Chapter 8, Verse 13 (Bhagavad Gita 8.13)
Chapter 8: Akṣhar Brahma Yog – Path of the Eternal God
Sanskrit Shloka
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्। यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्
Transliteration
oṁ ityekākṣharaṁ brahma vyāharan mām anusmaran yaḥ prayāti tyajan dehaṁ sa yāti paramāṁ gatim
Word Meanings
om—sacred syllable representing the formless aspect of God; iti—thus; eka-akṣharam—one syllabled; brahma—the Absolute Truth; vyāharan—chanting; mām—me (Shree Krishna); anusmaran—remembering; yaḥ—who; prayāti—departs; tyajan—quitting; deham—the body; saḥ—he; yāti—attains; paramām—the supreme; gatim—goal
Translation
Uttering the one-syllabled Om, the Brahman, and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the Supreme Goal.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna reveals the ultimate technique for transcendence at the moment of death. By vibrating the sacred syllable Om—the sonic manifestation of the eternal Brahman—the seeker aligns their consciousness with the Absolute. Shri Krishna emphasizes that this internal state of remembrance must be centered specifically upon His Divine Personhood, for He is the source of all existence. Through this focused devotion, the soul breaks free from the cycle of birth and death, attaining the eternal abode of the Lord. Thus, Shri Krishna promises that the final thought, when anchored in Him, becomes the bridge to ultimate liberation.