Akshara Brahma Yoga

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Akshara Brahma Yoga
Aum Om black.svg
‌Om, the sacred symbol described in the chapter
Information
ReligionHinduism
AuthorTraditionally attributed to Vyasa
LanguageSanskrit
Verses28

The Akshara Brahma Yoga (Sanskrit: अक्षरब्रह्मयोग, romanized: Akṣarabrahmayōga)[1] is the eighth of the eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad Gita.[2] The chapter has a total of twenty-eight shlokas.[3] It is the 30th chapter of Bhishma Parva, the sixth book of the Mahabharata.[4]

Etymology[edit]

Akshara refers to the imperishable or eternal, and Brahma Yoga signifies the yoga of an ultimate reality or the divine. In this chapter, Krishna explains to Arjuna the significance of understanding and realizing the eternal essence that transcends the material world. The term's etymology is rooted in the concepts of the Bhagavad Gita itself, emphasizing the pursuit of spiritual knowledge and the connection between the individual soul (jivatma) and the ultimate reality (Paramatman).[5]

Overview[edit]

1-5: Inquiry about the nature of ultimate reality, the process of departing from the mortal world, and the importance of thoughts at the time of death.[6]

6-12: Attaining God in the final moments, divine manifestations, meditation on formless aspect, cycle of creation, and significance of devotion.

13-22: Paths after death, cycle of creation and dissolution, eternal nature of God, influence of gunas, role of knowledge, and attaining God through devotion.[7]

23-28: Path of devotion, meditation on God, the significance of Om, dedicating actions to God, importance of devotion, knowledge, and detachment.

Content[edit]

In this chapter, Krishna elaborates on various concepts, including the nature of duty (dharma) and the imperishable nature of the soul (ātman). He advises Arjuna to fulfill his warrior duty without attachment to the results, emphasizing the importance of selfless action (karma yoga). Krishna explains that individuals have control only over their actions, not over the results, and encourages Arjuna to act in accordance with his dharma.

Krishna introduces the idea of the eternal soul, asserting that it transcends birth and death. He highlights the distinction between the physical body and the true self, which is immortal and unaffected by external circumstances (akshara). This understanding is the basis of spiritual discipline and renunciation (sannyasa).

Themes[edit]

  • The Eternal and Imperishable Nature of the Soul: (Akshara: Ātman, the imperishable soul as described in the Bhagavad Gita) In this chapter, Krishna teaches Arjuna about the eternal and indestructible nature of the soul. The text emphasizes that the soul is beyond the physical body and mind: it does not undergo the cycles of birth and death. This understanding helps Arjuna overcome his fear of mortality.
  • The Process of Transition at the Time of Death: Krishna describes the process of departing from the physical body during death. He explains that the mental state and consciousness at the time of death determines the soul's journey to the next life. By maintaining a meditative and devotional state of mind, individuals can ensure a positive transition and a better future existence.
  • The Importance of Devotion and Surrender to God: The chapter underscores the significance of unwavering devotion (bhakti) and surrender to the divine. Krishna explains that by focusing one's thoughts on the Para Brahman (Supreme Being) and cultivating a deep connection through love and devotion, individuals can attain liberation (moksha) and break the cycle of birth and death.[8]
  • The Significance of the Om Sound in Spiritual Practice: Om (or Aum) is a sacred sound often considered to be the primordial vibration of the universe. It symbolizes the ultimate reality or Brahman. In the context of the Gita, Krishna mentions the syllable Om as a representation of the Divine.

The Akshara Brahma Yoga teaches about the eternal nature of the soul, the process of transitioning at death, the importance of devotion and surrender, and the significance of Om in spiritual practice.

Significance[edit]

The Akshara Brahma Yoga emphasizes the eternal and indestructible nature of the soul (ātman) using the syllable Om as a representation of the ultimate reality.[9] Krishna explains the concept of oneness between the individual soul and the universal consciousness. This chapter underscores the importance of spiritual discipline, devotion, and meditation as means to realize this unity. Through the metaphor of a tree, Krishna illustrates the roots as the divine, the trunk as the cosmic order, and the leaves as the individual souls. By understanding the imperishable nature of the soul and aligning oneself with the universal, one can attain liberation (moksha). Akshara Brahma Yoga teaches the path to self-realization, emphasizing the connection between individual and divine, and the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment.

Om[edit]

See also: Om

Verse 13 of this chapter is as follows:[10]

oṁ ityekākṣharaṁ brahma vyāharan mām anusmaran
yaḥ prayāti tyajan dehaṁ sa yāti paramāṁ gatim

The one who utters the single syllable 'Om,' remembering me, and departs
abandoning the body, that person attains the supreme goal.

—Verse 8.13 —English translation
The sacred symbol Om, discussed in the Akshara Brahma Yoga[11]

The Om symbol holds profound significance in Akshara Brahma Yoga, a sacred syllable representing the ultimate reality, encompassing creation, preservation, and dissolution. The three phonetic components of Aum — A, U, and M — symbolize these phases of existence.

In Akshara Brahma Yoga, Aum signifies the unchanging, eternal essence amidst the ever-changing world. A resonates with the waking state, symbolizing creation and the beginning (of human personhood). U corresponds to the dream state, representing preservation and continuity. M signifies the state of deep sleep and dissolution, leading to rebirth.

Oneness of Krishna[edit]

See also: Krishna
1940 print of Krishna revealing his true form to Arjuna

Verses 8.6-8.7 of this chapter are as follows:[12]

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajatyante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ
tasmāt sarveṣhu kāleṣhu mām anusmara yudhya cha
mayyarpita-mano-buddhir mām evaiṣhyasyasanśhayam

Whatever one remembers upon giving up the body at the time of death, O son of Kunti, one attains that state, being always absorbed in such contemplation.

Therefore, always remember me and also do your duty of fighting the war. With mind and intellect surrendered to me, you will definitely attain me; of this, there is no doubt.

—Verse 8.6–8.7 —English translation

The emphasizes the oneness of Krishna as the eternal, imperishable reality that transcends the material and spiritual. In this discourse, Krishna reveals himself as the Akshara Brahma, the unchanging and indestructible Svayam Bhagavan ('God Himself') consciousness that resides within all beings. He describes how everything in the universe, both perishable and imperishable, emanates from this ultimate reality.

Krishna illustrates that he is the essence of all creation, the source from which all things originate, and the destination to which all things return, the Para Brahman. He is the cosmic intelligence that sustains the universe, and the eternal thread that connects all living beings. By realizing this oneness with the Akshara Brahma, the chapter states that individuals may attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Vyas, R. N. The Bhagavadgītā and Jīvana Yoga. Abhinav Publications. p. 166. ISBN 978-81-7017-203-1.
  2. ↑ Sharma, Amiya Bhushan. Aristotle, Plato and Bhagvad Gita on the "Soul" In the Light Primarily of On the Soul, Phaedo and the Second Chapter of Bhagvad Gita. OCLC 1188954697.
  3. ↑ Chand, Dr Bharati. Symphony of Philosophy & Education in Bhagavad Gita – Volume 2. Notion Press. p. 61. ISBN 978-1-63957-488-9.
  4. ↑ "13–24 Shocking News: Bhishma fallen". Mahabharata Book Six. Vol. 1: Bhishma (Bhīṣmaparvan). Translated by Cherniak, Alex. NYU Press. pp. 105–170. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Jivatmaa, Paramatma relationship from two angles". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  6. ↑ Shivakumar, K. N. Bhagawad Gita: Bhagavad Gita (in संस्कृतम्). Sangeet Bharati. p. 66.
  7. ↑ "What lesson does the Bhagavadgita teach about death? | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  8. ↑ The Bhagavad Gita : with an English translation, explanatory notes and an examination of its doctrines. Robarts - University of Toronto. London ; Madras : Christian Literature Society for India. p. 30.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  9. ↑ Gurumaa, Anandmurti. Srimad Bhagavad Gita: (Succinct Commentary). Gurumaa Vani. p. 257. ISBN 978-93-81464-68-7.
  10. ↑ Gurumaa, Anandmurti. Srimad Bhagavad Gita: (Succinct Commentary). Gurumaa Vani. p. 257. ISBN 978-93-81464-68-7.
  11. ↑ "Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 - Akshara Brahma Yoga". Bhagavad Gita. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  12. ↑ Marga, Bhakti. Shreemad Bhagavad Gita - Verses and Translations. BoD – Books on Demand. p. 145. ISBN 978-3-940381-59-0.
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