Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8: Akshara Bramha Yoga — The Non-Changing State of Supreme Being

Chapter 8: Akshara Bramha Yoga

The Non-Changing State of Supreme Being

Part of the Bhagavad Gita — Complete Commentary by Guruji M. Mohan Sundar

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Arjuna asked Lord Krishna, ” What is THAT Supreme Being ? What exactly does Spirituality mean ? What is the meaning of Karma ? What is that which is Physical ? And what is that Divine state of mind ? “.

Note: Here Arjuna asked the questions which prevail in every Spiritual seekers mind. These questions are fundamental questions to take up Right Spiritual Practises to attain higher states of consciousness (attainment of Moksha). Arjuna continued asking, ” Who is the ONE who exists even before we start our worship, prayer and yagna (sacrificial fire to Gods). How and in what way HE is presiding in the human beings? How would HE reveal HIMSELF to the devotees who are focused on HIM at the time of Death ? “.

Lord Krishna said, ” The Akshara (the non changing one) is known as Bramha (Supreme Being) which in the human beings is engulfed / limited by the senses and it is known as “Jeevaathma”. HE the Supreme Being which is now Jeevaathma in the Human Beings experiences the outer world through the five senses and this process of knowing it and its nature is called Karma Sanjnitha (knowing the secret of SELF). I who is dwelling in the body is known as “Adhiyagna”, i.e. the presiding force in a living being which makes it a living being. The mind which is the cause for becoming aware of the body is known as “Adidaiva” i.e., the mind which is basically divine in Nature. The physical body that which is created is subject to dissolution and thereby it is known as “Adibhutam” . Anyone who remembers ME at the hour of death and leaves the body consciously remembering ME (any of MY regularly repeated name), such a person’s consciousness (Jeevathma/Aatma which is free from senses) will attain ME i.e. Paramaathma / Supreme Being for eternity. There will be no doubt about this.

Note: Any Spiritual seeker who seeks Moksha i.e., an eternal state in the Supreme Being never to return in to the cycle of Births and Deaths (into the time and space), such a person should constantly practise the remembering or doing Manana (only mental repetition of a Sanathana Divine Mantra or the NAME of the Supreme Being/ GOD without moving tongue and lips). For such a person the practise get imbibed into his mental, physical and spiritual system so that while leaving the body, the said Divine Mantra or the Divine Name automatically comes onto the surface of the Consciousness from the sub-conscious layer of the mind (from where it is stored) and sucks his Soul/ Consciousness into the same Divine frequency which he has practised all along his life. And therefore, he assumes the Nature of the same Supreme Being which he meditated upon. Therefore, constantly practising the remembering or repetition of a Divine Name of Sanatana Dharma (see pages 398) will ultimately lead his Consciousness into that Cosmic Frequency where the Supreme Being resides eternally, thereby gaining eternity, just as a river joining the sea and disappearing into it forever. This is the easiest path to attain Moksha and can be practised both by a householder (at his convenient time) and also by a saint and a sinner too. [ Whatever is one’s thinking at the time of death, the Consciousness (Soul) of that person will be sucked into that particular frequency of the nature (a layer in the creation) because his mind has aligned with that vibration. Undoubtedly, it is difficult to think of the name of the Supreme Being at the time of death unless the NATURE of the Supreme Being is strongly implanted in the sub-conscious layers of the mind through regular practise of Meditation during the lifetime. At the time of death, the sub- conscious mind becomes active by way of projecting the NATURE of the Supreme Being because of regular practise during the lifetime by way of Meditation on the Supreme Being and guides the consciousness (soul) into the Supreme Being and disseminates it into IT for all times never to return into the cycle of births and deaths ] . Therefore Arjuna, whatever a person thinks at the time of his death, he will get into that frequency of thought because his mind is more influenced by such situation or that thought process which most of the time he was subjected to in his life period.

