T he present article is based upon the theme of the eighth chapter of the Geeta titled Akshara Brahma Yoga or the Yoga of the Imperishable Supreme Reality. The Geeta is a text of selfdiscovery and self-evolution. Its initial purpose is to integrate the lower nature with the higher one and ensure a tranquil and harmonious personality. Through meditation and devotion, the human mind becomes steadfast and merges into the cosmic consciousness. The individual consciousness is nothing, but an integral part of the universal consciousness. The universal consciousness is infinite and beyond time , space, name and form. It is imperishable and indestructible. This is the transcendental reality called Brahma by Lord Krishna. To the query of Arjuna, Lord Krishna gives a very detailed account of the evolutionary process of the creation. The Supreme Conscious Reality which is universal is imperishable and exists in the individual consciousness of beings also. The creative force of the Supreme Reality causes beings and things to manifest. The manifest world has its own life and is perishable. The different faculties operate in beings through the mind, intellect and ego. It is the self or the life force which energises the whole apparatus of the beings. This is the essence of the Vedantic philosophy enunciated by Lord Krishna in brief.

 

The men of wisdom are aware of this hierarchical reality. In this context Lord Krishna emphasises the importance of thoughts and the cognitive habits. The last series of thoughts decides the future course of the next life. Last thoughts are the habitual neural channels of the mind, that we think all over our life. If our thoughts are steady, tranquil and harmonious, they lead to the same quality of life. Lord Krishna prescribes detailed methods of meditation through which practitioners can stabilise their thought waves and realise their divine nature. Lord Krishna has beautifully enunciated the science of life through the evolutionary process of mind culture. Our thoughts guide our actions. Hence concentrating our thoughts on our divine nature leads to the single pointedness of our mind . In this case of a focused mind, the things become self illuminating. As there is no need of any other light to see the sun, similarly we become self aware and conscious of our divinity. This state of consciousness can be achieved through silence and solitude and meditating upon the divine sound Om. OM is the primordial sound which connects humans to the divine. OM is composed of three syllables, A, U and M. The resonance of these syllables activates the speech organs right from the throat to the nose, generating maximum vibrations which are highly soothing, relaxing and uplifting.

 

This is the reason that OM meditation has got immense value in the spiritual and Yogic practices. Cosmic consciousness is awakened through the chanting of OM. Lord Krishna propounds that one day of the Creator is equal to thousand aeons of the world and one night of the Creator ends in thousands aeons. There are many insects whose entire life cycles end in moments, hours and days. But more evolved beings have a higher life span. As per the belief of the Vedic system, there are divine entities whose life spans over thousands of years. Towards the end of the chapter Lord Krishna concludes by announcing that if the consciousness is trapped in the lower sensuous enjoyment and materialistic experiences at the time of the death, the person is born again to carve out his Karmic cycle. On the other hand , if one is able to uplift his consciousness upward through meditation and devotion, he becomes free and liberated at the time of death. Such an evolved person leaves the physical body, being fully conscious and aware without any fear, fervour and froth.