Chapter 8 · Akshara Brahma Yoga - The Yoga of the Imperishable BrahmanKrishna
Verse 21
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता अध्याय 8, श्लोक 21
Sanskrit Shloka (श्लोक)
अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्।
यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम॥
Transliteration
Avyakto'kshara ity-uktas-tam-ahuh paramam gatim
Yam prapya na nivartante tad-dhama paramam mama
Word-by-Word Meaning (अन्वय)
अव्यक्तःavyaktahthe unmanifest
अक्षरःaksharahthe imperishable
इतिitithus
उक्तःuktahis said/called
तम्tamthat
आहुःahuhthey call
परमाम्paramamsupreme
गतिम्gatimdestination
प्राप्यprapyahaving attained
न निवर्तन्तेna nivartantedo not return
धामdhamaabode
ममmamaMy
Hindi Translation (हिन्दी अर्थ)
वह अव्यक्त 'अक्षर' कहलाता है; उसे ही परम गति कहते हैं। जिसे प्राप्त करके लौटना नहीं पड़ता — वह मेरा परम धाम है।
English Translation
That unmanifest is called the Imperishable (Akshara); they call it the supreme destination. Having attained it, one never returns — that is My supreme abode.
Commentary (टीका)
Krishna explicitly identifies the eternal unmanifest reality as His own supreme abode (paramam dhama). This is the ultimate goal of spiritual life — a state from which there is no return to the suffering of material existence. The chapter's title, Akshara Brahma Yoga, derives from this central concept of the imperishable Absolute.