Akshara Brahma Yoga · Verse 11

Bhagavad Gita 8.11

The imperishable is reached by giving up desire, not by feeding it.

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्तिविशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः ।
यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्तितत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
वेदवेत्ता लोग जिसको अक्षर कहते हैं, वीतराग यति जिसको प्राप्त करते हैं और साधक जिसकी प्राप्तिकी इच्छा करते हुए ब्रह्मचर्यका पालन करते हैं, वह पद मैं तेरे लिये संक्षेपसे कहूँगा ॥
English
I will briefly tell you that imperishable state, which the knowers of the Vedas call imperishable, which the detached ascetics enter, and which seekers follow through celibate discipline.

What this verse means

Krishna says he will briefly describe the imperishable state that Vedic knowers speak of, detached ascetics enter, and disciplined seekers approach through celibate practice.

Context & commentary

On Kurukshetra, with Arjuna still caught between collapse and action, Krishna turns from battlefield duty to the final aim beyond death. He names the imperishable state that sages describe, and says he will explain it plainly before teaching the method to reach it.

Why this verse still matters

You are staring at the message that could change your life, but you keep refreshing instead of answering. The thing that matters most often arrives only when craving stops driving the hand.

The takeaway

The deepest goal is not grabbed by wanting more, but by letting wanting fall away.

Word-by-word translation

यत् (that which) / अक्षरम् (imperishable) / वेद-विदः (knowers of the Vedas) / वदन्ति (call) / विशन्ति (enter) / यत् (which) / यतयः (ascetics) / वीत-रागाः (free from desire) / यत् (which) / इच्छन्तः (seeking) / ब्रह्मचर्यम् (celibate discipline) / चरन्ति (practice) / तत् (that) / ते (to you) / पदम् (state) / संग्रहेण (briefly) / प्रवक्ष्ये (I will speak)

Explore related themes: vairagya (51 verses), moksha (34 verses), akshara (12 verses)

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