Chapter 8 · Verse 21

Path of the Eternal God

अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्। यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम
avyakto ’kṣhara ityuktas tam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim yaṁ prāpya na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

Word Meanings

avyaktaḥ — unmanifest; akṣharaḥ — imperishable; iti — thus; uktaḥ — is said; tam — that; āhuḥ — is called; paramām — the supreme; gatim — destination; yam — which; prāpya — having reached; na — never; nivartante — come back; tat — that; dhāma — abode; paramam — the supreme; mama — my

Translation

That which is called the Unmanifest and the Imperishable is declared the supreme goal; having reached it, none return—that is My supreme abode.

Commentary

अव्यक्तः unmanifested? अक्षरः imperishable? इति thus? उक्तः called? तम् That? आहुः (they) say? परमाम् the highest? गतिम् goal (path)? यम् which? प्राप्य having reached? न not? निवर्तन्ते return? तत् that? धाम abode (place or state)? परमम् highest? मम My.Commentary Para Brahman is called the Unmanifested because It cannot be perceived by the senses. It is called the Imperishable also. It is allpervading? allpermeating and interpenetrating. Para Brahman is the highest Goal. There is nothing higher than It. This is the true nondual state free from all sorts of limiting adjuncts. The attainment of Brahmaloka (the region of the Creator) etc.? is inferior to this. Only by realising the Self is one liberated from Samsara. (Cf.XII.3?XV.6)