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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 Verse 21 (8.21)

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 Verse 21 (8.21)

अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम् । यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम | | ८-२१ | |

avyakto’kṣhara ityuktastamāhuḥ paramāṁ gatim yaṁ prāpya na nivartante taddhāma paramaṁ mama

Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
  • अव्यक्तः (avyaktah) — अव्यक्त(unmanifest)
  • अक्षरः (aksharah) — अविनाशी(imperishable)
  • इति (iti) — ऐसा(thus)
  • उक्तः (uktah) — कहा गया(called)
  • तम् (tam) — उसे(that)
  • आहुः (ahuh) — कहते हैं(they call)
  • परमम् (paramam) — परम(supreme)
  • गतिम् (gatim) — गति/लक्ष्य(goal)
Line 2:
  • यम् (yam) — जिसे(which)
  • प्राप्य (prapya) — प्राप्त करके(having reached)
  • (na) — नहीं(not)
  • निवर्तन्ते (nivartante) — लौटते हैं(return)
  • तत् (tat) — वह(that)
  • धाम (dhama) — धाम(abode)
  • परमम् (paramam) — परम(supreme)
  • मम (mama) — मेरा(My)

English: Wise people say that the Unseen and everlasting is the highest goal of all; when once That is reached, there is no return. That is My Blessed Home.

💡 Commentary Note

This supreme unmanifest reality is known as the Imperishable (Akshara), the highest goal of human life. Once a soul reaches this divine abode, they never return to the cycle of physical birth and death.

Learnings from Shloka 21:
  • No Return:: Reaching the supreme state ensures permanent freedom from the cycle of rebirth.
  • Our True Home:: The highest spiritual state is our true home, where the soul finds eternal rest.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 8.21 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary