Chapter 8 of Bhagavad Gita describes the indestructible Brahman or Supreme Being in its relation with all beings in this world

1. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
T. K. G. NAMBOODHIRI
THIRUVALLA, KERALA
INDIA

2. BHAGAVAD GITA – THE DIVINE
SONG-An Introduction
 Bhagavad Gita-Part of the
Sanskrit Epic
Mahabhaaratha.(200 BC to 200
AD)
 700 verses in 18 chapters.
 A conversation between Lord
Krishna and his close friend
Arjuna in the middle of the
battlefield just before the start
of the Kurukshetra battle.
 Arjuna loses his heart and
refuses to fight his teachers
and relatives, and Krishna
revives him by his wise words
of wisdom.
TKG Namboodhiri

3. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
CHAPTER 8
AKSHARABRAHMA YOGA
THE YOGA OF THE INDESTRUCTIBLE
BRAHMA
TKG Namboodhiri

4. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
KIM THAD BRAHMA KIMADHYAATHMAM KIM KARMA
PURUSHOTHAMA, ADHIBHOOTHAM CHA KIM PROKTHAM
ADHIDAIVAM KIMUCHYATHE’, ADHIYAJNAM KATHAM KO ATHRA
DE’HE’ ASMIN MADHUSOODANA. (8.1&2)
In the last verse in Chapter 7 the Lord used few words
which Arjuna did not understand. So he asks the
meaning of those words here: What is that Brahman?
What is the inner self? What is work? What are
elements & divinities? Who in this body operates the
sacrifices & how?
TKG Namboodhiri

5. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
AKSHARAM BRAHMA PARAMAM SWABHAAVO
ADHYAATHMAMUCHYATHE’, BHOOTHABHAAVODBHAVAKAR
O VISARGAH KARMA SAMJNITHAH. (8.3)
The supreme indestructible entity is Brahman.
The same Brahman existing in each living being
as the individual Soul is Adhyaathma. Work is
manifest creation, bringing beings into
existence.
TKG Namboodhiri

6. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
ADHIBHOOTHAM KSHARO BHAVAH
PURUSHASCHAADHIDAIVATHAM, ADHIYAJNO
AHAME’VAATHRA DE’HE’ DE’HABRITHAAM VARA. (8.4)
The elements are all the perishable objects;
the individual souls are the divinities. I
Myself, dwelling in the body as the inner
witness, alone am related to sacrifices.
TKG Namboodhiri

7. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
YAM YAM VAAPI SMARAN BHAAVAM THYAJATHYANTHE’
KALEBARAM, THAM THAME’VAITHI KAUNTHE’YA SADA
THADBHAAVA BHAAVITHAH. (8.6)
Remembering whatever being one gives
up the body at death, that very being one
reaches & takes a body ever conforming
to that being. The final recollection causes
the assumption of a new body.
TKG Namboodhiri

8. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
THASMAAL SARVE’SHU KAALE’SHU
MAAMANUSMARA YUDHYA CHA, MAYYARPITHA
MANOBUDHIR MAAME’VYSHYASYASAMSAYAM. (8.7)
Therefore, at all times think of Me, & do
your duty. With mind & intellect
surrendered to Me, rid of all doubts, you
will undoubtedly reach Me.
TKG Namboodhiri

9. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
ABHYAASAYOGAYUKTHE’NA CHE’THASAA
NAANYAGAAMINAA, PARAMAM PURUSHAM DIVYAM
YAATHI PAARTHAANUCHINTHAYAN. (8.8)
Arjuna, steadily thinking with an
unswerving mind, disciplined in the Yoga
of repeated practice, one proceeds to the
Supreme, Divine Spirit
TKG Namboodhiri

10. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
KAVIM PURAANAMANUSAASITHAARAM
ANORANEEYAAM SAMANUSMARE’DYAH, SARVASYA
DHAATHAARAMACHINTHYAROOPAM AADITHYA VARNAM
THAMASAH PARASTHAATH. (8.9).
Wise people contemplate on God as the all-
wise, ageless Ruler, who is smaller than the
atom, but the sustainer of the entire
universe, shining like the Sun & far beyond the
darkness of ignorance, & with an
incomprehensible form.
TKG Namboodhiri

11. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
ANANYACHE’THAAH SATHATHAM YO MAAM
SMARATHI NITHYASAH, THASYAAHAM SULABHAH
PAARTHA NITHYAYUKTHASYA YOGINAH. (8.14)
Arjuna, whosoever with undivided mind
always thinks of Me (God), to that
person, ever-absorbed in Me, I am easily
attainable.
TKG Namboodhiri

12. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
AVYAKTHO AKSHARA ITHYUKTHASTHAMAAHUH
PARAMAAM GATHIM, YAM PRAAPYA NA NIVARTHANTHE’
THADHAAMA PARAMAM MAMA. (8.21)
The supreme goal of all living beings is to
reach that eternal, unmanifest &
indestructible abode of God, attaining
which, none has to return to this mortal
world.
TKG Namboodhiri

13. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
PURUSHAH SA PARAH PAARTHA BHAKTHYAA
LABHYASTHWANANYAYAA , YASYAANTHAH STHAANI
BHOOTHAANI YE’NA SARVAMIDAM THATHAM. (8.22)
Arjuna, that eternal, unmanifest, supreme
God, in whom all beings reside, & by whom
this whole universe is pervaded, is attainable
only through exclusive devotion.
TKG Namboodhiri

14. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
SUKLAKRISHNE’ GATHEE HYE’THE’ JAGATHAH SAASWATHE’
MATHE’, E’KAYAA YAATHYANAAVRITHIM
ANYAYAAVARTHATHE’ PUNAH. (8.26)
There are two courses, the light & the dark, of
knowledge & work, held to be eternal for the world(
for those eligible to travel the path of knowledge, or
the path of work as ordained in the Vedas, etc.). By
means of the first one goes(after death) & does not
return; by the other one comes back again.
TKG Namboodhiri

15. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
VE’DE’SHU YAJNE’SHU THAPASSU CHAIVA DAANE’SHU
YATH PUNYAPHALAM PRADISHTAM, ATHYE’THI THATH
SARVAMIDAM VIDITHWA YOGEE PARAM STHAANAM
UPAITHI CHAADYAM. (8.28)
The meritorious fruits of learning the Vedas, of
sacrifices, penances & gifts-all these the Yogi
transcends by knowing what I said above.
Besides, he also reaches the supreme Primal
State.
TKG Namboodhiri