Verse 8.13
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् | यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम् ||१३||
Transliteration (IAST)
om ity ekākṣaraṁ brahma vyāharan mām anusmaran | yaḥ prayāti tyajan dehaṁ sa yāti paramāṁ gatim ||13||
Word-by-Word Meanings
om-the sacred syllable Om
eka-akṣaram-the single syllable
brahma-Brahman
vyāharan-uttering
mām-Me
anusmaran-remembering
tyajan-leaving
deham-the body
paramām gatim-the supreme goal
Translation
Uttering the single syllable Om, which is Brahman, and remembering Me, whoever departs leaving the body, attains the supreme goal.
Commentary
This verse combines the Upanishadic teaching on Om with devotion to the personal God. Shankaracharya explains that Om is both the symbol and the essence of Brahman. Ramanuja reconciles the impersonal and personal aspects by noting that Om represents Krishna Himself, so chanting Om while remembering the Lord constitutes complete spiritual practice at death.
Themes
jnanabhaktimoksha