak’, the fulltime worker of Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh.  He should be ever ready.  He must be ready to pack his baggage and leave the place as soon as his transfer to another place is announced.  He must not entertain any attachment with his current place of work.  If he says he has some work left to be done and needs a few more days in the current place, he is a failed ‘Pracharak’.  Let us imagine that instead of coming unannounced for taking us away from the world, Yamaraj announces to us his intention of taking us away.  If we just shake off the dust on us and leave with him, we shall be the successful ones in the worldly life.  Shri Krishna says, we will reach Him then.  If we plead to him to spare a few moments, hours or days or years to finish some unfinished tasks and to fulfill a few desires, we will be failures.  Like the failed student going to the same class again, we will then be making way to come back to this world again.

If we forget our baggage at a place and go away, we return to the place to take the baggage.  Vasana is a bundle of desires.  We return this world to fulfill the vasanas.  Shri Krishna calls rebirth ‘temple of grief’.  We enter the world with vasanas.  Life ends, yet vasanas are not exhausted and more vasanas are added to the kit.  The goal of human life is to erase all vasanas and attainness Oneness with Him.  But, man follows the principle ‘punarapi jananam, punarapi maranam, punarapi Janani jathare shayanam’ and gets trapped in the mire of rebirth.  I was about to leave my house as Sangha Pracharak on completion of my college education.  An elderly person came to me and said, “I too am a swayamsevak.  It is good that you are becoming a pracharak.  I won’t stop you.  But, will it not be better if you could take up some employment, support your parents for a few years and then go as pracharak?  They have spent their lives for you.  They may expect a few things from you.”  He had already retired from government service, had married off his only daughter and had no immediate commitments.  “Why don’t you go?” I asked him.  “Yes.  I surely will.  My daughter is pregnant and is coming to our place for delivery.  Let her deliver a child.  He will grow up and will be on his legs in a few years.”  Probably, the child is not yet on his legs.  The old man has not yet come out of his house.

We weave new webs and get trapped in those.  A web in the name of parents, one in the name of education, career, wife, children, a house for them, a car, a bungalow in seashore or hill top for once–a–while rest and relaxation, a piece of land in the native village, air travel and foreign trip at least once in lifetime,.... the webs of vasana continue .

All these vasanas need not be fulfilled in this birth.  You desire and it sticks to you and forces you to return here again and again with fond hope of getting fulfilled.  Why does He call rebirth ‘a temple of grief?  The vasanas are never ever going to be satiated.  ‘Could not get today.  will definitely get tomorrow.’  ‘If not this time, surely, next time.’  ‘I tried but could not, will try again.’  The same hope again and again.  The same run behind it again and again and same disappointment again and again.  Once you desire, once you resolve to try tomorrow, your rebirth is confirmed.  Gautam Buddha rightly declared that ‘desire and hope are the causes for grief’.  One who reaches Me does not get trapped in this web of grief’, says Shri Krishna.

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आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोsर्जुन ।

मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ॥ १६ ॥

Oh Arjuna!  All the worlds, including the realm of Brahma, are subject to return, but, Oh son of Kunti!  after attaining Me, there is no re-birth .

(VIII - 16)

‘Everything is cyclic or repetitive (Punaraavrutti)’, says Shri Krishna.  All the worlds, right up to the Brahmaloka, are in cyclic mode.  The same is the case with human life.  Yesterday’s incident there repeats here today.  Today’s incident here will be repeated somewhere else tomorrow.  If we keep our eyes and memory open, we can realize this even in our short lifespan of 60 – 70 years.  The same incidents, same dialogues, same promises, same mistakes, repeat again and again.  The stories in cinema, music, betrayals and frauds in politics and business, foolishness in general public, diseases, you think of any field, it is repetition everywhere.  Nothing is new.  I feel I have come here to do something that has never been attempted by anyone.  Very soon life will teach me that there have been many, better than me.  We start an organization and proclaim, ‘We are on a path none has ever treaded.  We’ll achieve heights never touched by any.  This will be historical’.  Within years we will realize that ours is ‘historical’ in the senses that there have been so many similar organizations in history.  All have thrived, all seemed to achieve ‘great’ missions and all have vanished into history .

