Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 Verse 28 — Aksara Brahma Yoga
Sanskrit
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम् | अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम् ||८-२८||
Transliteration
vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva dāneṣu yatpuṇyaphalaṃ pradiṣṭam . atyeti tatsarvamidaṃ viditvā yogī paraṃ sthānamupaiti cādyam ||8-28||
Hindi Meaning
।।8.28।। योगी पुरुष यह सब (दोनों मार्गों के तत्त्व को) जानकर वेदाध्ययन, यज्ञ, तप और दान करने में जो पुण्य फल कहा गया है, उस सबका उल्लंघन कर जाता है और आद्य (सनातन), परम स्थान को प्राप्त होता है।।
English Meaning
A person who accepts the path of devotional service is not bereft of the results derived from studying the Vedas, performing sacrifices, undergoing austerities, giving charity or pursuing philosophical and fruitive activities. Simply by performing devotional service, he attains all these, and at the end he reaches the supreme eternal abode.
Commentary
This verse is the summation of the Seventh and Eighth chapters, which particularly deal with Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service. One has to study the Vedas under the guidance of the spiritual master and undergo many austerities and penances while living under his care. A brahmacārī has to live in the home of the spiritual master just like a servant, and he must beg alms from door to door and bring them to the spiritual master. He takes food only under the master’s order, and if the master neglects to call the student for food that day, the student fasts. These are some of the Vedic principles for observing brahmacarya. After the student studies the Vedas under the master for some time – at least from age five to twenty – he becomes a man of perfect character. Study of the Vedas is not meant for the recreation of armchair speculators, but for the formation of character. After this training, the brahmacārī is allowed to enter into household life and marry. When he is a householder, he has to perform many sacrifices so that he may achieve further enlightenment. He must also give charity according to the country, time and candidate, discriminating among charity in goodness, in passion and in ignorance, as described in Bhagavad-gītā . Then after retiring from household life, upon accepting the order of vānaprastha, he undergoes severe penances – living in forests, dressing with tree bark, not shaving, etc. By carrying out the orders of brahmacarya, householder life, vānaprastha and finally sannyāsa, one becomes elevated to the perfectional stage of life. Some are then elevated to the heavenly kingdoms, and when they become even more advanced they are liberated in the spiritual sky, either in the impersonal brahma-jyotir or in the Vaikuṇṭha planets or Kṛṣṇaloka. This is the path outlined by Vedic literatures. The beauty of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, is that by one stroke, by engaging in devotional service, one can surpass all the rituals of the different orders of life. The words idaṁ viditvā indicate that one should understand the instructions given by Śrī Kṛṣṇa in this chapter and the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā . One should try to understand these chapters not by scholarship or mental speculation but by hearing them in association with devotees. Chapters Seven through Twelve are the essence of Bhagavad-gītā . The first six and the last six chapters are like coverings for the middle six chapters, which are especially protected by the Lord. If one is fortunate enough to understand Bhagavad-gītā – especially these middle six chapters – in the association of devotees, then his life at once becomes glorified beyond all penances, sacrifices, charities, speculations, etc., for one can achieve all the results of these activities simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who has a little faith in Bhagavad-gītā should learn Bhagavad-gītā from a devotee, because in the beginning of the Fourth Chapter it is stated clearly that Bhagavad-gītā can be understood only by devotees; no one else can perfectly understand the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā . One should therefore learn Bhagavad-gītā from a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, not from mental speculators. This is a sign of faith. When one searches for a devotee and fortunately gets a devotee’s association one actually begins to study and understand Bhagavad-gītā . By advancement in the association of the devotee one is placed in devotional service, and this service dispels all one’s misgivings about Kṛṣṇa, or God, and Kṛṣṇa’s activities, form, pastimes, name and other features. After these misgivings have been perfectly cleared away, one becomes fixed in one’s study. Then one relishes the study of Bhagavad-gītā and attains the state of feeling always Kṛṣṇa conscious. In the advanced stage, one falls completely in love with Kṛṣṇa. This highest perfectional stage of life enables the devotee to be transferred to Kṛṣṇa’s abode in the spiritual sky, Goloka Vṛndāvana, where the devotee becomes eternally happy. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta s to the Eighth Chapter of the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā in the matter of Attaining the Supreme.