Note: What Krishna spoke in the last two stanzas is nothing but infinite Cosmic Frequencies that a man can tune into through the constant practice of repetition of Divine Name, and thereby, simply enter into that vibration of nature at the time of death. If a spiritual seeker constantly repeats any Divine Name envisaged in Sanathana Dharma which is of highest cosmic frequency, then such a seeker at the time of his death get automatically tuned to the frequency of Divine Name and enter into the same Divine Consciousness. This is the greatest psychological truth and a scientific truth of Para- psychology. This is the greatest cosmic science and secret which Lord Krishna gave us. Therefore, Arjuna, constantly remember ME (by repeating MY name) and do the act of war. If you do in the way as I have said, your mind will not be influenced by your intellect and therefore, without any doubt you will reach ME.

Note: If a person constantly remembers a Cosmically Vibrant Divine Name from Sanathana Dharma, he will be freed from the influence of the intellect while taking decisions. And on the other hand, his Individual Consciousness influenced by the overriding Cosmic Consciousness (Divine name) will be able to take the right decision at the right time, and not getting swayed away by the influence of the intellect. Arjuna whoever meditates on the Supreme Being (or on any Divine Forms of the Supreme Being) with sufficient focus on HIM, such a person will ultimately attain the SAME Supreme Being and this is the Cosmic Principle for the attainment of Moksha.

Note: Here once again Lord Krishna explains that, whoever meditates on the Supreme Being with total focus on HIM with sufficient practise, he will finally attain the object of his meditation i.e., in spiritual sense, realizing the Supreme Being as the ultimate product of his Meditation. Here we can easily understand that Lord Krishna is emphasizing the Universal and Natural way of Meditation on the Supreme Being i.e., constantly remembering HIM either in the normal times or at the time of Meditation, will finally lead the seeker to HIM/ Supreme Being. Lord Krishna fully stresses here, the importance of Meditation on the Divine Name for the attainment of Moksha. Whoever Meditates on the GOD as Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent, All-Pervading, All-Knowing, All-Controlling, Master of all, who is responsible for the creation and it’s sustenance, who is Supremely radiant like Sun, and who is free from any types of ignorance, and the pure knowledge itself, and Supremely blissful, such a devote-full seeker at the time of his death because of Meditation in his lifetime having already aligned with the Supreme Being, his Consciousness automatically gets fixed at the point between the two eyebrows and with total stability of mind remembering the nature of THAT Supreme Being, he will attain the Supreme Being forever.

Note: Here Lord Krishna explains the nature of Supreme Being as Omnipresent (present everywhere), Omniscient (seeing everything at the same time), Omnipotent (all powerful and all capable of ), All-Pervading (spread everywhere in everything), All-Knowing, All-Controlling and cause for creation and it’s sustenance, and finer than the finest, Incomprehensible meaning the one who cannot be brought into the Limitations of human conception, and HE is more radiant than the Sun and HE is the embodiment of Supreme Knowledge and Supreme Bliss. Further in the same Bhagavadgeetha while showing the nature of GOD to Arjuna, HE has shown that HE has no beginning, middle and the end and at the same time HE shows HE has manifested in many God forms to operate at Varied levels of creation, and also gracing the devotees when prayed to those God forms for the fulfillment of their desires. Thus, ONE Supreme GOD even though assumed many many God forms, yet HE is the only ONE and HE is also fully aware of HIS ultimate nature i.e. formlessness, thus forms and formlessness are two sides of the same Coin. Thus, Sanathanis are very clear about the ONE Supreme GOD and HIS infinite God forms. This multiform worship of ONE Supreme GOD makes Sanathanis to emotionally easily connect to a particular God Form which ultimately ends in that ONE Supreme GOD who is the cause for creation, it’s sustenance and dissolution. Therefore Sanathanis have this broad comprehension and thereby accept the worship of all Sanathan God Forms which ultimately lead to THAT One Supreme God. Thus, Sanathanis are not confused about God forms and the Supreme GOD. The Vedas declare in One voice “Aakasat Pathitham Thoyam Yatha Gacchathi Saagaram, Sarva Devaa Namaskaaraha Keshavam Prathi Gacchathi “, meaning just as all rivers finally merge into the sea, which ever God Form Sanathanis worship with devotion, it will lead the devotee to THAT ONE Supreme GOD/ Supreme Consciousness /Supreme Being. Sanathana Dharma does not depend upon one life concept because it is a long spiritual journey where every individual goes through several births in the course of his evolution depending upon the right and wrong actions he does, and gradually move up in the ladder of Spiritual Evolution to ultimately reach THAT ONE Supreme GOD for eternity. This concept of God, described above eliminates any only one facet approach to God. Some philosophies have only one life concept and every human being born is considered as a sinner. If one life concept is true, then when did the Soul get the opportunity to commit sins to take birth as a sinner by birth. Therefore it does not stand to the scrutiny of science, sense, logic and reasoning. Therefore it is a sin to call Human Beings as sinners by birth when all have manifested from the same Supreme Being. If the above said one life concept has to be believed then God has to be the biggest sinner. I will explain the process to you in detail about those pandits who are aware of Vedas, and the non-attached ascetics and the pure celibates who seek the attainment of the Supreme Being, He who controls all his senses and fixes his mind at the heart to overcome emotions, and then fixes his pranic energy at the spot between the eyebrows and follow the Yoga Saadhana (Meditation on the Supreme Being) and by uttering “AAAum” or any one of MY Cosmic Names leaves his body, he will enter into the Supreme Being, never to return.