It was ‘Pearl harbour’ then.  Now, it is ‘New York Towers’.  It was Japanese plane then.  Now, it is an Arabic plane.  The American atrocities on Japan continue on Arabia today.  It was Greek under Alexander then.  Now, it is Russia under Stalin.  Pettiness, mean mindedness repeats again and again.  Great incidents are rare.  Insects and worms are born daily.  Ravana is born once in a thousand years.  It is a blessing that human life is short and his memory is shorter.  Otherwise, he would be disgusted and bored by this repetition very soon .

We see one lifespan.  Shri Krishna is able to see all the births and His talk is based on that.  The same experiences have been recurring.  These will recur in future.  Not on different persons, but on you, says Shri Krishna.  You have come here so many times and have performed these same actions and have faced these same experiences.  You have been on a cyclic path.  There is only one way for you to get out of this cycle.  You must get rid of Vasanas.  You will continue to be trapped in this cycle, so long as you are in the grip of Vasana.  If you free self from the clutches of Vasana, you will reach Me.  Once you reach Me, you will never fall back into this whirl .

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सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः ।

रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेsहोरात्रविदो जनाः ॥ १७ ॥

They who know (the true measure of) day and night, know the day of Brahma, which ends in a thousand Yugas, and the night which (also) ends in a thousand Yugas.

(VIII - 17)

The Hindu Time system is given here.  It has already been explained in the fourth chapter.  It is given once more as it suits the topic being discussed presently.  Let us look at the Time units devised by our great ancestors.

The shortest unit in time was ‘Truti’ and the longest ‘Kalpa’

100 Truti                      =                 1 Tatpara

60 Tatpara                    =                 1 Para

60 Para                         =                 1 Viliptham

60 Viliptham                =                 1 Liptham

60 Liptham                  =                 1 Vinazhi

60 Vinazhi                    =                 1 Nazhi

60 Nazhi                       =                 1 Day (24 Hours)

Satya Yug (Krutha Yug) has 4,32,000 years.  Tretha Yug has 8,64,000 years.  Dwapara Yug has 12,96,000 years.  Kali Yug has 17,28,000 years.  A cycle of four yug, a Chatur Yug has 43,20,000 years.

43,20,000 Years                    =                 1 Chatur Yug

71 Chatur Yug                        =                 1 Manvantharam

14 Manvantharam                  =                 1 Kalpa

1 Kalpa                                    =                 ½ a day in Brahma’s life

720 Kalpa                               =                 1 year in Brahma’s life

100 Brahma years                  =                 1 Mahakalam (Pralayam)

(311,040,000,000,000 years or 311 Trillion years)

Time is astounding.  Time is not Independant.  It is dependant on the state of mind and place.  Time which is very long for one is short for another.  Time too short in a place may be too long at another.  For instance, time appears to move fast when you are energetic and enthusiastic.  When sad and depressed, time seems to move very slow.  When involved in a work close to the heart, time appears to move fast.  When forced to involve in work not relished, time appears slow.  Time runs faster in Mercury, and very slow in Saturn.  In the world of memory, a few years passes away within seconds.

An insect finishes all its tasks, take birth, grow, earn, mate, produce next generation and die, in its short lifespan of few hours.  Many animals achieve in a few years, all that man took seventy years to achieve.  A day or night in the world of Devas is a fortnight in the world of ancestors (Pitruloka) and an ayanam or six months in this world of men.  The brighter half of our year (Jan - June) is brighter fortnight (New moon – Full moon) in Pitruloka and day in Devaloka.  The period which is a few lakh years in human world is just a day or a night in Brahma Loka .

It is wisdom to realize this aspect of time.  We can rise above time, only if we can know this aspect of Time.  It is ignorance to be bound by time.  To reach beyond time is wisdom.  Western countries run a hectic life, the cause being their belief that ‘this is the only life available’.  Peace and calm in eastern countries is due to the Hindu conviction that ‘life does not stop with this life and that we have plenty of time and hence no need to hurry’.

Yama, the God of death is also known as Kaala or God of time orone who regulates and controls.  The remembrance of death excites and binds us.  The one who is unconcerned by death, the one who has beaten fear of death, is the one who has won over Time.