Hinglish Commentary
Yeh shlok Seventh aur Eighth chapters ka summary hai, jo Kṛṣṇa consciousness aur devotional service par focus karta hai. Isme bataya gaya hai ki Vedas ko spiritual master ke guidance mein padhna zaroori hai aur is dauraan kai austerities aur penances se guzarni padti hai. Ek brahmacārī ko apne spiritual master ke ghar mein servant ki tarah rehna hota hai, aur use ghar-ghar jaake bhiksha mangni padti hai, jo phir master ko deni hoti hai. Uska khana sirf master ki permission se hota hai, aur agar master us din khana bulane bhool jaaye, toh student ko fast karna padta hai. Yeh sab Vedic principles hain jo brahmacarya ko observe karne ke liye hain. Jab student kuch samay tak, kam se kam paanch se bees saal tak, Vedas padhta hai, tab woh ek perfect character wala insaan ban jaata hai. Vedas ka padhna sirf armchair speculators ke liye nahi hai, balki character formation ke liye hai. Is training ke baad, brahmacārī ko ghar basane aur shaadi karne ki ijaazat milti hai. Ghar basane ke baad, use kai sacrifices karne hote hain taaki woh aur enlightenment paa sake. Woh charity bhi dega, samay, sthal aur vyakti ke hisaab se, jo Bhagavad-gītā mein bataya gaya hai. Ghar basane ke baad, jab woh vānaprastha ka order accept karta hai, tab woh severe penances karta hai – jaise jungle mein rehna, tree bark pehna, shave nahi karna, etc. Brahmacarya, householder life, vānaprastha aur phir sannyāsa ko follow karke, insaan apne jeevan ko perfection ki taraf le jaata hai. Kuch log to heavenly kingdoms mein bhi elevate hote hain, aur jab woh aur bhi advanced hote hain, tab woh spiritual sky mein liberated ho jaate hain, chahe woh impersonal brahma-jyotir ho ya Vaikuṇṭha planets ya Kṛṣṇaloka. Yeh sab Vedic literatures ka path hai. Lekin Kṛṣṇa consciousness ki khubsurti yeh hai ki ek hi stroke mein, devotional service karke, insaan alag-alag life orders ke rituals ko paar kar sakta hai. "idaṁ viditvā" ka matlab hai ki insaan ko is chapter aur Bhagavad-gītā ke Seventh Chapter mein diye gaye instructions ko samajhna chahiye. Yeh chapters scholarship ya mental speculation se nahi, balki devotees ke sath sunne se samajhna chahiye. Chapters Seven se Twelve Bhagavad-gītā ka essence hain. Pehle chhe aur aakhri chhe chapters beech ke chhe chapters ke liye coverings hain, jo khas taur par Lord ke dwara protected hain. Agar koi Bhagavad-gītā ko samajhne ki koshish kare, khaas taur par in beech ke chhe chapters ko, aur woh devotees ke sath ho, toh uski zindagi sabhi penances, sacrifices, charities aur speculations se upar ho jaati hai, kyunki woh Kṛṣṇa consciousness se sab kuch hasil kar sakta hai. Jo log Bhagavad-gītā mein thoda faith rakhte hain, unhe Bhagavad-gītā ko devotee se seekhna chahiye, kyunki Fourth Chapter ke shuruat mein yeh clearly bataya gaya hai ki Bhagavad-gītā ko sirf devotees hi samajh sakte hain; koi aur iske purpose ko perfect tarike se nahi samajh sakta. Isliye, Bhagavad-gītā ko Kṛṣṇa ke devotee se seekhna chahiye, mental speculators se nahi. Yeh faith ka sign hai. Jab koi devotee ki talash karta hai aur kisi devotee ki association milti hai, tab woh sach mein Bhagavad-gītā padhne aur samajhne lagta hai. Devotee ki association se, insaan devotional service mein aata hai, aur yeh service Kṛṣṇa ya God ke baare mein sabhi misgivings ko door kar deti hai, jaise Kṛṣṇa ki activities, form, pastimes, name aur dusre features. Jab yeh misgivings bilkul clear ho jaati hain, tab insaan apne study mein fix ho jaata hai. Phir woh Bhagavad-gītā padhne ka maza leta hai aur hamesha Kṛṣṇa conscious rehne ki state ko achieve karta hai. Advanced stage mein, insaan Kṛṣṇa se poori tarah pyaar karne lagta hai. Yeh highest perfectional stage insaan ko Kṛṣṇa ke abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana, mein transfer kar deti hai, jahan devotee hamesha khush rehta hai. Is tarah se, yeh Eighth Chapter ka Bhaktivedanta ka commentary Bhagavad-gītā mein Supreme ko prapt karne ke maamle mein khatam hota hai.
Chinmaya Commentary
यहाँ भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण इस पर बल देते हैं कि जिस पुरुष में कुछ मात्रा में भी योग्यता है उसको ध्यान का अभ्यास करना चाहिए क्योंकि शास्त्रों में वेदाध्ययन यज्ञ तप और दान को करने में जो पुण्य फल कहा गया है उस फल को योगी प्राप्त करता है। इतना ही नहीं भगवान् विशेष रूप से बल देकर कहते हैं कि योगी उन फलों का उल्लंघन कर जाता है अर्थात् सर्वोच्च फल को प्राप्त होता है। ध्यानाभ्यास द्वारा व्यक्तित्व का संगठन उपर्युक्त यज्ञादि साधनों की अपेक्षा लक्षगुना अधिक सरलता एवं शीघ्रता से हो सकता है किन्तु यहाँ यह मानकर चलते हैं कि ध्यान के साधक में आवश्यक मात्रा में विवेक और वैराग्य दोनों ही हैं। सतत नियमपूर्वक ध्यान करने से इनका भी विकास हो सकता है।इस प्रकार जब योगी ध्यान साधना से निष्काम कर्म एवं उपासना का फल प्राप्त करता है और ध्यान की निरन्तरता बनाये रखता है तो वह सफलता के उच्चतर शिखर की ओर अग्रसर होता हुआ अन्त में इस आद्य अक्षर पुरुष स्वरूप मेरे परम धाम को प्राप्त होकर पुनः संसार को नहीं लौटता। ँ़ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रेश्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे अक्षरब्रह्मयोगो नाम अष्टमोऽध्याय।।इस प्रकार श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवाद के रूप में ब्रह्मविद्या और योगशास्त्र स्वरूप श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतोपनिषद् का अक्षरब्रह्मयोग नामक आठवां अध्याय समाप्त होता है।अक्षरब्रह्मयोग का अर्थ है अक्षरब्रह्म की प्राप्ति का मार्ग । इस अध्याय के प्रारम्भ में अर्जुन द्वारा किये गये प्रश्नों का उत्तर देने के पश्चात् अपनी दिव्य प्रेरणा से प्रेरित होकर भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण ने प्रयाणकाल में परम पुरुष का स्मरण करने वालों को अनन्त की प्राप्ति कैसे होती है इसका वर्णन किया है और अर्जुन को ईश्वर स्मरण करते हुए जीवनसंघर्षों की चुनौतियों का कुशलता से सामना करने का उपदेश दिया है।