Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8, Verse 22

English Translation

O son of Prtha, that supreme Person-in whom are included (all) the beings and by whom all this is pervaded-is, indeed, reached through one-pointed devotion.

Detailed Commentary

।।8.22।। Elucidation – In the seventh chapter, twelfth verse, Bhagavan stated, 'All sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic states originate from Me, but I am not in them.' Here, Bhagavan says that all beings reside within the Paramatma, and the Paramatma permeates the entire universe. Bhagavan has stated this in both forms in the fourth, fifth, and sixth verses of the ninth chapter. The implication is that nothing has an independent existence without Me. All originate from Me, reside in Me, and merge back into Me; therefore, everything is Me. Although the Paramatma is supreme, He pervades all. He is everywhere, at all times, in all objects and actions. Just as ornaments are made from gold, and gold remains even when the ornaments are destroyed, similarly, the Paramatma alone exists in the world. However, recognizing the various forms of the world diverts attention from the Paramatma. 'Puruṣaḥ sa Paraḥ Pārtha Bhaktyā Labhyas Tvananyayā' – The one referred to in the previous verse as Avyakta (unmanifest), Akṣara (imperishable), and Paramagati (supreme destination) is here called the Param Puruṣa (Supreme Being). This Param Puruṣa is attained through Ananya Bhakti (exclusive devotion). Accepting the existence of anything other than the Paramatma is not Ananya Bhakti. This delays the attainment of the Paramatma. If one does not acknowledge the existence or importance of anyone or anything other than the Paramatma and performs all actions for the pleasure of Bhagavan, then this is Ananya Bhakti. Through this Ananya Bhakti, one attains that Param Puruṣa, the Paramatma. Not acknowledging the existence or importance of anything other than the Paramatma is also stated while still granting a certain existence to Prakriti (nature) and the world. This is because the idea 'there is one Paramatma and there is one world' is ingrained in human minds. In reality, all countries, times, objects, individuals, and events are manifestations of the Paramatma Tattva. Just as water alone exists in the forms of ice, hail, clouds, drops, fog, dew, rivers, ponds, and oceans, similarly, whatever appears as the gross, subtle, and causal world is all the Paramatma Tattva. In the devotee's understanding, there is nothing other than the one Paramatma; therefore, all their actions are forms of worship of the Paramatma. Special Point Arjuna's question is how to recognize Bhagavan at the time of death. Bhagavan answered by speaking of His contemplation and general rules, advising Arjuna to contemplate on Bhagavan at all times. Thereafter, from the eighth to the sixteenth verse, verses were spoken for the attainment of Saguna-Nirakara (manifest-formless), Nirguna-Nirakara (unmanifest-formless), and Saguna-Sakara (manifest-with-form) respectively. Among these, in the worship of Saguna-Sakara, the ease of attainment through taking refuge in Bhagavan was explained. After the sixteenth verse, Bhagavan spoke six verses to elaborate on the special glory of the Saguna-Sakara form. In the first three of these verses, the duration of Brahmaji and His Brahmaloka was explained, and in the next three verses, the distinctiveness of His own being and His own abode from Brahmaji and His Brahmaloka was explained. The implication is that My form is distinct even from Brahmaji's subtle body (Prakriti). Bhagavan's supreme form is attained only through Ananya Bhakti. Once the form of Bhagavan is attained, the साधक's (seeker's) desire remains solely directed towards the Paramatma. Thus, My abode is distinct from Brahmaji's abode, and My form is distinct. The ultimate goal of every being is Me, and all are within Me. Connection – In the sixteenth verse, Bhagavan stated that those who reach Brahmaloka return, and those who attain Me do not return. It remained to be explained by which path one returns and by which path one does not return. To clarify this, Bhagavan describes it in the following verse.