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अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे ।

रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसञ्ज्ञके ॥ १८ ॥

भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते ।

रात्र्यागमेsवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे ॥ १९ ॥

At the approach of (Brahma’s) day, all manifestations proceed from the unmanifested state;  at the approach of night, they merge verily into that alone, which is called the unmanifested.

Oh son of Pritthaa!  The very same multitude of beings (that existed in the preceding day of Brahma), being born again and again, merge, inspite of themselves, (into the unmanifested), at the approach of night, and remanifest at the approach of day.

(VIII – 18, 19)

Brahma’s day is the period of creation.  The unmanifested Brahma manifests Itself and starts creation at the dawn of Brahma’s day.  Creation continues the whole day, equivalent to 994 chaturyug.  The creation dissolves and merges into the unmanifested Brahman at the dusk of Brahma’s day.  Creation with all the lives come back to life again with the dawn.  This cycle continues.  (Today’s science also corroborates this.  It says, creation starts from a bright focal point.  It is moving at great speed towards a black dark hole.)  What is the benefit of knowing this?  What will be the loss in not knowing this?

A friend asked me once.  What is Gita’s view on Time planning and Time management?  ‘It mocks and laughs at the person asking such a petty question.  It pities his ignorance’, I said.  This question rises from a western mind soaked in ignorance.  The west does not know the Time cycle and hence does not agree too.

There is Time calender starting from the year of birth, (may be the proclaimed year) of Jesus.  There is none from that Shri Rama’s or Shri Krishna’s birth years.  Either Shri Rama and Shri Krishna were never born and are fictitious characters.  Or, our ancestors were totally unaware or ignorant of Time.  This is an arguement of some of our intellectuals.

Shri Rama was born on the ninth day of the lunar month Chaitra, in Treta Yug, in the Treta Yug of the current chatur Yug.  452 chatur Yug have passed so far in the current Kalpa.  There has been a Treta Yug in every Chatur Yug and a Shri Rama appeared in every Treta Yug.  Which Shri Rama should we start an era and a calender?  The west considers Time, not as cyclic, but as linear phenomenon, with a beginning and an end.  That is hence they fixed as the first day, the day on which they opened their eyes and saw the world.  Again they announce an year as the end of Time.  It was supposed to be 2000, then 2012 and now 2036.  That is pitiable.

‘Clouds will gather and rains start in the next two months’, said an elder in the month of April.  It was going to be monsoon season in the next two months.  It happened as he predicted.  His four years old son, who was not aware of the cyclic seasons, presumed his father to be a knower of future and a Gyaani.  Man is as childish and foolish as this child when he celebrates his birthday.  Which day should he assume as his birthday, the day on which he exited his mother’s womb, or the day on which his started beating in mother’s womb, or the day on which male sperm cell and female egg cell united to cause his birth?  If his earlier births are taken into account, which day will be his birthday?  My English teacher in school talked high of the habit of diary writing.  I started writing diary.  I realized that words repeat to describe the same kind of recurring experiences and stopped writing before it could become a habit.  The Time is cyclic and experiences repeat.  Not to know this childish and foolish.  Is it not ?

Creation is manifested expression of the Unmanifested Brahman.  In other words, world and all its objects with form have sprung from the Formless.  Science today has also almost accepted.  Some fifty years back, the wold was nothing but ‘matter’ for the scientists.  There was nothing beyond matter.  Hence, Paramaatman, Aatman, the Unmanifested Source, etc. had no place in their minds.  That is hence, most of the scientists were no-God men.  God, Divine, Spiritualism, etc. were considered parochial and orthodox.  Science, rational thinking, proof, etc. were supreme.  Anti-God thinking was taken as scientific approach.  This had its impact on writers, Cinema and literary world too.  The ‘splitting of atom’ was the turning point.  Now, science agrees that matter is not end and there is something beyond matter and that is the basis of everything in creation.

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परस्तस्मात्तु भावोsन्योsव्यक्तोsव्यक्तात्सनातनः ।

यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति ॥ २० ॥

But beyond this unmanifested, there is that other Unmanifested, Eternal Existance – That which is not destroyed at the destruction of all beings.

