77 - Aksharam (Brahman) | Swami Tattwamayananda

-Conclusion of 7th chapter; 8th chapter: verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; 3rd chapter, verse 35<br />-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 9, 2021.<br />-30th verse: “Those who know Me as the totality of all that exists – Adhibhutam, Adhidaivam and Adhiyajnam – they continue to know Me even at the time of death.”<br />-8th chapter starts with questions from Arjuna. In the 1st and 2nd verses, he asks: “What is Brahman? What is Adhyatma? What is action? What is Adhibhuta and what is Adhidaiva? Who and in what way is Adhiyajna present in the human body? How are You known at the time of death by those practicing spiritual disciplines?<br />-Lord Krishna answers starting with the 3rd verse.<br />-3rd verse: “Aksharam (Brahman) - as the imperishable, indestructible, impersonal, unmanifest reality - is the supreme truth. Its presence in every human being is called Adhyatma. The vibration of this potentiality into creative and evolutionary activities is called action (karma).<br />-Aksharam means indestructible. It also means something that is indescribable. Anything that can be explained, is finite and has limitations. Brahman is beyond these limitations. Scriptures only help to remove wrong notions about the supreme truth. Realization of the supreme truth is a matter of one’s own experience and cannot be explained.<br />-Our Antahkarana is like a mirror on which this supreme reality is reflected. When we practice spiritual disciplines with shraddha, the Antahkarana becomes pure, like a clean mirror, and the supreme reality reflects with more effulgence.<br />-Yajna as a Vedic ritual involves offering auspicious things in the fire as an act of renunciation, for the good of the world and to propitiate the devatas (gods). Yajna in Gita refers to any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God. Both types of yajnas constitute action (karma).<br />-Yajnavalkya in a reply to Gargi in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad describes Aksha