The Imperishable Absoluteअक्षरब्रह्मयोग

किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम।
अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते॥

kiṁ tad brahma kim adhyātmaṁ kiṁ karma puruṣottama,
adhibhūtaṁ ca kiṁ proktam adhidaivaṁ kim ucyate.

O Supreme Person, what is Brahman? What is the inner Self, and what is action? What is called the realm of beings, and what is called the realm of the gods?

अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन।
प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः॥

adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ ko ‘tra dehe ‘smin madhusūdana,
prayāṇa-kāle ca kathaṁ jñeyo ‘si niyatātmabhiḥ.

Who is the Lord of sacrifice here in this body, and how does he dwell in it, O Krishna? And how are you to be known at the time of death by those who have mastered themselves?

अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते।
भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः॥

akṣaraṁ brahma paramaṁ svabhāvo ‘dhyātmam ucyate,
bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo visargaḥ karma-saṁjñitaḥ.

The imperishable, the Supreme, is Brahman. A being’s own essential nature is called the inner Self. The creative outpouring that brings beings into existence is called action.

अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्।
अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर॥

adhibhūtaṁ kṣaro bhāvaḥ puruṣaś cādhidaivatam,
adhiyajño ‘ham evātra dehe deha-bhṛtāṁ vara.

The perishable world of things is the realm of beings, and the cosmic Person is the realm of the gods. And here in this body, O best of embodied beings, I myself am the Lord of sacrifice.

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्।
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः॥

anta-kāle ca mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram,
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ.

Whoever leaves the body at the hour of death remembering me alone comes to my own state of being. Of this there is no doubt.

Live it todayLet God be the thought your heart returns to most easily.

यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्।
तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः॥

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram,
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ.

Whatever state of being a person remembers at the end, when leaving the body, to that very state they go, O son of Kunti, for they have always been shaped by it.

Live it todayWhat you dwell on every day quietly becomes who you are.

तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च।
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम्॥

tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu mām anusmara yudhya ca,
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir mām evaiṣyasy asaṁśayam.

Therefore remember me at all times and do your work. With mind and understanding given to me, you will surely come to me.

Live it todayRemembrance and work are not rivals; carry both.

अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना।
परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन्॥

abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena cetasā nānya-gāminā,
paramaṁ puruṣaṁ divyaṁ yāti pārthānucintayan.

With a mind trained by steady practice and never straying elsewhere, one who meditates without pause reaches the supreme, divine Person, O Partha.

Live it todayEach time the mind wanders, bring it back gently; that is the practice.

कविं पुराणमनुशासितार-
मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः।
सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूप-
मादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्॥

kaviṁ purāṇam anuśāsitāra-
maṇor aṇīyāṁsam anusmared yaḥ,
sarvasya dhātāram acintya-rūpa-
māditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt.

One should meditate on the all-knowing, the ancient one, the ruler of all, subtler than the subtlest, the sustainer of everything, whose form is beyond thought, radiant as the sun and beyond all darkness.

प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन
भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव।
भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक्
स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम्॥

prayāṇa-kāle manasā ‘calena
bhaktyā yukto yoga-balena caiva,
bhruvor madhye prāṇam āveśya samyak
sa taṁ paraṁ puruṣam upaiti divyam.

Whoever, at the time of departure, with an unmoving mind, joined in devotion and by the strength of yoga, rightly draws the life-breath to the point between the brows, reaches that supreme, divine Person.

यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति
विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः।
यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति
तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये॥

yad akṣaraṁ veda-vido vadanti
viśanti yad yatayo vīta-rāgāḥ,
yad icchanto brahmacaryaṁ caranti
tat te padaṁ saṁgraheṇa pravakṣye.

I will briefly explain to you that state which the knowers of the Veda call the Imperishable, which ascetics free from passion enter, and for whose sake seekers live a life of brahmacharya.

सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च।
मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम्॥

sarva-dvārāṇi saṁyamya mano hṛdi nirudhya ca,
mūrdhny ādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthito yoga-dhāraṇām.

Such a one closes all the gates of the senses, holds the mind within the heart, draws the life-breath up into the head, and stays fixed in the concentration of yoga.

ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्।
यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्॥

om ity ekākṣaraṁ brahma vyāharan mām anusmaran,
yaḥ prayāti tyajan dehaṁ sa yāti paramāṁ gatim.