(VIII – 20)

All the lives merge and dissolve into the Brahman.  Brahman also has a lifetime.  Paramaatman is higher than the Brahman.  Brahman also manifested from the Paramaatman.  Paramaatman is Eternal.  He is beyond Time.  He is the cause for creation, yet does not do anything.  He is The base on whom the whole creation rests.  He is everywhere and in everything in this creation and is beyond too.  Man’s body is form, a manifested creation.  His mind is subtle and unmanifested.  Mind expresses itself through words and actions.  In fact, everything in this world is formed in the mind first and then is created in the outer world.  The Buddhi is also unmanifested, but it also exhibits itself to the outer world through words and actions.  The ego is also subtle and in unmanifested form.  It also manifests and is visible to the outer world.  The Aatman is unmanifested.  It is everywhere in the body, in each cell and is the cause for functioning of body, mind, Buddhi and Ahankara, yet it never manifests and is not percievable to the outer world.  It is the cause for every action in the body, yet It does not do anything.  It continues to Be, even after the destruction of the body.  As Aatman in a human life, so is Paramaatman in the Universe.  It is Sanatana, as It continues to Be after all lives have dissolved and the creation comes to an end.  It is the cause for manifestation of all the lives, yet It never manifests Itself.

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अव्यक्तोsक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम् ।

यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥ २१ ॥

What has been called Unmanifested and Imperishable, has been described as the Goal Supreme.  That is My highest state, having attained which, there is no return.

(VIII – 21)

Gathi is movement of every type, run, rotation and revolution.  Parama Gathi is movement of highest order.  Once reached, there is no further movement in that state.  In other words, it is a motionless state, changeless state.  That is Aksharam.  That which has no change, no movement, no erosion, no decay, is Aksharam.  The center of the wheel has no movement or change, while the whole wheel is moving, changing.  All our movements, changes, runs are towards the motionless, changeless, still Paramaatman.

If we sit still at a place, shall we not attain motionless state?  Yes.  To sit in Dhyaana or meditation is a step towards the Paramaatman.  But, do we reach a state of no-motion, merely by sitting still at a place?  It is only an appearance of stillness.  In reality, we keep moving.  A building seems to be firm, stable and still on visible and perceivable plane.  But, it is in motion.  The Himalayas, they say is moving at a speed of one millimeter in a year.  The earth is revolving around its axis at tremendous speed and also rotating around the Sun.  The whole solar system is rotating around another point in the milky way.  The whole milky way and the whole universe is also in a high speed rotational movement around and towards the center.  We are all part of this movement.  Yet, we never realize that.

All these are changes and movements in the external world.  There are hectic movements within us, in every cell of our body.  If one has to transcend all these movements and reach a state of still calmness, probably one will have to travel towards the center of the universe.  Travel inwards may be easier than that.  That is a travel from a changing world to a still, unchanging Aatman, on a journey transcending the body, objects, senses-pleasures, mind-desires, buddhi-thoughts and Ahankara.

If a ten feet wide pit is to be crossed , one has to jump ten feet, nay a bit more than ten feet.  Fall into the pit is definite, even if the jump is just one inch short.  The sea separating Lanka from Bharat is a hundred Yojana wide.  It has to be crossed skyway.  The vanaras declared their ability to jump.  One said, “I can jump twenty Yojanas”.  Another said, “I can jump forty feet.”  “My capacity is 90 feet” said one and another claimed to have the ability to jump 99 feet.  None of these was selected for the task of entering Lanka in search of Sita.  Fall into the sea is certain, even if the jump is short by a mere on foot.  The jump should be a whole hundred Yojanas.

Most of us never cross the physical, sensual state.  We spend the whole life in search of comforts, pleasures, sensual experiences etc.  Some are able to reach beyond the body into the world of mind.  They become great artists, actors, musicians, poets and other such men in the world of imagination.  The world of mind is so alluring that not many are able to cross it and reach beyond.  Even if they succeed, they get struck in Buddhi.  Such men become great intellectuals, thinkers, scientists and philosophers.  Very few among these travel beyond Buddhi.  They too get trapped in the mesh called Ahankara (ego).  They attain supernatural powers mentioned in patanjali sutra.  Their touch may cure diseases.  They are able to read minds.  They can foresee events.  These powers may attract thousands towards these men.  But, they never reach Him.  Very few smash and cross Ahankara to reach Him.  Only such men evolve as Picasso, the creator of classic paintings in an inspired state, or as Jayadeva or Thyagabrahmam, the creators of great Divine compositions in an ecstatic state, or as Shri Ramana or Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the great Yogis.  “I have not created.  He created, residing in Me.  I was a mere instrument in His scheme.”  This is the uniform submission of all these great creators.  There is no fall from that state.  They are out of the repetitive cycle of birth and death.

