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Chapter 8: Akṣara Parabrahma Yoga
![[The Bhagavad Gita]](images/gita(1x).jpg)
— begin anuṣṭubh meter (4x8) —
Śloka 8.1
अर्जुन उवाच
arjuna uvāca
किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं
kiṃ tadbrahma kimadhyātmaṃ
किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम ।
kiṃ karma puruṣottama |
अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तम्-
adhibhūtaṃ ca kiṃ proktam-
अधिदैवं किमुच्यते ॥ १ ॥
adhidaivaṃ kimucyate ‖ 1 ‖
~~~
arjuna: Arjuna; uvāca: he said; kim: what; tat-brahma: that + Brahman; kim-adhyātmam: what + individual self; kim: what; karma: action; puruṣottama: O Supreme Spirit; adhibhūtam: essence of matter; ca: and; kim: what; proktam-adhidaivam: said to be + Supreme Deity; kim-ucyate: who + he is said
Arjuna said: “What is ‘Brahman?’ What is the ‘individual self’? What is ‘action’? What is the ‘essence of matter’ said to be? And who is the ‘Supreme Deity’ said to be, O Supreme Spirit?”
Śloka 8.2
अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र
adhiyajñaḥ kathaṃ ko’tra
देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन ।
dehe’sminmadhusūdana |
प्रयाणकाले च कथं
prayāṇakāle ca kathaṃ
ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः ॥ २ ॥
jñeyo’si niyatātmabhiḥ ‖ 2 ‖
~~~
adhiyajñaḥ: Supreme Sacrifice; katham: how; kaḥ-atra: who + here; dehe-asmin-madhusūdana: in the body + in this + O Slayer of the Madhu Demon; prayāṇakāle: at the time of death; ca: and; katham: how; jñeyaḥ-asi: to be known + you are; niyatātmabhiḥ: by the self-controlled
“Who is the ‘Supreme Sacrifice,’ and how do they exist here in the body, O Slayer of the Madhu Demon? And how are you to be known at the time of death by the self-controlled?”
Śloka 8.3
श्रीभगवानुवाच
śrībhagavānuvāca
अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं
akṣaraṃ brahma paramaṃ
स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते ।
svabhāvo’dhyātmamucyate |
भूतभावोद्भवकरो
bhūtabhāvodbhavakaro
विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः ॥ ३ ॥
visargaḥ karmasaṃjñitaḥ ‖ 3 ‖
~~~
śrī-bhagavān-uvāca: The Blessed + Lord + he said; akṣaram: imperishable; brahma: Brahman; paramam: Supreme; svabhāvaḥ-adhyātmam-ucyate: one’s nature + individual self + it is called; bhūta-bhāvaḥ-udbhavakaraḥ: living beings + birth + productive force; visargaḥ: causes; karma-saṃjñitaḥ: action + called
The Blessed Lord said: “‘Brahman’ is the supreme imperishable state. What is called the ‘individual self’ is one’s nature. What is called ‘action’ is the productive force that causes the rebirth of all living beings.”
Śloka 8.4
अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः
adhibhūtaṃ kṣaro bhāvaḥ
पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम् ।
puruṣaścādhidaivatam |
अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र
adhiyajño’hamevātra
देहे देहभृतां वर ॥ ४ ॥
dehe dehabhṛtāṃ vara ‖ 4 ‖
~~~
adhibhūtam: essence of matter; kṣaraḥ: perishable; bhāvaḥ: state; puruṣaḥ-ca-adhidaivatam: [Supreme] Spirit + and + Supreme Deity; adhiyajñaḥ-aham-eva-atra: Supreme Sacrifice + I + indeed + here; dehe: in the body; dehabhṛtām: of the Embodied; vara: O Best
“The ‘essence of matter’ is the perishable state. The ‘Supreme Deity’ is the [Supreme] Spirit. And I, indeed, am the ‘Supreme Sacrifice’ in this body, O Best of the Embodied.”
