In Bhagavad Gita 8.8, Krishna says that one whose mind is disciplined by the yoga of practice and does not wander, meditating constantly, reaches the supreme divine Person.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन
चेतसा नान्यगामिना
परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं
याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन् ॥ ८-८ ॥
abhyāsayogayuktena
cetasā nānyagāminā
paramaṃ puruṣaṃ divyaṃ
yāti pārthānucintayan
English transliteration abhyaasayogayuktena
chetasaa naanyagaaminaa
paramam purusham divyam
yaati paarthaanuchintayan ॥ 8.8 ॥
Translation / Meaning
With a mind disciplined by the yoga of practice and not wandering to anything else, meditating constantly, one reaches the supreme divine Person, O Partha.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन abhyāsayogayuktena | disciplined by the yoga of practice abhyāsa (practice) + yoga (yoga) + yuktena (disciplined) |
| चेतसा cetasā | with a mind |
| न na | not |
| अन्यगामिना anyagāminā | wandering elsewhere anya (other) + gāminā (going) |
| परमम् paramam | supreme |
| पुरुषम् puruṣam | Person |
| दिव्यम् divyam | divine |
| याति yāti | reaches |
| पार्थ pārtha | O Pārtha |
| अनुचिन्तयन् anucintayan | meditating constantly |
Word-wise Chanting
- abh–yā–sa–yo–ga–yuk–te–na 8 syllables abh-yaa-sa-yo-ga-yuk-te-na
- ce–ta–sā nān–ya–gā–mi–nā | 8 syllables che-ta-saa naan-ya-gaa-mi-naa
- pa–ra–maṃ pu–ru–ṣaṃ div–yaṃ 8 syllables pa-ra-mam pu-ru-sham div-yam
- yā–ti pār–thā–nu–cin–ta–yan || 8-8 8 syllables yaa-ti paar-thaa-nu-chin-ta-yan
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 8 Verse 8
Context
Krishna describes how constant remembrance is cultivated (8.8–8.10).
Meaning
Constant remembrance is not achieved by wishing. It comes through abhyāsa-yoga, the discipline of repeated practice. The mind that is trained in this way becomes ananya-gāmin, not running elsewhere. Meditating continuously, such a person reaches the supreme Person.
This echoes 6.35, where Krishna said the mind is controlled by practice and detachment. Practice turns remembrance from an occasional event into a steady state.
In Practice
Set aside a fixed time each day for meditation, even ten minutes. Consistency matters more than length.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 8: Akshara Brahma Yoga (The Imperishable Absolute). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.