We see and hear sudden fall of some.  ‘Oh!  Was that him?’, we exclaim in astonishment.  These are men who say, “I almost reached.  Fell short by just one inch.”  When you travel towards the center in a fast revolving unit, you must not relent till you reach the center.  If you give up an inch before you reach the center, you’ll be thrown out by the centrifugal force.  Acquisition of a few special powers is the last step on the path towards Paramaatman.  The last step is to be crossed.  If grit is lost even in the last moment, one will be thrown out towards the world, in the mire of senses, objects and pleasures.

That is My ParamaDhama (the place I stay), says Shri Krishna.  Pilgrim center is also called Dhama.  Jagannathpuri, Kashi, Badrinath and Rameshwaram together are the ChaturDhama or the four Holiest places, places of Paramaatman.  If we reach these centers, do we attain Him?  If that happened, will there be tourist crowd in these places?

Parikshit Maharaja listened to The Bhagawatham only once and he was emancipated.  He was taken to the VishnuLoka by the Vishnu Parshad.  Now-a-days, thousands come to listen The Bhagawatham.  If Vishnu Ratham descends on the final day?  Will there be an audience for Bhagawatham?  It is not easy to leave the world ‘just like that’.  Listening to The Bhagawatham, reading The Gita, visiting holy places, etc. will not take one to the Divine state of Paramaatman.  The travel has to be inwards.  Reading self, exploring self or Swadhyaya is the way.

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पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया ।

यस्यान्तः स्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ॥ २२ ॥

Oh son of Pritthaa!  And that Supreme Purusha is attainable, by whole-souled devotion to Him alone, in Whom all beings dwell, and by Whom all this is pervaded.

(VIII - 22)

     

Look at these pictures.  A picture is visible.  If you look at the center, another picture becomes visible.  The tree with its shade is visible.  On a focussed look, a dog also becomes visible.  The prism is seen placed with an angular shift rightwards, ona superficial look.  A focussed look makes you see it shifted towards left.  The other picture is of a sand clock.  A deeper look makes ‘two human faces towards each other’ visible.  Thus we see a hidden picture in every picture.  These pictures are used in psychological experiments.  The uniqueness of these pictures is that one picture remains hidden when the other is seen.

The world is also similar.  When your gaze is turned towards the world and its alluring objects, the God is not visible.  The world with all its dazzle disappears once you start seeing the God.  Paramaatman is The One and Only One, the real One, the True One.  All others are ‘the other’, ‘Anya’.  When ‘the other’ is taken as real and ceded greater priority, then the Real, the Parmaatman becomes invisible.  The various designs become irrelevant to the one who sees gold in jewellery.  The attractive decorations and designs do not catch the eyes of the one who sees clay in the pots.  Like wise, when Paramaatman is seen in every direction, every life, every object, every place and every experience, then the world becomes invisible and insignificant.  The Divine is all-pervading.  Depending on the direction in which our gaze is fixed, the world is visible or the Divine.

That which is not ‘Anya’ is ‘Ananya’.  Paramaatman can be attained by ‘Ananya Bhakti’, devotion without any space for anything else.

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यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः ।

प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ ॥ २३ ॥

Oh bull among the Bharathas!  Now, I shall tell thee, of the time (path) travelling in which, the Yogees return, (and again of that, taking which) they do not return.

(VIII - 23)

This shlokam gives description of the route taken and destination attained by the Yogis.  Two types of Yogis are being discussed, Sakaama and Nishkaama.  The Veda mention two pathways, Aavrutti and Anaavrutti Marga.  The Aavrutti Marga has a return way.  The one on this path has a return ticket.  Anaavrutti Marga is a no-return, one-way path.

The ones who turned away from the world, the ones who lived a life ever facing Him, the ones who have completely erased vasanas, the ones who could attain the state of total surrender, Ananya Bhakti, the ones who gained perfect Knowledge, are the ones who take Anaavrutti Marga on leaving this world.

