Monday, August 19, 2013

Bhagavad Gita on becoming immortal while leaving the body

Bhagavad Gita on what to do at the time of Death in order to free oneself from the cycle of birth and death.

ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्।
यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्।।8.13।।

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda


8.13 He who departs by leaving the body while uttering the single syllable, viz Om, which is Brahman, and thinking of Me, he attains the supreme Goal. 


Sanskrit commentary by Sri Sankaracharya

-- ओमिति एकाक्षरं ब्रह्म ब्रह्मणः अभिधानभूतम् ओंकारं व्याहरन् उच्चारयन्, तदर्थभूतं माम् ईश्वरम् अनुस्मरन् अनुचिन्तयन् यः प्रयाति म्रियते, सः त्यजन् परित्यजन् देहं शरीरम् -- 'त्यजन् देहम्' इति प्रयाणविशेषणार्थम् देहत्यागेन प्रयाणम् आत्मनः, न स्वरूपनाशेनेत्यर्थः -- सः एवं याति गच्छति परमां प्रकृष्टां गतिम्।।किञ्च -- ।।8.13।।


Hindi translation by Sri Harikrishandas Goenka (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary) 

उसी जगह ( प्राणोंको ) स्थिर रखते हुए -- 'ओम्' इस एक अक्षररूप ब्रह्मका अर्थात् ब्रह्मके स्वरूपका लक्ष्य करानेवाले ओंकारका उच्चारश करता हुआ और उसके अर्थरूप मुझ ईश्वररूपका चिन्तन करता हुआ जो पुरुष शरीरको छोड़कर जाता है अर्थात् मरता है, वह इस प्रकार शरीरको छोड़कर जानेवाला परम गतिको पाता है। यहाँ 'त्यजन्देहम्' यह विशेषण 'मरण' का लक्ष्य करानेके लिये है। अभिप्राय यह कि देहके त्यागसे ही आत्माका मरण है, स्वरूपके नाशसे नहीं ।।8.13।।

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary)

8.13 Yah, he who; prayati, departs, dies; tyajan, by leaving; deham, the body-the phrase 'leaving the body' is meant for qualifying departure; thereby it is implied that the soul's departure occurs by abandoning the body, and not through the destruction of its own reality, having abandoned thus-; vyaharan, while uttering; the eka-adsaram, single syllable; om iti brahma, viz Om, which is Brahman, Om which is the name of Brahman; and anusmaran, thinking; mam, of Me, of God who is implied by that (syllable); sah, he; yati, attains; the paramam, supreme, best; gatim, Goal. Further, 


अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः।
तस्याहं सुलभः पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः।।8.14।।

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda

8.14 O son of Prtha, to that yogi of constant concentration and single-minded attention, who remembers Me uninterruptedly and for long, I am easy of attainment. 

Sanskrit commentary by Sri Sankaracharya

-- अनन्यचेताः न अन्यविषये चेतः यस्य सोऽयम् अनन्यचेताः, योगी सततं सर्वदा यः मां परमेश्वरं स्मरति नित्यशः। सततम् इति नैरन्तर्यम् उच्यते, नित्यशः इति दीर्घकालत्वम् उच्यते। न षण्मासं संवत्सरं वा; किं तर्हि? यावज्जीवं नैरन्तर्येण यः मां स्मरतीत्यर्थः। तस्य योगिनः अहं सुलभः सुखेन लभ्यः हे पार्थ, नित्ययुक्तस्य सदा समाहितचित्तस्य योगिनः। यतः एवम्, अतः अनन्यचेताः सन् मयि सदा समाहितः भवेत्।।तव सौलभ्येन किं स्यात् इत्युच्यते; श्रृणु तत् मम सौलभ्येन यत् भवति -- ।।8.14।।

Hindi translation by Sri Harikrishandas Goenka (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary) 

तथा -- अनन्यचित्तवाला अर्थात् जिसका चित्त अन्य किसी भी विषयका चिन्तन नहीं करता, ऐसा जो योगी सर्वदा निरन्तर प्रतिदिन मुझ परमेश्वरका स्मरण किया करता है। यहाँ 'सततम्' इस शब्दसे निरन्तरताका कथन है और 'नित्यशः' इस शब्दसे दीर्घकालका कथन है, अतः यह समझना चाहिये कि छः महीने या एक वर्ष ही नहीं किंतु जीवनपर्यन्त जो निरन्तर मेरा स्मरण करता है। हे पार्थ ! उस नित्य-समाधिस्थ योगीके लिये मैं सुलभ हूँ। अर्थात् उसको मैं अनायास प्राप्त हो जाता हूँ। जब कि यह बात है, इसलिये ( मनुष्यको ) अनन्य चित्तवाला होकर सदा ही मुझमें समाहितचित्त रहना चाहिये ।।8.14।।

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary)

8.14 Partha, O son of Prtha, tasya yoginah, to that yogi; nitya-yuktasya, of constant concentration, who is ever absorbed (in God); and ananya-cetah, of single-minded attention, a yogi whose mind is not drawn to any other object; yah, who; smarati, remembers; mam, Me, the supreme God; satatam, uninteruptedly; and nityasah, for long-.By satatam, uninterrupteldy, is meant 'without any break'. By niryasah, is meant along duration. Not six months, nor even a year! What then? The meaning is: He who remembers Me for his whole life, continuously. To that yogi aham, I; am sulabhah, easy of attainment. Since this is so, therefore one should remain ever absorbed in Me, with mind given to nothing else.'What follows from Your being easy of attainment?' This is being answered: 'Hear what follows from My being easy of attainment.' 


मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशाश्वतम्।
नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः।।8.15।।

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda


8.15 As a result of reaching Me, the exalted ones who have attained the highest perfection do not get rebirth which is an abode of sorrows and which is impermanent. 


Sanskrit commentary by Sri Sankaracharya

-- माम् उपेत्य माम् ईश्वरम् उपेत्य मद्भावमापद्य पुनर्जन्म पुनरुत्पत्तिं नाप्नुवन्ति न प्राप्नुवन्ति। किं विशिष्टं पुनर्जन्म न प्राप्नुवन्ति इति, तद्विशेषणमाह -- दुःखालयं दुःखानाम् आध्यात्मिकादीनां आलयम् आश्रयम् आलीयन्ते यस्मिन् दुःखानि इति दुःखालयं जन्म। न केवलं दुःखालयम्, अशाश्वतम् अनवस्थितस्वरूपं च। नाप्नुवन्ति ईदृशं पुनर्जन्म महात्मानः यतयः संसिद्धिं मोक्षाख्यां परमां प्रकृष्टां गताः प्राप्ताः। ये पुनः मां न प्राप्नुवन्ति ते पुनः आवर्तन्ते।।किं पुनः त्वत्तः अन्यत् प्राप्ताः पुनरावर्तन्ते इति, उच्यते -- ।।8.15।।

Hindi translation by Sri Harikrishandas Goenka (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary)

आपके सुलभ हो जानेसे क्या होगा? इसपर कहते हैं कि मेरी सुलभ प्राप्तिसे जो होता है, वह सुन -- मुझ ईश्वरको पाकर अर्थात् मेरे भावको प्राप्त करके फिर ( वे महापुरुष ) पुनर्जन्मको नहीं पाते। किस प्रकारके पुनर्जन्मको नहीं पाते, यह स्पष्ट करनेके लिये उसके विशेषण बतलाते हैं -- आध्यात्मिक आदि तीनों प्रकारके दुःखोंका जो स्थान -- आधार है अर्थात् समस्त दुःख जिसमें रहते हैं, केवल दुःखोंका स्थान ही नहीं जो अशाश्वत भी है अर्थात् जिसका स्वरूप स्थिर नहीं है, ऐसे पुनर्जन्मको मोक्षरूप परम श्रेष्ठ सिद्धिको प्राप्त हुए महात्मा -- संन्यासीगण नहीं पाते। परंतु जो मुझे प्राप्त नहीं होते वे फिर संसारमें आते हैं ।।8.15।।

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary)

8.15 Upetya mam, as a result of reaching Me who am God-as a result of realizing My nature; mahatmanah, the exalted ones, the monks; gatah, who have attained; the paramam, highest; samsiddhim, perfection, called Liberation; na, do not; apnuvanti, get; this kind of punarjanama, rebirth. As to what kind of rebirth they do not get, the Lord states its characteristics-duhkhalayam, which is an abode of sorrows, a resort of physical and other sorrows, i.e. a birth to which sorrows adhere. It is not merely an abode of sorrows, but also asavatam, impermanent, having no fixity of nature.On the other hand, those who do not reach Me, they come again.Again, 'Is it that those who attain someone other than You return?' This is being answered:

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