Note: In this stanza, Lord Krishna has explained the status which a Yogi can attain if he focuses his mind at the heart and then his life force at the spot between the eyebrows and start repeating the Cosmic Sound “AAAum” or any one of the Sanathan Divine Names, such a person will transcend the sound and reach the abode of the Supreme Being which is of Supreme Silence and Bliss. Arjuna, however if a person focuses continuously on ME (Supreme Being) by repeating constantly any one of MY Sanathan Name without deviating his mind and fully absorbed into ME, for such a person, I am easily attainable. Those who have attained ME (through Devotion and Meditation) will be freed from the cycle of births and deaths which phenomena is the cause for sufferings. Attaining any of the higher divine planes of existence [ like { Bhuvar Loka, Swarga Loka (heaven), Maha Loka, Jano Loka, Tapo Loka, Satya Loka (where creator Bramha dwells) } ] are all returnable (rebirth is inevitable). But only by attaining ME (the Supreme Being), one will not get rebirth (by attaining Moksha) because I AM beyond the Time and Space. All the divine planes are bound by time and space and they are not ETERNAL.

Note: Here, generally Indian scriptures describe about Higher Spiritual Planes as parallel universes namely Bhuvar Loka, Swarga Loka, Mahar Loka, Jano Loka, Tapo Loka, and Bramha Loka (The abode of creator Lord Bramha who has manifested from the Supreme Being for the purpose of creating the creation). Lord Krishna has spoken about these planes of existence in this stanza, to any of which the seeker can evolve depending upon his quantum of Saadhana (Spiritual Pursuit). All these planes are within time and space at finer and finer levels of creation itself. The creation always exists within the parameters of time and space but the Supreme Being i.e. Lord Krishna is beyond Time and Space and HE is Eternal, Everlasting and Non-changing and not subjected to any dissolution process. Those seekers who attain the Supreme Being will not return to the cycle of births and deaths. But those who attain higher planes of existence up-to Bramha Loka (including Bramha Rushis) have to return after enjoying the Spiritual Bliss in those places of existence to rebirth to work-out the remaining balance of Karma (sum of good and bad actions of past lives). The day of the creator Lord Bramha is one thousand Chathur Yugas and the night also equally the same. Yogis will realize through their Saadhana this great nature of the time.