The Sakaama Yogis, the ones who sought special powers, fame, wealth, status, etc. through their Yogik practices, the ones who could not get rid of subtle (noble) desires like benevolence for others, ‘liberation’ or Mukti for self are the ones who travel by the Aavrutti Marga after the final moment in this earth.

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अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् ।

तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः ॥ २४ ॥

Fire, flame, day-time, the bright fortnight, the six months of the Northern passage of Sun, - taking this path, the knowers of Brahman go to Brahman.

(VIII - 24)

Anaavrutti Marga is also known as Deva Yaanam in the Veda.  The Sun presides over this path.  Fire, Light, the bright fortnight and the brighter half of the year (Uttaraayanam) all of these represent the Sun.  When creation is explained in the Upanishads, there is a mention that Prajapati Brahma manifested Himself as the Sun.  The seeker strives to ‘see’ Purusha in self and Brahma Gyaani is one who has succeeded in this effort.  The Brahma Gyaani takes the route of the Sun, Deva Yaanam, when leaving the mortal world.

We have tried to know a Brahma Gyaani through various perspectives.  Let us look at him in a different view while discussing death.  Death is an incident occuring in a split second.  There is no thought on death prior to that moment.  There is no recall of the experience after the moment.  His life is also on the same lines.  He lives the present second.  The past is like a shadow.  The future is like a mirage.  This moment is the truth.  One who lives in the past, remains enticed and hypnotized by the past successes and failures, favourable and unfavourable experiences of the past.  He either desires to have or avoid the same in future.  One who lives in future accumulates vasanas.  Thus, past and future bind one to the world.

The one owning a house has to take care of the documents and tax reciepts.  He has to remember various repair works done in the past and also the workmen who undertook those works.  He has to worry about the loan taken and the instalments to be paid.  He has to worry and make provision for future maintenance and repair works.  He has to worry about the inheritance of the house.  All these bind him to the house and hence to this world.  The one who has rented a house can pay the monthly rent, stay for the month and sleep peacefully.  He can casually leave the house at will.  There is no worry and anxiety in him.  He is wiser who engages a public transport vehicle, goes around, pays rent and gets down without any worry and anxiety, which are inevitable for one who owns a vehicle.

The BrahmaGyaani is like the one residing in a rented house.  He is like the one hiring a public transport vehicle.  He has neither memories of the past, nor dreams of the future.  He lives the present moment.  He dies in the present moment.  He never thinks of death before that moment, neither does he fear death.  He does not engage in any preparation for welcoming or avoiding death.

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धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम् ।

तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते ॥ २५ ॥

Smoke, night-time, the dark fortnight, the six months of the Southern passage of Sun, - taking this path the Yogee, attaining the lunar light, returns.

(VIII - 25)

These two shlokams discuss Yogis and not common men full of vasanas.  Common men with a mix of good and bad deeds are reborn on earth as men.  Depending on their vasanas, they take birth either as humans or other lives.  Sinners take birth in demoniac clans.  The mahapapis or worst sinners experience harsh tortures and pains of Naraka (hell) and return to the earth.

Sakaama Yogis and the yogis who slipped from their path of Yoga (refer to the sixth chapter. 41 & 42) are being discussed here.  How could the seekers who tried for fulfillment of desires be called Yogis?  There are three types of such men.  1.  Those who tried for best results in the next life, heavenly life for instance.  They sacrificed worldly pleasures and performed noble rites like Yagya, Charity, penance etc and lived a life of rigorous disciplines.  That is why Shri Krishna calls them Yogis.  These men reach  the heavens (Swarga) and return to the world to be reborn as humans.  2.  These men strived for Paramaatman and lived a great life.  But, they could not overcome their craving for worldly pleasures.  Such men also reach Swarga and return to be born in a wealthy family.  3.  These men also lived a life close to Paramaatman, with no attraction for worldly pleasures.  But, they slipped from the path of Yoga, in the last days, may be due to their subtle vasanas.  Such men are reborn in a family of Yogi.

This path is also called ‘Pitru Yaanam’ in the Veda.  Although, this is lower than the previously mentioned Deva Yaanam (bright way), this is also a great way reached only by Yogis.  This is not available for the common men.  The ones who take this way reach the Chandra Loka and then return to the world for a rebirth.

