Bhagavad Gita 8.21अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्।यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥
avyakto ’kṣhara ityuktas tam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim
yaṁ prāpya na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama
Sanskrit recitation
The path of light · 8.14–8.22 · Teaching
Translation
What is known as the Unmanifested and the Imperishable, That is said to be the highest goal. Those who reach It do not return (to this Samsara). That is My supreme abode (place or state).
Hindi translation
उसीको अव्यक्त और अक्षर कहा गया है और उसीको परमगति कहा गया है तथा जिसको प्राप्त होनेपर जीव फिर लौटकर नहीं आते, वह मेरा परमधाम है।
Meaning
Para Brahman is called the Unmanifested because It cannot be perceived by the senses. It is called the Imperishable also. It is allpervading, allpermeating and interpenetrating. Para Brahman is the highest Goal. There is nothing higher than It. This is the true nondual state free from all sorts of limiting adjuncts. The attainment of Brahmaloka (the region of the Creator) etc., is inferior to this. Only by realising the Self is one liberated from Samsara. (Cf.XII.3,XV.6)
After Swami Sivananda
The path of light· 8.14–8.22→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 8.14I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast yogi who constantly and daily remembers me…
- 8.15Having attained Me, these great souls do not take birth again here—a place of pain and…
- 8.16All the worlds, including the world of Brahma, are subject to return again, O Arjuna; but…
- 8.17Those who know the day of Brahma, which lasts a thousand Yugas, and the night, which also…
- 8.18From the Unmanifested, all the manifested worlds proceed upon the arrival of the 'day';…
- 8.19This same multitude of beings, being born again and again, helplessly dissolves, O Arjuna,…
- 8.20But verily, there exists higher than this Unmanifested, another Unmanifested Eternal,…
8.21What is known as the Unmanifested and the Imperishable, That is said to be the highest…
- 8.22That highest Purusha, O Arjuna, is attainable by unswerving devotion to Him alone, within…
Word-by-word→
- na
- never
- iti
- thus
- tam
- that
- tat
- that
- yam
- which
- mama
- my
- gatim
- destination
- dhāma
- abode
- paramam
- the supreme
- prāpya
- having reached
- uktaḥ
- is said
- āhuḥ
- is called
- paramām
- the supreme
- avyaktaḥ
- unmanifest
- nivartante
- come back
- akṣharaḥ
- imperishable
Read this when you feel
Related verses
- 10.12Arjuna said, "You are the Supreme Brahman, the supreme abode, the supreme purifier,…
- 11.18You are the Imperishable, the Supreme Being, worthy of being known. You are the great…
- 12.20They who follow this immortal Dharma, endowed with faith and regarding Me as their supreme…
- 8.13Uttering the one-syllabled Om, the Brahman, and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving…