BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE - SWAMI SIVANANDA

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DEAR BHAGAVAT BANDUVULLARA!

 

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE

 

CHAPTER: VIII

 

The Yoga of Imperishable Brahman

 

AKSHARA BRAHMA YOGA

 

 

Arjuna asked: " What is that Brahman? What is Self-knowledge:

What is action, O Purushottama? What is declared to be the

knowledge of the elements: and what is Adhidaiva: (1) Who and how is

Adhiyajna here in this body, O Madhusudana (Destroyer of Madhu) and

how at the time of death, art Thou to be known by the self-

controlledL2)

 

The Blessed Lord said: Brahman is the Imperishable, the

Supreme, His essential nature is called self-knowledge; the offering

to gods which causes the origin, existence and manifestation of

beings and also sustains them is called action (3). Adhibhuta or

knowledge of the elements pertains to My perishable nature and the

Prussia or the Soul is Adhidaiva: I alone am the Adhiyajna here in

this body, O best of the embodied (4).

 

" Whosoever leaving the body, goes forth remembering Me alone at

the time of death, he attains My being; there is no doubt about this

(5). Whosoever at the end leaves the body, thinking upon any being,

to that being alone he goes, O Kaunteya (O Son of Kunti), because

of his constant thought of that being (6).

 

" Having closed all the gates, having confined mind in the

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

practice of concentration, uttering the one-syllabled OM, the

Brahman, and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body,

attains the Supreme Soul (12-13).

 

" I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast Yogi who

constantly remembers Me, daily, not thinking of another (With a

single mind) O Partha! (14). What is called the unmanifested and

Imperishable, That, they say is the highest goal (path). They who

reach it return not. That is My highest abode (place or state) (20).

 

" The Highest Purush, O Partha, is attainable by unswerving

devotion to HIM alone, within Whom all beings dwell, by Whom all

this is pervaded. (22).

 

" Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of

the northern path of the sun (the northern solstice) – then

departing men who know Brahman go to Brahman (24). This is the path

of Devayana or the path of light.

 

 

 

" Smoke, night time, the dark fortnight also, the six months of

southern path of the sun (the southern solstice)—attaining by these

to the lunar light, the Yogi returns (29). This is the path of

Pitriyana or the path of darkness.

 

" Whatever fruit of merit is declared in the scriptures to

accrue from the study of the Vedas, the performance of sacrifices,

practice of austerities and gift beyond all this goes the Yogi,

having known this, and attains to the Supreme Primeval or first

Abode " (28).