Note: The creation is within time and space, and the time is cyclical in the Sanathan context, because all the season like Spring, Summer, Monsoon, Autumn, pre-winter and winter repeat again and every year for all the times without fail. Therefore in Sanskrit term, it is called Kaala Chakra, but Science believes in linear aspect of time, if so a question arises why Seasons repeat every year ? According to linear aspect of time, if once spring season is over it should never return again. Every Soul is caught in the cyclical whirl of time until it rises above the whirl to reach the Supreme Being which is not subjected to this whirl (cycle of births and deaths repetition). All the embodied beings manifests during the day of Lord Bramha (Cosmic day of Lord Bramha) the creator God form. Again, Lord Bramha becomes unmanifest during his cosmic night and all the beings are subdued into HIM. Again in the new day of Bramha the creation begins with all the living beings back into action of life.

Note: Several Lord Bramhas are the subtle manifested forms of the Supreme Being. Therefore, the creators Lord Bramhas are subjected to expanded Cosmic Time scale. Therefore, one day of Lord Bramha is infinitely long whereby the creation created by each Bramha including all living beings, galaxies, stars, de-manifest when Bramha sleeps at his cosmic night, meaning dissolution of entire creation, and recreation during the new Cosmic Day of each Lord Bramha. This phenomena is observed in astronomical study where several galaxies disappear into black hole and young galaxies start manifesting. Thus each Bramha’s creation at his given time disappears into his night (black hole) and new galaxies start manifesting. On the other hand when all such cosmic activities are going on the Supreme Being remains undisturbed because it is non-changing, eternal and everlasting. It is observed in Bhaagavatha where all the Bramhas of different galaxies appear before Lord Krishna at a time. Also for the first time in the Human history we find that Lord Krishna has shown infinite number of galaxies, stars etc. in his mouth to his mother and also has shown the same thing later to Arjuna in Vishwaroopa Dharshana (Chapter No. 11). When the creation becomes unmanifest during the night of Lord Bramha, beyond this unmanifest aspect there is another unmanifest aspect which is none other than the Supreme Being who is eternal and never dissolves or diminishes.

Note: In this stanza, Lord Krishna makes it clear that, the Supreme Being is beyond Time and Space, and therefore Eternal and Everlasting. Therefore, there is no question of manifesting and de-manifesting applicable to HIM. Further, Lord Bramha’s creation becoming unmanifest merging into the fourth dimension of the creation which can also be termed as finer and finer layers of the creation. The fifth dimension is totally dimensionless state and that is the ABODE of the Supreme Being which is Eternal, Everlasting, Non-changing, Static yet dynamic, Absolute Silence, yet totally awakened. Thus the Supreme Being is not subjected to changes which happens with the creation. Here, we can understand by observing the natural phenomena that happens with the sea, the surface of the sea is dynamic with waves raising and often tidal waves too. When so much activities are going on on the surface of the sea, yet the bottom of the sea remains undisturbed, calm and static. Here, we can clearly understand the waves which are projected by the surface of the sea, where as when we go deeper and deeper into the sea the dynamic activity becomes slower and slower and finally at the deepest layer that is at the bottom of the sea, the sea is totally static and peaceful. The sea in entirety represents GOD and the waves and the depth of the sea represent the gross and finer layers of the creation. The grosser layers are visible in dynamic form but the finer layers are not visible except when we dive deep into the depths of the sea. This simile about the sea, clearly makes us to understand the nature of GOD, meaning behind all the moving, changing, dynamic creation, there is an underlying Non-changing yet Dynamic, Eternal and Everlasting Supreme Being. That which has manifested from the Supreme Being but has no form is known as Akshara (AAAum) which is in sound form. MY abode is beyond THAT expressed but formless phenomena. Whoever realises MY this state which is beyond Akshara will be freed from the cycle of births and deaths.

