THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 08, VERSE 20, AKSHARA BRAHMA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF THE IMPERISHABLE BRAHMAN

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER NUMBER 08

AKSHARA BRAHMA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF THE IMPERISHABLE BRAHMAN:

VERSE NUMBER 20

Text in Transliteration:

Paras tasmaat tu bhaavo ‘nyo ‘vyakto ‘vyaktat sanaatanah

Yah sa sarveshu bhooteshu nasyatsu na vinasyati

Text in English:

But beyond this unmanifested, there is yet another Unmanifested Eternal Existence which does not perish even when all existences perish.

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI SIDBHAVANANDA:

In the existence of things there are two phases—the relative and the absolute. Water exists as vapour, steam, mist, fog, snow and in several other states which are all perishing and perishable. These varying states, therefore, of water are all relative existences. But this substance as such persists in the midst of its modifications. It persists and in the midst of its modifications. Its persistence is its absolute existence and its perishing form and modifications, its relative existence. Similar to this, Brahma, the Creator and his Creation have their relative existences. But this substance as such persists in the midst of its modifications. Its persistence is its absolute existence and its perishing form and modifications, its relative existence. Similar to this, Brahma, the Creator and his Creation have their relative existence and absolute existence too. Their perishing nature is their relative existence. To enter into the unmanifested state even as the vapour does, is one phase of the phenomenal universe; to become manifest to the senses and intellect is its other phase. The manifest state and the unmanifest state of the universe and its beings come within relative existence. But there is an Absolute Existence which is Eternal and ever Unmanifest. It never becomes the object of perception. It is ever the Thing-in-Itself.

But what have we, as perishable beings, to do with It the Imperishable? The answer comes in the next verse.

COMMENTARY BY DR.S.RADHAKRISHNAN:

It is the Supracosmic Unmanifested which is changeless and eternal, in the midst of all changes. Two types of unmanifested are sometimes distinguished, an unmanifested (avyakta), into which all unredeemed beings enter, and the supercosmic avyakta, called also suddhatattva which is imperceptible to the ordinary mind into which the redeemed souls enter. The perpetual rhythm of day and night is on all cosmic beings which cannot last for ever. Beyond the cosmic process is the Supreme Unmanifested Brahman, the highest goal. Those who attain It pass beyond day and night.

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI SIVANANDA:

Another unmanifested is the ancient or eternal Para Brahman who is distinct from the Unmanifested (Avyaktam or Primordial Nature), Who is of quite a different nature. It is superior to Hiranyagarbha (the Cosmic Creative Intelligence) and the Unmanifested Nature because It is their cause. It is not destroyed when all the beings from Brahma down to the ants or the blade of grass are destroyed. (Cf. XV. 17)    

Comments by the blogger:

Verse 20 must be read, keeping in mind the verses 17 to 19.

According to verse 17, the Brahma’s day lasts a thousand yugas and his night also lasts another thousand yugas. Those who know this are the knower of the day and night.

According to verse 18, at the coming of the day all manifest beings proceed from the unmanifested or prakriti or nature, and at the coming of night they merge again in the same which is called the unmanifested. Dr.S.Radhakrishnan says this unmanifested is prakriti or nature.

According to verse 19, this multitude of beings, coming forth again and again, merge, O Partha, in spite of themselves, at the approach of night, and remanifest themselves at the approach of day.

So at the day of Brahma containing a thousand yugas, from the unmanifest or nature or prakriti all manifest beings proceed, and at the night of Brahma containing another thousand yugas, all the beings merge again in the unmanifested or prakriti or nature.

Now in the present verse (verse 20), the Lord distinguishes between this unmanifested prkriti or Nature and Himself. This is also unmanifested. But it does not change ever. It is the Para-Brahman and He remains forever unmanifested. In that Ultimate Being, every realized soul go to merge into forever. They never return back to this cosmic play of day and night.

But the other unmanifested, or prakriti or Nature is subjected to changes. At the dawn of the Brahma’s day, every being that has not yet realized its Self comes back to the plane of this earth. At the end of the day of Brahma, all the remaining beings who have not realized their Self go into prakriti or unmanifested state for a thousand yugas. But this unmanifested prakriti is different from the unmanifested Brahaman, into whom all the realized souls merge.

Only in the Hinduism, God does not identify himself with the creation of Beings and non-beings. It is left to the prakriti. All the beings and things are in the Lord, but the Lord Himself, ever supreme and independent, is not contained by the prakriti or Nature. This is unique to the Hinduism. Thus beings are separated from the Para-Brahman or the Ultimate Reality till they attain salvation. This is the correct way of seeing things. Because of the doctrine of rebirths, this uniqueness exists in Hinduism. The full credit goes to our Vedopanishadic Sages who have found the Truth in its fullness and declare it to the world for its benefit.

The other two major Religions consider life of a human being as a T20 cricket match. In which all the players must show their utmost power and prowess or perish forever, but the Hinduism sees worldly life of human beings as a million of trillion Test Matches, in which experiences are added up and weak points are noted and step by step removed, so that at the end of several million Test Matches a player attains his ultimate uniqueness and thus fulfils himself.

 (DEAR READERS, I WISH EVERY ONE OF YOU A HAPPY DEEWALI!)