Gita 8.28
Aksara Brahma Yoga
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम् । अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम् ॥२८॥
vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva dāneṣu yat puṇya-phalaṁ pradiṣṭam | atyeti tat sarvam idaṁ viditvā yogī paraṁ sthānam upaiti cādyam ||28||
In essence: The yogi who knows THIS transcends ALL the merit of scriptures, rituals, austerities, and charity - and returns to the supreme primordial Source.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Guruji, this seems to devalue all the religious practices I've done my whole life - the pujas, the fasting, the charity..."
Guru: "Has any of it been wasted?"
Sadhak: "According to this verse, it seems so. All that merit is transcended, made irrelevant."
Guru: "Transcended is not the same as wasted. What brought you to this teaching?"
Sadhak: "I suppose... all those practices. They purified me, made me ready to hear."
Guru: "Exactly. The ladder is transcended when you reach the roof - but could you have reached it without the ladder?"
Sadhak: "So practices have value, but limited value?"
Guru: "They have immense value within their domain. But their highest value is to bring you to this knowledge. A boat is precious for crossing the river; once you've crossed, you don't carry the boat on your head."
Sadhak: "But I haven't crossed yet. Should I continue the practices?"
Guru: "Until the knowledge becomes established, practices support and stabilize. But now add the essential ingredient - let every practice be infused with this understanding rather than performed mechanically for merit."
Sadhak: "What is 'this' knowledge exactly? I've heard the teachings, but do I really know?"
Guru: "You know intellectually. The knowing becomes real when it transforms how you live and how you die. Until then, keep hearing, reflecting, and practicing with this orientation."
Sadhak: "And the primordial abode - is it far?"
Guru: "(smiles) Can anything be far from itself? The abode is not distant - it is hidden by your very search for it. Rest from seeking, and you are home."
Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.
🌅 Daily Practice
Begin the day by acknowledging: 'All my spiritual practices today are not to earn merit but to dissolve into recognition.' This intention-shift transforms mechanical practice into conscious yoga. Whatever practice you do - prayer, meditation, chanting - do it with the understanding that you are not building up credit but wearing down separation.
When you encounter suffering (yours or others'), remember that all worldly solutions are temporary. This is not pessimism but clarity. Offer what help you can while knowing that ultimate help comes only from awakening. Let even your charity and kindness be expressions of wisdom rather than attempts to accumulate puṇya.
Close each day by surrendering ALL the day's actions - the spiritual ones and the mundane ones, the 'good' ones and the 'bad' ones - with the recognition that neither merit nor demerit can touch your true nature. Sleep with the intention: 'May this night's rest bring me closer to the primordial abode that is my own Self.' This concludes Chapter 8 - the knowledge of Brahman, death, and the path of no return.