Chapter 8, Verse 21 (Bhagavad Gita 8.21)
Chapter 8: Akṣhar Brahma Yog – Path of the Eternal God
Sanskrit Shloka
अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्। यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम
Transliteration
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 described as the Unmanifest and the Imperishable is known as the ultimate goal. Reaching It, one does not return to this world. That is My Supreme Abode.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound verse, Lord Krishna reveals the ultimate destiny for every soul: His own eternal, transcendental abode. Beyond the fleeting cycles of birth and death, Shri Krishna invites the seeker to look past the material manifestation toward the Imperishable Brahman, which is intrinsically linked to His own Supreme Personality. By attaining this state of oneness with the Divine, the conditioned soul is liberated from the sorrowful cycle of Samsara. Lord Krishna emphasizes that this spiritual attainment is the highest culmination of human existence, where the devotee enters into His direct presence, never to be separated again.