These two verses have been misunderstood and it is considered that anyone who dies in daytime, bright fortnight and Uttaraayanam, will reach Brahma Loka, will be liberated and will never be born again.  Is liberation so easy?  The southern hemisphere will have Uttaraayanam while we have Dakshinaayanam.  So, one can plan to die in South Africa or Australia, during our Dakshinaayana period, and if he does not die within those six months, he may return to Bharat to die in Uttaraayana period here.  Don’t people plan birth of their children in the USA, so that his citizenship in America is ensured?  Don’t they fix an ‘auspicious’ time and plan caesarean delivery of child?  Moreover, modern developments make it possible to keep the heart beating till the night is over.  Men may try to book a space shuttle and reach hights, where there will brightness always and die in daytime.  So, liberation will be easier for the moneyed class.

Then, why did Bheeshma, in Mahabharatha, wait for Uttaraayana period to die?  Not with the hope to be liberated.  He was one of the Ashtavasu (Dyou) in the world of Gods.  He was born as a human in this mortal world as the result of a curse.  He had to return to the world of Gods.  Dakshinaayana period of six months here is a night in the world of Gods.  The gates there open at dawn, i.e. once Uttaraayana period starts here.  He could have thought it wiser to spend a few more days in the Holy company of Shri Krishna here, than wait outside the closed gates there.  He had the power to choose the time of his death.  Hence, he chose to wait for start of Uttaraayana.

All of us will definitely derive the benefits and births due to us, according to our deeds, irrespective of the time of our death.  The words mentioned here, Uttaraayana, day, Shukla Paksha etc. denote the way and not time.  The life taking this path is led by the presiding deity of Day, presiding deity of Shukla Paksha and Uttaraayana period.  Similarly, on the other way, the presiding deities of night, Krishna Paksha and Dakshinaayana Period lead the life travelling by the way.

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शुक्लकृष्णे गति ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते ।

एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुनः ॥ २६ ॥

Truly are these bright and dark paths of the world considered eternal;  one leads to non-return;  by the other, one returns.

(VIII - 26)

Shri Krishna called the Yoga as ‘Avyayam’ or imperishable in the first shlokam of fourth chapter.  Now, He calls these two ways, Shukla and Krishna, as Eternal.  These have always been there and will ever be there for humans and other lives.  Man has three choices before him.  Oordhva Gati or Elevating travel;  Madhya Gati or status quo;  Adho Gati or downward travel.  Shukla and Krishna Marga are the paths waiting for the ones opting for the first.  As long as man is attached to senses and pleasures, Adhogati is the only option before him.  The Margas are of no use to him, in this state.  But, man is quintessence of the Divine and hence he will definitely turn towards the Paramaatman and opt for Oordhva Gati at some point of time.  The Margas are waiting for that moment.  What of other lives?  The other lives have no option and have to proceed on the ladder of evolution to reach humanhood.  Only then, these Margas have relevance for those lives.

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नैते सृति पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन ।

तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन ॥ २७ ॥

Oh son of Paarttha!  No Yogee is deluded after knowing these paths.  Therefore, Oh Arjuna!  be thou steadfast in Yoga, at all times.

(VIII - 27)

The one engrossed in sensual pleasures is in darkness.  He is caught in the mire of ignorance and bound by pleasures and pains.

The Yogi mentioned here by Shri Krishna seeks pleasures.  But, prefers to lead a life of disciplines and performs noble deeds like Yagya, Charity and Penance.  He takes the Krishna Marga or Pitru Marga.  He reaches the best of worlds, enjoys the superlative pleasures.  He is at a higher plane than the ordinary pleasure seeking men mentioned in the previous passage.  Even then, the way he takes on death, is also called the Dark way or Krishna Marga.  that is because, he too is not liberated from the cycle of birth and death.

The other Yogi, unattached to the pleasures, knowing fully that these are ephemeral and unreal, takes the Bright way or Shukla Marga on death.  He reaches the Brahma Loka never to return again.

What will one do on knowing these ways?  He will refuse to seek the ephemeral.  He will not be entrapped in alluring worldly objects.  Having realized that the objects, positions, and experiences in this physical world and the resultant pleasures and pains from these are transient, he will always seek the Real, Eternal Paramaatman.  He will involve in Yoga Sadhana.  He will dedicate any favourable situations in the cause of the world and other lives.  He will bear and never seek to change it on getting unfavourable situations.  This Yoga sadhana.  Through this, he will get out of the web of dualities, the pairs of opposites and become a Yogi.