Whoever departs, leaving the body while uttering Om, the single syllable that is Brahman, and remembering me, reaches the highest goal.

Live it todayMake Om a daily companion, and it will stay with you at the end.

अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः।
तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः॥

ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ,
tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ.

For the yogi who remembers me constantly, day after day, with a mind given to nothing else and ever united with me, I am easy to reach, O Partha.

Live it todayDaily remembrance makes the Divine close and easy to reach.

मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम्।
नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः॥

mām upetya punar janma duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam,
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ.

Having come to me, the great souls are not born again into this passing home of sorrow, for they have reached the highest perfection.

Live it todaySet your heart on what lasts, not on what passes.

आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन।
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते॥

ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino ‘rjuna,
mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate.

All the worlds, even up to the realm of Brahma, are subject to return, O Arjuna; but for one who reaches me, there is no rebirth.

Live it todayEven the greatest heights are passing; root yourself in what is eternal.

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः।
रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः॥

sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ,
rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ te ‘ho-rātra-vido janāḥ.

Those who truly know day and night understand that a day of Brahma lasts a thousand yugas, and his night likewise ends only after a thousand yugas.

अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे।
रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके॥

avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavanty ahar-āgame,
rātry-āgame pralīyante tatraivāvyakta-saṁjñake.

When that day dawns, all manifest things come forth from the unmanifest; when night falls, they dissolve back into that same unmanifest.

भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते।
रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे॥

bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate,
rātry-āgame ‘vaśaḥ pārtha prabhavaty ahar-āgame.

This same multitude of beings, coming into being again and again, dissolves helplessly when night falls, O Partha, and comes forth once more when day breaks.

परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः।
यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति॥

paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ‘nyo ‘vyakto ‘vyaktāt sanātanaḥ,
yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati.

But beyond that unmanifest there is another, eternal Unmanifest, which does not perish even when all beings perish.

Live it todayBeneath all that rises and falls, something eternal remains.

अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्।
यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम॥

avyakto ‘kṣara ity uktas tam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim,
yaṁ prāpya na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama.

This Unmanifest is called the Imperishable, and it is said to be the highest goal. Those who reach it do not return. That is my supreme abode.

पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया।
यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्॥

puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tv ananyayā,
yasyāntaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni yena sarvam idaṁ tatam.

That Supreme Person, O Partha, in whom all beings dwell and by whom all this is pervaded, is reached through undivided devotion.

Live it todayWhat cleverness cannot reach, single-hearted love can.

यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः।
प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ॥

yatra kāle tv anāvṛttim āvṛttiṁ caiva yoginaḥ,
prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha.

Now I will tell you, O Arjuna, of the time at which yogis who depart do not return, and the time at which they do return.

अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्।
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः॥

agnir jyotir ahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam,
tatra prayātā gacchanti brahma brahma-vido janāḥ.

Fire, light, daytime, the bright half of the month, the six months of the sun’s northern course: those who know Brahman and depart by this way go to Brahman.

धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्।
तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते॥

dhūmo rātris tathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇ-māsā dakṣiṇāyanam,
tatra cāndramasaṁ jyotir yogī prāpya nivartate.

Smoke, night, the dark half of the month, the six months of the sun’s southern course: the yogi who departs by this way reaches the light of the moon and returns.

शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते।
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययाऽऽवर्तते पुनः॥

śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hy ete jagataḥ śāśvate mate,
ekayā yāty anāvṛttim anyayā ‘ ‘vartate punaḥ.

These two paths of the world, the bright and the dark, are held to be eternal. By one, a person goes and does not return; by the other, a person comes back again.

नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन।
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन॥

naite sṛtī pārtha jānan yogī muhyati kaścana,
tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu yoga-yukto bhavārjuna.

No yogi who knows these two paths is ever deluded, O Partha. Therefore, at all times, be steadfast in yoga.

Live it todayStay anchored in your practice every day, not only on special days.

वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव
दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम्।
अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा
योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम्॥

vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva
dāneṣu yat puṇya-phalaṁ pradiṣṭam,
atyeti tat sarvam idaṁ viditvā
yogī paraṁ sthānam upaiti cādyam.

Whatever merit is promised for study of the Vedas, for sacrifice, austerity and charity, the yogi who knows this truth goes beyond it all and reaches the supreme, primal abode.

Live it todayGood deeds are precious; knowing the truth carries you further still.