The Yoga of the Imperishable Absolute

Krishna concludes Chapter 8 with the final teaching: 'Vedeshu yajneshu tapahsu chaiva daneshu yat punya-phalam pradishtam'—the meritorious fruit (punya-phalam) which is declared (pradishtam) in the Vedas (vedeshu), sacrifices (yajneshu), austerities (tapahsu), and charities (daneshu). 'Atyeti tat sarvam idam viditva yogi param sthanam upaiti chadyam'—the yogi (yogi), having known (viditva) this secret (idam), transcends (atyeti) all that (tat sarvam) and attains (upaiti) the supreme (param) original (adyam) abode (sthanam). This is the culmination: knowing the secret of remembering Krishna at death and walking the path of light transcends all the fruits of Vedic rituals, sacrifices, austerities, and charities. The yogi who knows this secret attains the supreme original abode—the eternal, imperishable Brahman. This is the final teaching of Chapter 8: the path of yoga (constant remembrance) transcends all other paths and leads to the supreme abode.