Bhagavatgita a detailed studychapter8- Imperishable Brahman

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Chapter8- The way to imperishable Brahman

 

 

Arjuna became curious about the terms Adhidhaiva etc and asks Krishna to explain them., which was the exactly what Krishna intended, by mentioning them. The really good teacher should incite curiosity in the mind of the pupil which kindles the desire to know. That is what Krishna has done at the end of the seventh adhyaya of Gita and now in this eighth adhyaya he starts explaining the terms and also showing the stages in attaining Brahman.

Arjuna uvaacha

Arjuna said;

1.kim thath brahma kim aDhyaathmam kim karma

purushotthama

aDhibhootham cha kim proktham aDhihaivam kim uchyathe

 

2. aDhiyajnaH kaTham ko athra dhehe asmin maDhusudhana

 

prayaaNakaale cha kaTham jneyo asi niyathaathmabhiH

 

Arjuna asks seven questions:

 

(i)..kim thath brahma-what is that Brahman ?

(ii). kim aDhyAthma-what is the innerself?

(iii). kim karma- what is action?

(iv)..aDHibhootham cha kim prOktham--what are the elements?

(v).aDhidhaivam kim uchyathe - What is said to be the divinities?

(vi).aDhiyajnah kaTham kO athra asmin dhEhe - who in this body operates the sacrifices and how?

(vii).prayANakAle cha kaTham jnEyo asi niyathAthmav bhih- At the time of departure from this world how are you to be known by the self-controlled?

Krishna is addressed in these slokas as Purushotthama, meaning the supreme soul and Madhusudhana, the slayer of Madhu as Lord Narayana.

Sree bhagvaaan uvaacha

 

The Lord said;

 

3. aksharam brahma paramam svabhaavo aDhyaathma

uchyathe

 

bhoothabhaavodhbhavakarovisargaH karmasamjnithaH

 

4.aDhibhootham ksharo bhaavahpurushaScha aDhidhaivatham

 

aDhiyajno aham eva athradhehe dhehabhrthaam vara

 

5. anthaH kale cha maam eva smaran mukthvaa kalebaram

 

yah prayaathi sa madhbhaavam yaathi naasthi athra

samsayaH

 

Krishna answers the questions bf riefly and themn elucidates in the subsequent slokas

(i). aksharam brahma paramam- the supreme brahman is the imperishable..

(ii). svabhavah aDHyAthmam uchyathE- ' The inner self is the subjective self in each body whose real nature is Brahman, the supreme self.

Here svabhava is not to be understood as one's nature but it is 'svasya bhavah.

 

(iii).bhoothabhAvah udhbhavakarah visargah karmasajnithah- action is the creation that brings all beings into existence.

(iv).adhibhootham ksharObhavah- elements that constitute perishable existence.

(v). purushascha aDHidhaivatham- the divinities mean the Supreme Self.

(vi).adHiyajnO ahamEva athra dhEhE - I am the one who resides in the body effecting sacrificial acts.

(vii). anthakAlE cha mAmEva smaran mukthvA kalEbaram yah prayAthi sa madhbhAvam yAthi- At the time of death the one who gives up his body remembering Me alone attains Me. There is no doubt about this .

 

6. yam yam vaapi smaran bhaavam thyajathi anthe kalebaram

 

tham tham eva ethi kountheya sadhaa

thadhbhaavabhaavithaH

 

one who leaves the body thinking of any being , he goes only to that because of his continuous thought of that alone.

 

AS the final thought causes the new body whatever one thinks in the end, so he becomes.

This does not seem to be as accidental as it looks. It is not just any random thought that comes to your mind at the last moment of your life that will determine your next janma. The thought that repeatedly comes foremost in our minds will only occur to us in the last moment. So in order to think of the Lord in the last moment the thought of Him should be foremost all through the life.

Kountheya means Arjuna, son of Kunthi.

 

 

7. thasmaath sarveshu kaaleshu maam anusmara yuDhya cha

 

mayyarpitha mano budDhiH maam eve eshyasi asamSayam

 

Therefore at all times remember Me and fight. Without any doubt you will come to Me only with your mind and intellect concentrated on Me.

 

This is confirmed by the words of Krishna who says 'thasmAth mAm anusmara yuDHya cha.', which means that whatever you do, here fighting, as far as Arjuna is concerned, always think of the Lord. This is what Ramanuja means by dhruvasmrthi, a constant flow of thought that runs undercurrent in your mind which he calls dhyana.

This is the way to attain the supreme, Krishna says,' Mayyarpitha mano buddhih mAmEvaishasyasamsayah , when you have your mind and intellect fixed on me you will reach me without doubt.' How to do this? It is explained in the next sloka.