Gita 8.27

Aksara Brahma Yoga

नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन । तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन ॥२७॥

naite sṛtī pārtha jānan yogī muhyati kaścana | tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu yoga-yukto bhavārjuna ||27||

In essence: Knowing these paths, no yogi is ever deluded - therefore remain united in yoga at ALL times, not just in meditation.

A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply

Sadhak-Guru Dialogue

Sadhak: "Yoga-yukta at ALL times? That seems humanly impossible. I have to work, eat, sleep, handle problems..."

Guru: "And in all these activities, where is the obstruction to union?"

Sadhak: "My mind wanders. I forget. I get caught up in things."

Guru: "So the obstruction is forgetfulness, not the activities themselves?"

Sadhak: "I suppose so."

Guru: "Then the practice is not to stop activities but to reduce forgetfulness. Can you work while remembering?"

Sadhak: "Maybe for a few minutes, then I lose it."

Guru: "And when you notice you've lost it - what happens?"

Sadhak: "I feel frustrated and try to get it back."

Guru: "What if the noticing itself is the yoga? What if each moment of remembering, however brief, IS the practice?"

Sadhak: "Then I'm not failing when I forget - I'm succeeding when I notice!"

Guru: "Now you understand. The instruction is not 'never forget' but 'keep returning.' This is what 'sarveṣu kāleṣu' means - not perfect continuity but persistent direction."

Sadhak: "That feels more possible. But what about when I'm deeply asleep?"

Guru: "The last thought before sleep colors the entire night. The first thought upon waking sets the day's direction. Even sleep can be yoga-yukta when approached with surrender."

Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.

🌅 Daily Practice

🌅 Morning

Before leaving bed, take three conscious breaths with the intention: 'May I remain yoga-yukta through this day.' Don't create pressure for perfection - just set direction. This simple intention-setting, practiced daily, gradually rewires habitual forgetfulness.

☀️ Daytime

Set gentle reminders throughout the day (phone alarm, sticky note, recurring thought). When reminded, simply notice where consciousness has been and reconnect with presence. No judgment for wandering - just gentle return. Each return IS the practice.

🌙 Evening

Before sleep, recall moments of the day when you were yoga-yukta and moments when you forgot. Notice the quality difference in these moments without judging either. Then, release the day with the thought: 'I offer this day, complete and incomplete, to the Divine.' Sleep itself becomes an offering.

Common Questions

How can I maintain yoga while doing ordinary activities that require full attention?

The misconception is that yoga means divided attention - part on God, part on work. True yoga-yukta consciousness is actually more fully present to activities, not less. It's like the difference between an anxious actor constantly worrying about the audience and a centered actor who is fully present to their role while simultaneously aware of the play's larger context. Practice until the awareness becomes effortless background, like breathing.

Does knowing about these paths intellectually provide any protection, or must it be experiential?

Intellectual knowledge is the beginning but not the end. It provides initial protection against the grossest delusions ('all paths lead to the same place,' 'spiritual practice doesn't matter'). But the deeper protection comes from experiential knowing - when you have tasted the difference between contracted, desire-driven consciousness and expanded, surrendered consciousness. Then knowledge becomes conviction, and conviction becomes transformation.

What if I'm not sure I want liberation? What if heaven sounds good enough?

Your honesty is valuable. The Gita never condemns those who prefer heaven - it simply informs them about consequences. If heavenly enjoyment genuinely satisfies you, pursue it wholeheartedly. The teaching is offered to those who sense that even celestial pleasures are ultimately finite and who hunger for something beyond all limitation. Until that hunger awakens, heaven is a legitimate aspiration.

← Verse 8.26 Verse 8.28 →