Note: “AAAum Iti Ekaksharam” A is the first letter of AAAum that manifests from Supreme Being and becomes part of the cosmic sound AAAum which is the first manifestation yet formless in nature, sound in essence is THE cause for the manifest creation. The Abode of Supreme Being is beyond this Unmanifest Akshara where this cosmic sound “AAAum” ceases to exist and there lies the Abode of the Supreme Being in Supreme Silence. Here, the seeker if he transcends the Akshara “AAAum” then he reaches that absolutely Unmanifest Supreme Being, and he will never return to take birth again because his Individual Consciousness (soul) has disseminated into that Supreme Being, just as a river infusing into the sea and losing itself by becoming the sea. [AAAum, the Cosmic sound is the manifest, formless expressed basic sound which is the cause for the Time and Space and it is the phenomena behind the manifest creation. AAAum is called the Akshara because it does not diminish until it decides to dissolve the creation into itself, and in turn itself into the Absolute state which is beyond sound into that Absolute yet Dynamic Blissful SILENCE where the ABODE of the Supreme Being is there. He who reaches this state of the Supreme Being in ITS Supreme silence, transcends the Akshara “AAAum” and shall never return into the cycle of birth and death. Here Lord Krishna very specifically states that, HIS ABODE is in that Supreme Silence which is beyond the formless sound AAAum]. GOD-the Supreme Being is present in every living being at the subtlest level in the Form of Supreme Bliss. The entire creation is pervaded by the Supreme Being and such an Unmanifest and Eternal GOD can only be attained by anyone with total devotion to HIM.

Note: The entire living beings are in the Supreme Being and the Supreme Being is pervading the entire creation (living and non-living). Such a Supreme Being is attainable only through unflinching devotion and dedication (through regular Meditation on HIM) . Arjuna, now I will say the timings at which some Yogis who leave their bodies will return to life on earth and about those divine periods at which some Yogis leave their bodies will never return. The Yogis who leave their bodies during day time, during full moon period and during the 6 months of Uttharayana period, such Yogis will move into higher directions and will be guided by god forms towards the ultimate goal of attaining the Supreme Being and never to return. Those who leave their body during the dark period of waning moon, and the 6 months period of Dakshinaayana, where the semi-divine forces who reside in the dusk (dim side of the path) guide the people of desires towards the dim moon and after enjoying the fruits of their good karma in the heavenly abode will return to earth through births.

Note: Those who leave their body in the period of waning moon and that too during Dakshinaayana (in the English calendar from July 15th to January 13th), such souls will move in the dusky path where semi-divine forces reside in the smoky zone, and they guide the souls towards the dim moon (chandrayana) depending upon their grade of desires, and enjoy the fruits of their good Karma will return to earth through re-birth to work-out their balance of Karma (Good and Bad actions). In this world, there are two paths for the Soul to travel after leaving the body. One is of Divine Path (waxing moon period known as Devayaana). Those who practise divine practises like Meditation, Manana, Japa, etc on the Supreme Being, go through this divine path and will never return. And the other souls who carry their desires and die during Krishna paksha i.e., during waning period of moon will go through the darker path where the souls of the dead reside and will again return to birth and continue the journey in the cycle of Births and Deaths.

Note: “Devayaana” is the Divine Path where many God forms reside at different Divine Planes of the creation and they are available to guide the souls of the Yogis towards higher direction to attain the Supreme Being, if they leave their bodies during full-moon period in the annual time scale of Uttharayana (in English calendar the period from January 14th to July 15th) and the chances of returning to take birth again becomes less. Those who leave their body during “Pithru Yaana” (waning moon period) will travel in the direction of those darker planes of existence where the dead souls reside and wait for re-birth and later take birth to work-out their Karma again. Those who become aware of this secret of time will not get attached to desires. On the other hand will try to attain Equanimity State from where they could attain the Supreme Being. Therefore, Arjuna you follow the path of Yoga trying to develop Equanimity State and try with effort to attain ME at all times (irrespective of Uttarayana or Dakshinaayana). Whoever attains YOGA by aligning with the Supreme Being through Meditation (The word Yoga should not be mistaken for the practise of Yogasanas and Pranayama) will transcend (go beyond) even the good Karma (Punya) that can be attained by the practise of Vedas, Yagnas, Homas and Charity etc., and will reach the Eternal State (i.e., Moksha in the Supreme Being. Moksha is attainable only by neutralising both good and bad karma through Meditation on the Supreme Being). HERE ENDS THE AKSHARA BRAHMA YOGA