Chapter 8
Aksara Brahma Yoga
Last updated: 14 June 2026
अक्षर ब्रह्म योग
Total Shlokas: 28~7 min readSanskrit + Multi-language Meanings
Script:
Shloka 1
अर्जुन उवाच। किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम। अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते।।8.1।।
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Arjuna asks seven questions: What is Brahman? What is the Self? What is karma? What is the material manifestation? What is the divine manifestation? Who is the Lord of sacrifice? And how is He known at the time of death?
Shloka 2
अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन। प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः।।8.2।।
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Arjuna specifically asks: Who is the Lord of sacrifice in this body, and how does He dwell here? And how can those who are self-controlled know Him at the time of death?
Shloka 3
श्री भगवानुवाच। अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते। भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः।।8.3।।
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Krishna answers: Brahman is the imperishable, supreme reality. The individual nature of each being is called the Self (Adhyatma). The creative force that brings forth beings is called karma (action).
Shloka 4
अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्। अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर।।8.4।।
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The perishable material nature is called Adhibhuta; the cosmic Puruṣa (presiding divine being) is Adhidaiva; and Krishna Himself is the Adhiyajna (Lord of sacrifice), dwelling here in the body.
Shloka 5
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्। यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः।।8.5।।
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One who departs from the body remembering Krishna alone at the time of death attains Krishna's nature. There is no doubt about this. The last thought determines the destination.
Shloka 6
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्। तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः।।8.6।।
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Whatever state of being one remembers when leaving the body, that state one will attain without fail. The mind at the moment of death is shaped by the thoughts cultivated throughout life.
Shloka 7
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च। मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयः।।8.7।।
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Therefore, at all times, remember Krishna and fight. With mind and intellect fixed on Him, you shall come to Him alone. Constant devotion is the preparation for the ultimate moment.
Shloka 8
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना। परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन्।।8.8।।
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By meditating with an unwavering mind, disciplined by the practice of yoga, one reaches the Supreme Divine Person. Consistent practice leads to the highest realization.
Shloka 9
कविं पुराणमनुशासितार मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः। सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूप मादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्।।8.9।।
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One who meditates on the Supreme Being as the omniscient, the most ancient, the ruler, subtler than the subtlest, the sustainer of all, with a form beyond conception, and self-luminous like the sun, beyond all darkness.
Shloka 10
प्रयाणकाले मनसाचलेन भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव। भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक् स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम्।।8.10।।
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At the time of death, with an unmoving mind, established in devotion, by the power of yoga fixing the entire life-force between the eyebrows, one reaches that Supreme Divine Person.
Shloka 11
यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः। यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये।।8.11।।
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That which the knowers of the Vedas call the Imperishable, which the great ascetics free from passion enter, and desiring which seekers practice celibacy — Krishna will briefly describe that goal.
Shloka 12
सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च। मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम्।।8.12।।
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Closing all the gates of the body, confining the mind in the heart, fixing the life-force in the head, and established in yogic concentration...
Shloka 13
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्। यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्।।8.13।।
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...uttering the single syllable 'Om' — which is Brahman — and meditating on the Supreme, one who departs from the body attains the highest goal.
Shloka 14
अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः। तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः।।8.14।।
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For one who constantly thinks of Krishna with undivided attention, the Lord is easy to attain. Such a perpetually engaged yogi finds the path effortless.
Shloka 15
मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम्। नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः।।8.15।।
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Having attained Krishna, the great souls do not take rebirth in this temporary, miserable world. They have reached the highest perfection — eternal life with the Supreme.
Shloka 16
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन। मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते।।8.16।।
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All the worlds, from the highest heaven of Brahma to the lowest realm, are places of return (rebirth). But having attained Krishna, there is no rebirth. Only God's abode is eternal.
Shloka 17
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः। रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः।।8.17।।
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One day of Brahma lasts a thousand yugas (cosmic ages), and his night is equally long. Those who know this understand the true scale of cosmic time.
Shloka 18
अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे। रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके।।8.18।।
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At the dawn of Brahma's day, all living beings emerge from the unmanifest state. At the fall of his night, they merge back into the unmanifest. This cosmic cycle of creation and dissolution continues endlessly.
Shloka 19
भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते। रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे।।8.19।।
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The same multitude of beings, having come into existence again and again, are helplessly dissolved at the approach of night and manifest again at the coming of day.
Shloka 20
परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः। यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति।।8.20।।
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But beyond this unmanifest material nature, there is another, superior unmanifest existence — the eternal spiritual nature — which does not perish when all beings are destroyed.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 (Aksara Brahma Yoga) about?
Chapter 8, Aksara Brahma Yoga, deals with the imperishable Brahman and the soul's journey at the time of death. It contains 28 verses and is part of the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna at Kurukshetra.
How many verses are in Chapter 8 of the Bhagavad Gita?
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 (Aksara Brahma Yoga) has 28 shlokas (verses). On VedKosh each one is available with the original Sanskrit, transliteration, and meaning in Hindi and English.
What is the key teaching of Chapter 8?
The central teaching of Aksara Brahma Yoga is the imperishable Brahman and the soul's journey at the time of death. Read it as part of the unfolding wisdom Krishna gives Arjuna to resolve his moral crisis and act with clarity.