Abhyasa Yoga

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Bhagavad Gita

 

VIII. ABHYASA YOGA

 

ARJUNA SAID:

 

1-2. What is that Brahman ? What about the Individual Self

(Adhyatma) ? What is action (Karma), O Purushottama ? And what is

declared to be the physical region (Adhibhuta) ? And what is the

divine region (Adhidaiva) said to be ? And how and who is Adhiyajna

(the Entity concerned with Sacrifice) here in this body, O

Madhusudana, and how at the time of death art Thou to be known by the

self-controlled ?

 

THE BLESSED LORD SAID:

 

3. Brahman is the Imperishable (Akshara), the Supreme. The Ego is

said to be the Individual Self (Adhyatma, He who dwells in the body).

The offering which causes the origin of physical beings is called

action (Karma).

 

4. The physical region (Adhibhuta) is the perishable existence and

Purusha or the Soul is the divine region (Adhidaivata). The Adhiyajna

(Entity concerned with Sacrifice) is Myself, here in the body, O best

of the embodied.

 

5. And whoso, at the time of death, thinking of Me alone, leaves the

body and goes forth, he reaches My being; there is no doubt in this.

 

6. Of whatever Being thinking at the end a man leaves the body, Him

alone, O son of Kunti, reaches he by whom the thought of that Being

has been constantly dwelt upon.

 

7. Therefore at all times do thou meditate on Me and fight; with mind

and reason fixed on Me thou shalt doubtless come to Me alone.

 

8. Meditating with the mind engaged in the Yoga of constant practice,

not passing over to any thing else, one goes to the Supreme Purusha,

the Resplendent, O son of Pritha.

 

9-10. Whose meditates on the Sage, the Ancient, the Ruler, smaller

than an atom, the Dispenser of all, of unthinkable nature, glorious

like the Sun, beyond the darkness, (whoso meditates on such a Being)

at the time of death, with a steady mind endued with devotion and

strength of Yoga, well fixing the life-breath betwixt the eye-brows,

he reaches that Supreme Purusha Resplendent.

 

11. That Imperishable Goal which the knowers of the Veda declare,

which the self-controlled and the passion-free enter, which desiring

they lead the godly life - That Goal will I declare to thee with

brevity.

 

12-13. Having closed all the gates, having confined mind in the

heart, having fixed his life-breath in the head, engaged in firm

Yoga, uttering Brahman, the one-syllabled 'Om', thinking of Me, whoso

departs, leaving the body, he reaches the Supreme Goal.

 

14. Whoso constantly thinks of me and long, to him I am easily

accessible, O son of Pritha, to the ever-devout Yogin.

 

15. Having attained to Me, they do not again attain birth, which is

the seat of pain and is not eternal, they having reached highest

perfection.

 

16. (All) worlds including the world of Brahma are subject to

returning again, O Arjuna; but, on reaching Me, O son of Kunti, there

is no rebirth.

 

17. They - those people who know day and night - know that the day of

Brahma is a thousand yugas long and the night is a thousand yugas

long.

 

18. From the Unmanifested all the manifestations proceed at the

coming on of day; at the coming on of night they dissolve there only,

in what is called the Unmanifested.

 

19. This same multitude of beings having come into being again and

again, is dissolved at the coming on of night, not of their will, O

son of Pritha and comes forth at the coming on of day.

 

20. But that other eternal Unmanifested Being, distinct from this

Unmanifested (Avyakta) - He does not perish when all creatures perish.

 

21. What is called the Unmanifested and the Imperishable, That, they

say, is the highest goal; which having reached none return. That is

My highest place.

 

22. Now, that Highest Purusha, O son of Pritha, within Whom all

beings dwell, by Whom all this is pervaded, is attainable by

exclusive devotion.

 

23. Now, in what time departing, Yogins go to return not, as also to

return, that time will I tell thee, O chief of the Bharatas.

 

24. Fire, light, day-time, the bright fortnight, the six months of

the northern solstice - then departing, men who know Brahman reach

Brahman.

 

25. Smoke, night-time and the dark fortnight, the six months of the

southern solstice - attaining by these to the lunar light, the Yogin

returns.

 

26. These bright and dark Paths of the world are verily deemed

eternal; by the one a man goes to return not, by the other he returns

again.

 

27. Knowing these paths, O son of Pritha, no Yogin is deluded;

wherefore at all times be steadfast in Yoga, O Arjuna.

 

28. Whatever fruit of merit is declared to accrue from the Vedas,

sacrifices, austerities and gifts - beyond all this goes the Yogin on

knowing this; and he attains to the Supreme Primeval Abode.