Duality is the reason for confusion and delusion.  The poor sighs on seeing the moneyed.  The diseased looks at the healthy with disdain.  Insomnia patient develops jealousy for him who sleeps well.  One who bears all responsibility and works hard has words of derision for the one skips responsibility and loafs around.  The one in Swarga fears the Naraka, so much that he can not enjoy the pleasures of Swarga.  The one in Naraka is envious of the one in Swarga.  His envy multiplies his sufferings in the Naraka.  The duality disappears when the difference between Swarga and Naraka fades, when both urge to get and urge to avoid vanish.  To seek pleasure and to avoid pain are one and same.  If it is a mere intellectual understanding, the one on Shukla marga (bright way) will be thinking on the Krishna Marga (dark way) and vice versa.  The Yogi, having realized the essence of duality, he will be unconcerned by the pairs of opposites and stay away from both the ways.  He is not lured and disturbed by both.  He is a Yogayukta.  He remains fixed on Yoga.  Arjuna!  You be a Yogayukta, commands Shri Krishna.

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वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम् ।

अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम् ॥ २८ ॥

Whatever meritorious effect is declared (in the Scriptures) to accrue from (the study of) the Vedas, (the performance of) Yagnyas, (the practice of) austerities and gifts, - above all this rises the Yogee, having known this, and attains to the primeval, supreme Abode.

(VIII - 28)

The Vedas are sacred.  These are expressions of the Divine.  The student of Veda must be able to feel the touch of God.  Vedas also mention the punya accrued by one who recites the Vedas and the fruits to be enjoyed by him in this world and in Swarga, the world of Gods.  The Gita has been told by Shri Krishna, personification of Divinity.  Every world of The Gita has sprung from nectar like throat of Shri Krishna.  Each word has touched His Divine Lips.  He also says that anyone who studies, talks on and listens to the Gita is ‘My dearest’.  Yes.  Do we taste or realize the Divine sweetness while reading or listens to the Gita?  ‘This is a holy act.  I’ll accrue Punya by reading (or listening) to The Gita.’  That is the motivation behind our act.  We may get Punya, but not Shri Krishna.

The Yagyas are invariably ‘sakaama’ or for fulfillment of a desire.  Even if performed for welfare of others, Yagya does not become ‘nishkaama’ or desireless.  Yagya has to be a tool for surrender.  Ritualistic Yagya may help in fulfillment of desres, however lofty, but will not help in attaining Him.

Charity exhibits an attitude to consider self as saparate from the beneficiary.  Attitude to regard self as ‘Doer’, one who eradicates misery of others, is magnified by charity.  Charity may help in acquiring Punya, pleasures in the next world, but not in reaching oneness with Him.

Penance is also similar.  Penance is to determine a goal, put in efforts to reach it and face and win over with determination, any hurdle, hardship that come on way.  As days pass, welcoming and bearing pain and hardships, getting entangled in these, become more prior than progressing towards the goal.  Trouble, harsher trouble, more trouble, become refuge for mind.  The greatness of a penance is known by the severity of disciplines and by the harshness of the rigours.  Gradually, the performer of penance develops a liking and attachment for the pains.  Penance and rigorous practices will fetch punya and not the Paramaatman.  Both sankalpa and vikalpa are obstacles in the pathway to Paramaatman.  Not only the desire for pleasures and comforts is an obstacle, but also the desire for pain and hardships.

Veda, Yagya, charity, penance etc. are holy.  Each of these acts is a noble act.  These acts may help in acquiring some Punya.  These acts may fetch great worlds of Gods.  Yog can fetch Him.  Hence, become a Yogee!!!

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ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्म विद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्री कृष्णार्जुन संवादे 'अक्षरब्रह्म योगो’ नाम अष्टमोsध्यायः ॥

Thus concludes ‘Akshara Brahma Yog’, the eighth chapter in the grand dialogue between Shree Krishna and Arjuna, called the Shreemad Bhagawad Geetha, which is verily an Upanishad, elaborating on ‘The Divine Knowledge’ and also describing the ‘Way to Godhood’.

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