Śloka 8.5
अन्तकाले च मामेव
antakāle ca māmeva
स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् ।
smaranmuktvā kalevaram |
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं
yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṃ
याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥ ५ ॥
yāti nāstyatra saṃśayaḥ ‖ 5 ‖
~~~
antakāle: at the time of death; ca: and; mām-eva: me + alone; smaran-muktvā: remembering + having relinquished; kalevaram: body; yaḥ: he who; prayāti: he departs; saḥ: he; madbhāvam: My [Supreme] State; yāti: he enters; na-asti-atra: not + there is + here; saṃśayaḥ: doubt
“Having relinquished the body at the time of death remembering me alone, one who departs enters my [Supreme] State. Of this, there is no doubt.”
Śloka 8.6
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं
yaṃ yaṃ vāpi smaranbhāvaṃ
त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् ।
tyajatyante kalevaram |
तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय
taṃ tamevaiti kaunteya
सदा तद्भावभावितः ॥ ६ ॥
sadā tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ ‖ 6 ‖
~~~
yam: whatever; yam: whatever; vā-api: or + moreover; smaran-bhāvam: remembers + state; tyajati-ante: he gives up + at the end; kalevaram: body; tam: that; tam-eva-iti: that + alone + thus; kaunteya: O Son of Kuntī; sadā: constantly; tat-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ: that + state + absorbed
“Moreover, whatever state one remembers at the time of death, O Son of Kuntī, having been constantly absorbed in it during life, they attain that state alone.”
Śloka 8.7
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु
tasmātsarveṣu kāleṣu
मामनुस्मर युध्य च ।
māmanusmara yudhya ca |
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्-
mayyarpitamanobuddhir-
मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयः ॥ ७ ॥
māmevaiṣyasyasaṃśayaḥ ‖ 7 ‖
~~~
tasmāt-sarveṣu: therefore + at all; kāleṣu: at times; mām-anusmara: me + you should meditate upon; yudhya: you should fight; ca: and; mayi-arpita-manaḥ-buddhiḥ-mām-eva-eṣyasi-asaṃśayaḥ: upon me + fixed upon + mind + intelligence + me + certainly + you will attain + without a doubt
“Therefore, meditate upon me at all times and fight. With your mind and intelligence fixed on me, you will certainly attain me without a doubt.”
Śloka 8.8
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन
abhyāsayogayuktena
चेतसा नान्यगामिना ।
cetasā nānyagāminā |
परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं
paramaṃ puruṣaṃ divyaṃ
याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन् ॥ ८ ॥
yāti pārthānucintayan ‖ 8 ‖
~~~
abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena: by practice + [dhyāna]-yoga + engaged; cetasā: by the mind; na-anyagāminā: not + by wandering; paramam: Supreme; puruṣam: Spirit; divyam: divine; yāti: he attains; pārtha-anucintayan: O Son of Pṛthā + continually meditating
“Engaged in the practice of [dhyāna]-yoga, continually meditating upon the divine Supreme Spirit without wandering thoughts, O Son of Pṛthā, one attains it.”
