Yoga of the Imperishable Parabrahman. OM Bhakti (Gita)

1. Introduction and summary of chapter 8- The Yoga of the Imperishable Parabrahman
2. Chapter reading - Yoga of the Imperishable Parabrahman (Akshara Parabrahma) (version Gita according to Gandhi, Sivananda):
3. Key topics:
   1. Verses 1-3: Brahman, Adhyatma, Karma, Adhibhuta and Adhidaiva
   2. Verses 9-16: Meditation in the mantra OM (Pranava) and its effects on man
   3. Verses 17-19: creation and dissolution of the universe
      1. Divine Manifestations
      2. Universal Form
   4. Verses 20-22: The Eternal Unmanifest Being (Parabrahman). The  Supreme Purusha. The Bhakti devotional path to achieve it
   5. Verses 23-26: The two Paths of men (illuminated and dark)
   6. Verses 27-28: The power of the yogi and the Paths he can take
4. Reading the verse adaptation of the Bhagavad Gita
5. Verse-by-verse analysis and his comments of chapter Akshara Parabrahma Yoga (Gita Makaranadam version by Swami Vidya Prakashananda)
6. Readings by Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna related to this chapter
7. Exercises of chapter 8

Chapter 8 of the Bhagavad Gita- Yoga of the Imperishable Parabrahman

In this chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna explained in detail to Arjuna the nature of the Supreme Being, initiated in the previous chapter: The Yoga of Knowledge and Realization of Brahman (Jananvijnana).

Swami Sivananda translated the title of this chapter as: “The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman”, while Swami Vivekananda translated it as “The Yoga of the Imperishable Parabrahman (Akshara Parabrahma Yoga)”. Throughout this course we will use the latter.

At the beginning of this chapter Arjuna asked Lord Krishna the meaning of Brahman, Adhyatma, Karma, Adhibhuta, Adhidaiva and Adhiyajna, which Krishna had referred to in the last two verses of the previous chapter.

«Arjuna said: O Supreme Lord, what is Brahman (Absolute Reality), what is Adhyatma (the individual soul) and what is Karma? What is Adhibhuta said to be and who is Adhidaiva said to be? Who is Adhiyajna in the body and how is He the Adhiyajna? O Krishna, how will you be known at the time of death by those who have a firm mind?» Bhagavad Gita 8-1-2.

Since Arjuna did not understand the meaning of these philosophical terms, Sri Krishna proceeded to explain them to him:

«The Lord said: The Supreme Indestructible Entity is called Brahman; Its essential nature is called Adhyatma (Self-Knowledge). The actions related to the material personality of living beings and their development are called Karma (fruitive activities).
O best of embodied souls, the constantly changing physical manifestation is called Adhibhūta; The universal form of God, who presides over the celestial gods in this creation, is called Adhidaiva; I, who dwell in the heart of every living being, am called Adhiyajna, or the Lord of all sacrifices» Bhagavad Gita 8-3-4.

Sri Krishna reminded Arjuna that by consistently practicing the remembrance of the Lord, even at the moment of his death, man is freed from pain and suffering, definitively freeing himself from the death-birth cycle:

«Those who renounce the body while remembering Me at the moment of death, will come to Me. Certainly there is no doubt about this.» Bhagavad Gita 8-5.

For Sri Swami Sivananda:

«If one practices constant remembrance of the Lord through daily Sadhana (spiritual practice, exercises), then he will be rooted in His remembrance even at the time of departing this body at death. Starting in this way, he will go beyond darkness (ignorance) and slavery and will reach the kingdom of eternal blessing.»

And The Lord again recalled principle of Harmony between religions of Sri Ramakrishna, implying that whatever form (representation, avatar) we worship at the time of death is respected by Him.

«Whatever one remembers upon leaving the body at the time of death, O son of Kunti, one attains that state, being always absorbed in such contemplation» Bhagavad Gita VIII-6.

And he recommends that through Pranayama, yoga and meditation on the Supreme Being we will reach the Lord:

«God is Omniscient, the most ancient, the Controller, subtler than the subtlest, the Support of all, and the possessor of an inconceivable divine form. He is brighter than the sun and is beyond all the darkness of ignorance. He who at the moment of death, with the still mind achieved by the practice of Yoga, fixes the Prana between the eyebrows and constantly remembers the Divine Lord with great devotion, certainly attains it» Bhagavad Gita 8-9-10.

The rest of this summary on the subject “Yoga of the Imperishable Parabrahman” is only available to students of the Gita Institute

Chapter 7 verses 12-13 (Swami Vidya Prakashananda): Akshara Parabrahma Yoga

Bhakti Yoga (Vivekananda) - Royal Knowledge - Para-Bhakti (Vivekananda)

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