Sanskrit Verses
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This meaning of the term “aksharabrahman.h” is true in both ways. brahman.h is akshara or indestructible, imperishable and also akshara, the sacred syllable OM is brahma, which will be alluded to in the course of this chapter.
While all the other chapters of Gita teach us how to live, Chapter VIII is the only chapter which teaches us How to die. The Lord says, If a person knows me and remembers me at the time of his vacating the body, there is no doubt at all that he will reach me and find me after his death.
antakaale cha maameva smaranmuktvaa kalevaraM
yaH prayaati sa madbhaavaM yaati naastyatra saMshayaH
So, in order that in one’s last moments a person can easily remember and quickly focus on God and God alone, it is necessary that a person should remember God at all times. The Lord tells Arjuna “Fight & do your worldly actions remembering me. Let your mind feel and think and be permeated by me. Then there is no doubt that thinking of me at the last moment you will find me, reach me.
What is the technique to acquire this constant remembrance of the Lord? abhyaasa yogaH – practice again and again and bring back the mind to the Lord always – “yatra yatra mano yaati, tatra tatra samadhyayet.h”
The Lord says, “Think of me with a mind that doesn’t go elsewhere. You will decidedly reach me”. Practically, suppose you see that death is imminent, you can see it coming, then, What do you do? Fill your mind with love and devotion, don’t let it wander, focus and hold your mind, breath, sight between the two eyebrows and remember the Great Lord incessantly then let the breath evaporate or body melt, at that time you have reached Him, merged in Him. (Isn’t it better to practice this exercise often, so that it comes to us easily at that very crucial moment – like Gandhiji uttered “Ram Ram” before he breathed his last)
Now, what is this special state which is called akshara or Indestructible, which advanced & renounced yogis attain and for attaining which people follow brahmacharya. The state in this is Close all the body’s entrances (sensory), holding and restraining the mind within, focusing the breath in the center of the forehead, chanting the indestructible OM and remembering the Lord. He who leaves his body in such a state reaches the Lord.
When a person reaches or attains the Lord, they don’t return to this cycle of birth and death, they are not born again. When we see the negatives such as death and disease again and again, then the worldly attachment will thin out and wear, vairagya will grow and then attaining Moksha will become important as well as necessary. That Lord in whom everything is stationed and who pervades everything is indeed attainable through unwavering bhakthi, love, devotion.
Hello
Very Nice blog with good ideas !
Very instructive…
Thanks
John