— begin triṣṭubh meter (4x11) —
Śloka 8.9
कविं पुराणम् अनुशासितारम्-
kaviṃ purāṇam anuśāsitāram-
अणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः ।
aṇoraṇīyāṃsamanusmaredyaḥ |
सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूपम्-
sarvasya dhātāramacintyarūpam-
आदित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात् ॥ ९ ॥
ādityavarṇaṃ tamasaḥ parastāt ‖ 9 ‖
~~~
kavim: omniscient; purāṇam: ancient; anuśāsitāram-aṇoḥ-aṇīyāṃsam-anusmaret-yaḥ: controller + than an atom + smaller than + he would meditate upon + he who; sarvasya: of everything; dhātāram-acintyarūpam-ādityavarṇam: maintainer + inconceivable form + brilliance of the sun; tamasaḥ: than darkness; parastāt: than beyond
“One who would constantly meditate upon the omniscient, ancient controller, the maintainer of everything, with an inconceivable form, smaller than an atom, as brilliant as the sun, and beyond darkness…”
Śloka 8.10
प्रयाणकाले मनसाचलेन
prayāṇakāle manasācalena
भक्त्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव ।
bhaktyā yukto yogabalena caiva |
भ्रुवोर्मध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक्-
bhruvormadhye prāṇamāveśya samyak-
स तं परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम् ॥ १० ॥
sa taṃ paraṃ puruṣamupaiti divyam ‖ 10 ‖
~~~
prayāṇakāle: at the time of death; manasā-acalena: by the mind + by unwavering; bhaktyā: by devotion; yuktaḥ: accompanied by; yoga-balena: [dhyāna]-yoga + by the power; ca-eva: and + strictly; bhruvoḥ-madhye: eyebrows + in between; prāṇam-āveśya: energy + having centered; samyak-saḥ: completely + he; tam: that; param: Supreme; puruṣam-upaiti: Spirit + he attains; divyam: divine
“…with an unwavering mind accompanied by devotion, having completely centered their energy strictly between the eyebrows by the power of [dhyāna]-yoga, they would attain that divine Supreme Spirit at the time of death.”
Śloka 8.11
यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति
yadakṣaraṃ vedavido vadanti
विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः ।
viśanti yadyatayo vītarāgāḥ |
यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति
yadicchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti
तत्ते पदं सङ्ग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये ॥ ११ ॥
tatte padaṃ saṅgraheṇa pravakṣye ‖ 11 ‖
~~~
yat-akṣaram: which + imperishable; vedavidaḥ: knowers of the Vedas; vadanti: they call; viśanti: they enter; yat-yatayaḥ: which + ascetics; vītarāgāḥ: detached; yat-icchantaḥ: which + desiring; brahmacaryam: celibacy; caranti: they practice; tat-te: that + they; padam: state; saṅgraheṇa: with brevity; pravakṣye: I will explain
“I will now briefly explain to you that state which knowers of the Vedas call ‘imperishable,’ into which detached ascetics enter, and desiring which they practice celibacy.”
— begin anuṣṭubh meter (4x8) —
Śloka 8.12
सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य
sarvadvārāṇi saṃyamya
मनो हृदि निरुध्य च ।
mano hṛdi nirudhya ca |
मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणम्-
mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam-
आस्थितो योगधारणाम् ॥ १२ ॥
āsthito yogadhāraṇām ‖ 12 ‖
~~~
sarva-dvārāṇi: all + doors; saṃyamya: having restrained; manaḥ: mind; hṛdi: to the soul; nirudhya: having confined; ca: and; mūrdhni-ādhāya-ātmanaḥ: at the top of the head + having centered + his; prāṇam-āsthitaḥ: energy + remaining in; yoga-dhāraṇām: yoga + [dhyāna]
“Having restrained all the doors of the senses, having confined the mind to the soul, having centered one’s energy at the top of the head, remaining in [dhyāna]-yoga…”
Śloka 8.13
ॐ इत्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म
om ityekākṣaraṃ brahma
व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् ।
vyāharanmāmanusmaran |
यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं
yaḥ prayāti tyajandehaṃ
स याति परमां गतिम् ॥ १३ ॥
sa yāti paramāṃ gatim ‖ 13 ‖
~~~
om: om; iti-ekākṣaram: thus + monosyllable; brahma: Brahman; vyāharan-mām-anusmaran: uttering + me + meditating on; yaḥ: he who; prayāti: dying; tyajan-deham: giving up + body; saḥ: he; yāti: he attains; paramām: Supreme; gatim: State
“…uttering the sacred monosyllable of Brahman, ‘om,’ constantly meditating on me, giving up the dying body, one attains the Supreme State.”
