Chapter 8 – Akshara Parabrahma Yoga

Liberation
from the cycle of birth and death is the core subject of this chapter. The Lord explains in detail how to embrace death so that we can reach His abode, thereby cutting off the cycle of life and death! It is like ensuring the arrow is pointed in the right direction before leaving the bow so that it reaches its target. Read on.

In the closing verses of the previous chapter, the Lord states that one who surrenders unto Him and strives for liberation from the cycle of life and death will be blessed with eternal knowledge, and thus liberation. Here, the Lord speaks of eternal knowledge in terms of Brahman, Karma, Adhyātmā, Adhibhūta, Adhidaiva, Adhiyajña. These terms represent different dimensions of THE truth. The Lord suggests that one can gain complete knowledge only when one surrenders to Him with complete conviction.

Why does the Lord keep emphasizing surrender?
Here, the call for surrender is not to overrule or enforce anything, but rather to enable the seeker to grasp subtle nuances that would otherwise be difficult to understand.

What is Akshara? What is Parabrahma?
In the opening verse of this chapter, Arjuna asks the Lord to elaborate on these terms – Brahman, Karma, Adhyātmā, Adhibhūta, Adhidaiva, and Adhiyajña.
While reading about these terms, remember they are not just definitions. They are different dimensions of eternal knowledge – or different approaches to understanding the core of that knowledge.

Brahman – The imperishable (Akshara) and the supreme (Parabrahma) – the unseen energy that is the cause of everything, holding everything together. Refer to the supreme knowledge in the previous chapter.

Adhyātmā - Understanding our true nature; recognizing the representation of that supreme energy within all beings.
Karma - The cyclical nature of actions that cause past, present, and future experiences. This cycle, governed by the supreme, never stops.
Adhibhūta -The perishable, constantly changing material existence. This material existence is also a manifestation of the supreme being. Abstractly, Adhibhūta includes all living and non-living physical entities, which are in a flux of creation and destruction, acquiring ever-changing forms and participating in the cycle of karma.
Adhidaiva - Subtle forms of energy that provide each being with innate capabilities. For example, ears with the ability to hear, eyes with the ability to see, fire with the light, water with fluidity, and so on.

Adhiyajña - The source of blessings of all Yajñas. Blessings here transform actions into results. Think of it like a cashier in a bank – you present a cheque, and you receive the equivalent cash. If there’s insufficient balance, the cheque bounces. Similarly, the results of your actions depend on your effort. The guiding force that maintains balance between actions and their results is Adhiyajña.
These dimensions cover every aspect of existence. They help us understand what “all-pervasive” means, and how the charm or effect of the Lord is truly all-pervasive. 

Note: Apart from Brahman – the imperishable and supreme form of energy – all other dimensions are subject to the constant cycle of change. Liberation is about attaining Akshara Parabrahma (Brahman) by means of all other dimensions explained above.

Death – How to Deal with It to Attain Liberation
In the closing verses of the previous chapter, the Lord states that those who understand His true nature fully can certainly remember Him at the time of death. Arjuna seeks guidance on how to remember the Lord at the time of death. 
We do not know when death will strike, or what we will be doing then. Why, then, should we remember the Lord at death? What do we achieve by doing so?
Death, as discussed earlier, is inevitable. Technically, it is merely a change in form. Emotionally, we perceive it as an end or a loss. If we view death as a change in form, isn’t it wise to prepare for it?
In our professional lives, changing jobs or roles involves the end of a previous role and the beginning of a new one. To prepare for a new role, we acquire relevant skills. Similarly, when we change our body, the thoughts we cultivate shape the next phase of our existence. If we constantly think of the Lord, that is where we will reach – a path to liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Can we focus on the Lord at the time of death if we don’t know when it will happen? No. Not unless we are constantly engaged in thoughts of the Lord throughout our life. The Lord clearly states that whatever the mind dwells on at death becomes the seed of our next existence. Therefore, be mindful of your thoughts! Take charge of your destiny by consciously cultivating good thoughts. The best approach is to live a life constantly engaged in the service of the Lord (Adhyātmā).

How to Leave the Body
The Lord gives specific instructions on leaving the body to reach Him – to attain liberation. This assumes awareness of imminent death, which only a blessed few possess. Who are these “blessed” ones? Refer to Adhiyajña above – they are the return gift for actions. By aligning your actions toward divinity, you can also
become one of these blessed ones.
When aware and ready to embrace death, the Lord instructs: withdraw the mind from all sense organs, fix the mind in the heart, bring awareness of Prāṇa Shakti between the eyebrows, and utter the syllable AUM. Great souls who achieve this at death are certainly liberated and established in the Lord forever.

When to Leave the Body
The Lord explains that different lokas (worlds) exist, some better, some worse than Earth. Brahma Loka is considered superior to life on Earth. (Note: Brahma Loka here is a higher plane of existence, unrelated to Brahman discussed earlier.)  The Lord mentions that time in these lokas differs. For example, a day in Brahma Loka equals a thousand Earthly yugas, and its night equals another thousand yugas. Daytime in Brahma Loka represents manifestation of existence, and nighttime represents cessation. Even though Brahma Loka is superior, it is still subject to the cycle of life and death. Only the Lord’s abode is beyond this cycle.

To reach this supreme state, one should leave the body during Uttarāyana (the period when the Sun moves northward) and during the full moon – a period filled with light, a representation of knowledge.
Those constantly engaged in the service of the Lord – through Karma Yoga, austerities, or community service – embracing divinity in every sphere of existence, certainly reach His abode.

DISCLAIMER: 

This is our sincere attempt to summarize the Gitopadesha through a series of short blogs. This is not a full translation or commentary of the divine book. We seek forgiveness from the reader and the Lord for inevitable omissions. The write-ups include personal opinions and summarized shlokas from the Bhagavad Gita. The intent is not to provide commentary but to inspire readers to study the Bhagavad Gita in its entirety. The writer is neither a scholar nor a hermit – somewhere in between – believing that the Lord guides his actions, though he may still err. Please forgive any mistakes.

Sarvam Krishnarpanamasthu!