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Chapter 8 · Verse 1 · Akshara Brahma Yoga

Bhagavad Gita 8.1

contemplative Jnana & Wisdom Self & Identity Moksha & Liberation

Sanskrit

अर्जुन उवाच किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम। अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते।।8.1।।

Transliteration

arjuna uvācha kiṁ tad brahma kim adhyātmaṁ kiṁ karma puruṣhottama adhibhūtaṁ cha kiṁ proktam adhidaivaṁ kim uchyate

Word by Word

arjunaḥ uvācha Arjun said
kim what
tat that
brahma Brahman
kim what
adhyātmam the individual soul
kim what
karma the principle of karma
puruṣha-uttama Shree Krishna, the Supreme Divine Personality
adhibhūtam the material manifestation
cha and
kim what
proktam is called
adhidaivam the Lord of the celestial gods
kim what
uchyate is called
Simplified Perspective

Arjuna's question marks the threshold where the intellect finally surrenders—he stops debating and starts asking the deepest questions about reality itself. These are not academic questions but the soul's ancient cry: What is the Ultimate?

What am I? How do I live?

Krishna answers not with concepts but with a map of consciousness that reveals how Brahman, your own Self, karma, and the divine play are woven into a single seamless whole. When you ask these questions sincerely, you are already standing at the gate of liberation.

Listen

Bhagavad Gita 8.1 — BG 8.1

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Sanskrit text from the Bhagavad Gita (public domain). Commentary © Mahakatha.

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