Śloka 8.14
अनन्यचेताः सततं
ananyacetāḥ satataṃ
यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः ।
yo māṃ smarati nityaśaḥ |
तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ
tasyāhaṃ sulabhaḥ pārtha
नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः ॥ १४ ॥
nityayuktasya yoginaḥ ‖ 14 ‖
~~~
ananya-cetāḥ: without wandering + mind; satatam: always; yaḥ: he who; mām: me; smarati: he meditates on; nityaśaḥ: constantly; tasya-aham: for him + I; sulabhaḥ: easily attained; pārtha: O Son of Pṛthā; nitya-yuktasya: for always + engaged; yoginaḥ: for the yogī
“For the yogī who is always engaged and constantly meditates on me without a wandering mind, O Son of Pṛthā, I am easily attained.”
Śloka 8.15
मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म
māmupetya punarjanma
दुःखालयमशाश्वतम् ।
duḥkhālayamaśāśvatam |
नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ
संसिद्धिं परमां गताः ॥ १५ ॥
saṃsiddhiṃ paramāṃ gatāḥ ‖ 15 ‖
~~~
mām-upetya: me + having attained; punarjanma: rebirth; duḥkha-ālayam-aśāśvatam: suffering + abode + transient; na-āpnuvanti: never + they take; mahātmānaḥ: great souls; saṃsiddhim: perfection; paramām: supreme; gatāḥ: reached
“Having attained me, great souls never take rebirth in this transient abode of suffering; they have reached supreme perfection.”
Śloka 8.16
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः
ābrahmabhuvanāllokāḥ
पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन ।
punarāvartino’rjuna |
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय
māmupetya tu kaunteya
पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ॥ १६ ॥
punarjanma na vidyate ‖ 16 ‖
~~~
ā-brahma-bhuvanāt-lokāḥ: up to + Brahmaloka + from the earth + worlds; punarāvartinaḥ-arjuna: rebirth + O Arjuna; mām-upetya: me + having attained; tu: but; kaunteya: O Son of Kuntī; punarjanma: rebirth; na: no; vidyate: there is
“There is rebirth in all the worlds up to Brahmaloka, O Arjuna. But having attained me, there is no rebirth, O Son of Kuntī.”
Śloka 8.17
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तम्-
sahasrayugaparyantam-
अहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः ।
aharyadbrahmaṇo viduḥ |
रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां
rātriṃ yugasahasrāntāṃ
तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः ॥ १७ ॥
te’horātravido janāḥ ‖ 17 ‖
~~~
sahasra-yuga-paryantam-ahaḥ-yat-brahmaṇaḥ: thousand + [great] ages + lasting + day + which + of Brahmā; viduḥ: they know; rātrim: night; yuga-sahasra-antām: [great] ages + thousand + lasting; te-ahaḥ-rātra-vidaḥ: they + day + night + knowers of; janāḥ: people
“People who know a Day of Brahmā and a Night of Brahmā, they know that they each lasts a thousand [great] ages.”
Śloka 8.18
अव्यक्ताद् व्यक्तयः सर्वाः
avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ
प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे ।
prabhavantyaharāgame |
रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते
rātryāgame pralīyante
तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके ॥ १८ ॥
tatraivāvyaktasaṃjñake ‖ 18 ‖
~~~
avyaktāt: from the unmanifest [state]; vyaktayaḥ: manifest beings; sarvāḥ: all; prabhavanti-ahaḥ-āgame: they come forth + day + at the beginning; rātri-āgame: night + at the beginning; pralīyante: they dissolve; tatra-eva-avyakta-saṃjñake: into that + same + unmanifest [state] + into what is called
“At the beginning of a Day of Brahmā, all manifest beings come forth from what is called the ‘unmanifest’ [state]. At the beginning of a Night of Brahmā, they dissolve into that same [state].”
