Chapter VIII · Śloka 11
यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति
विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः ।
यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति
तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये ॥
विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः ।
यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति
तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये ॥
yad akṣaraṃ veda-vido vadanti
viśanti yad yatayo vīta-rāgāḥ |
yad icchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti
tat te padaṃ saṃgraheṇa pravakṣye ||
viśanti yad yatayo vīta-rāgāḥ |
yad icchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti
tat te padaṃ saṃgraheṇa pravakṣye ||
That which the knowers of the Veda call the Imperishable, which the passion-free renunciants enter, desiring which they practise celibacy — that goal I shall briefly declare to you.
Krishna introduces the most direct description of the Imperishable (akṣara) — the ultimate goal sought by Vedic scholars, ascetics, and brahmacārins alike — and promises a concise exposition.