Śloka 8.19
भूतग्रामः स एवायं
bhūtagrāmaḥ sa evāyaṃ
भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते ।
bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate |
रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ
rātryāgame’vaśaḥ pārtha
प्रभवत्यहरागमे ॥ १९ ॥
prabhavatyaharāgame ‖ 19 ‖
~~~
bhūtagrāmaḥ: multitude of living beings; saḥ: that; eva-ayam: certainly + this; bhūtvā: having been reborn; bhūtvā: having been reborn; pralīyate: it dissolves; rātri-āgame-avaśaḥ: at night + at the beginning + helplessly; pārtha: O Son of Pṛthā; prabhavati-ahaḥ-āgame: it comes forth + day + at the beginning
“This multitude of living beings has been helplessly reborn again and again, O Son of Pṛthā. It dissolves at the approach of the Night of Brahmā and comes forth at the approach of the Day of Brahmā.”
Śloka 8.20
परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्यो-
parastasmāttu bhāvo’nyo-
ऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः ।
’vyakto’vyaktātsanātanaḥ |
यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु
yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu
नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति ॥ २० ॥
naśyatsu na vinaśyati ‖ 20 ‖
~~~
paraḥ-tasmāt-tu: beyond + than that + but; bhāvaḥ-anyaḥ-avyaktaḥ-avyaktāt-sanātanaḥ: state + another + unmanifest + than [perishable] unmanifest + eternal; yaḥ: which; saḥ: that; sarveṣu: when all; bhūteṣu: when beings; naśyatsu: destroyed; na: not; vinaśyati: it is destroyed
“But beyond that [perishable] unmanifest state, there is another eternal unmanifest state. It is not destroyed when all beings are destroyed.”
Śloka 8.21
अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्-
avyakto’kṣara ityuktas-
तमाहुः परमां गतिम् ।
tamāhuḥ paramāṃ gatim |
यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते
yaṃ prāpya na nivartante
तद्धाम परमं मम ॥ २१ ॥
taddhāma paramaṃ mama ‖ 21 ‖
~~~
avyaktaḥ-akṣara: unmanifest + imperishable; iti-uktaḥ-tam-āhuḥ: thus + it is said + that + known as; paramām: final; gatim: destination; yam: which; prāpya: having attained; na: not; nivartante: they return; tat-dhāma: that + state; paramam: supreme; mama: my
“Thus, it is said that this final destination is known as the ‘imperishable unmanifest,’ having attained which they do not return. That is my Supreme State.”
Śloka 8.22
पुरुषः स परः पार्थ
puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha
भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया ।
bhaktyā labhyastvananyayā |
यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि
yasyāntaḥsthāni bhūtāni
येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ॥ २२ ॥
yena sarvamidaṃ tatam ‖ 22 ‖
~~~
puruṣaḥ: Spirit; saḥ: that; paraḥ: Supreme; pārtha: O Son of Pṛthā; bhaktyā: through devotion; labhyaḥ-tu-ananyayā: attainable + but + by one-pointed; yasya-antaḥ-sthāni: for he who + within + situated; bhūtāni: living beings; yena: by which; sarvam-idam: all + this; tatam: pervaded
“And that Supreme Spirit by which all is pervaded is situated within all living beings, O Son of Pṛthā. It is attainable by one-pointed devotion.”
Śloka 8.23
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिम्-
yatra kāle tvanāvṛttim-
आवृत्तिं चैव योगिनः ।
āvṛttiṃ caiva yoginaḥ |
प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं
prayātā yānti taṃ kālaṃ
वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ ॥ २३ ॥
vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha ‖ 23 ‖
~~~
yatra: in which; kāle: in times; tu-anāvṛttim-āvṛttim: but + not returning + returning; ca-eva: and + certainly; yoginaḥ: yogīs; prayātāḥ: departed; yānti: they depart; tam: that; kālam: time; vakṣyāmi: I will explain; bharatarṣabha: O Best of the Bhāratas
“I will now explain to you the times in which departed yogīs do not return, O Best of the Bhāratas, and the times in which they do return.”
Śloka 8.24
अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः
agnirjyotirahaḥ śuklaḥ
षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् ।
ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam |
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति
tatra prayātā gacchanti
ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः ॥ २४ ॥
brahma brahmavido janāḥ ‖ 24 ‖
~~~
agniḥ-jyotiḥ-ahaḥ: fire + light + day; śuklaḥ: bright half of the moon; ṣaṇmāsāḥ: six months; uttarāyaṇam: northern passage of the sun; tatra: then; prayātāḥ: departed; gacchanti: they go; brahma: Brahman; brahmavidaḥ: knowers of Brahman; janāḥ: people
“Fire, light, day, the bright half of the moon, or the six months of the northern passage of the sun; then departed people who know Brahman go to Brahman.”
Śloka 8.25
धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः
dhūmo rātristathā kṛṣṇaḥ
षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम् ।
ṣaṇmāsā dakṣiṇāyanam |
तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्-
tatra cāndramasaṃ jyotir-
योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते ॥ २५ ॥
yogī prāpya nivartate ‖ 25 ‖
~~~
dhūmaḥ: smoke; rātriḥ-tathā: night + as well; kṛṣṇaḥ: dark half of the moon; ṣaṇmāsāḥ: six months; dakṣiṇāyanam: southern passage of the sun; tatra: then; cāndramasam: lunar; jyotiḥ-yogī: light + yogī; prāpya: having reached; nivartate: he returns
“Smoke, night, the dark half of the moon, or the six months of the southern passage of the sun; then the departed yogī, having reached the lunar light, returns.”
Śloka 8.26
शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते
śuklakṛṣṇe gatī hyete
जगतः शाश्वते मते ।
jagataḥ śāśvate mate |
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिम्-
ekayā yātyanāvṛttim-
अन्ययावर्तते पुनः ॥ २६ ॥
anyayāvartate punaḥ ‖ 26 ‖
~~~
śukla-kṛṣṇe: in light + dark; gatī: two paths; hi-ete: certainly + in these; jagataḥ: of (in) the universe; śāśvate: in eternal; mate: in considered; ekayā: by one; yāti-anāvṛttim-anyayā-āvartate: he departs + without return + by the other + he returns; punaḥ: again
“These light and dark paths are considered to be eternal in the universe. By the former, one departs without return; by the latter, they return.”
Śloka 8.27
नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्-
naite sṛtī pārtha jānan-
योगी मुह्यति कश्चन ।
yogī muhyati kaścana |
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु
tasmātsarveṣu kāleṣu
योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन ॥ २७ ॥
yogayukto bhavārjuna ‖ 27 ‖
~~~
na-ete: not + these two; sṛtī: two paths; pārtha: O Son of Pṛthā; jānan: knowing; yogī: yogī; muhyati: he is confused; kaścana: any; tasmāt-sarveṣu: therefore + in all; kāleṣu: in times; yoga-yuktaḥ: [jñāna]-yoga + engaged in; bhava-arjuna: you should be + O Arjuna
“Knowing these two paths, no yogī is confused, O Son of Pṛthā. Therefore, be engaged in [jñāna]-yoga at all times, O Arjuna.”
— begin triṣṭubh meter (4x11) —
Śloka 8.28
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव
vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva
दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम् ।
dāneṣu yatpuṇyaphalaṃ pradiṣṭam |
अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा
atyeti tatsarvamidaṃ viditvā
योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम् ॥ २८ ॥
yogī paraṃ sthānamupaiti cādyam ‖ 28 ‖
~~~
vedeṣu: in (by) studying the Vedas; yajñeṣu: in (by) making sacrifices; tapaḥsu: in (by) practicing austerity; ca-eva: and + certainly; dāneṣu: in (by) charitable giving; yat-puṇyaphalam: which + good fruit; pradiṣṭam: gained; atyeti: he transcends; tat-sarvam-idam: that + all + this; viditvā: having understood; yogī: yogī; param: Supreme; sthānam-upaiti: State + he attains; ca-ādyam: and + primordial
“Having understood all this, the yogī transcends the good fruit which is gained by studying the Vedas, making sacrifices, practicing austerity, and charitable giving, and attains the primordial, Supreme State.”