BhG 8.3

syntax

śrī-bhagavān (the glorious Lord) uvāca (he spoke):
paramam (the supreme) akṣaram (imperishable) brahma [ucyate] (is called Brahman),
sva-bhāvaḥ (own nature) adhy-ātmam (the Supreme Self) ucyate (is called),
bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karaḥ (making the existence and generation of creatures) visargaḥ (emanation) karma-saṁjñitaḥ (is called an activity).

grammar

śrī-bhagavān	–	śrī-bhagavant 1n.1 m.; TP: śriyā yukto bhagavān iti – the Lord united with majesty (from: śrī – lustre, majesty, fortune; √bhaj – to share, to love, to rejoice, to worship, bhaga – a share, good fortune, opulence; -mant / -vant – suffix denoting one who possesses, bhagavant – who possesses opulence);
uvāca	–	√vac (to speak) Perf. P 1v.1 – he spoke;
akṣaram	–	a-kṣara 1n.1 n. – imperishable, a syllable (from: √kṣar – to flow, to perish, kṣara – perishable);
brahma	–	brahman 1n.1 n. – spirit, the Vedas (from: √bṛh – to increase);
paramam	–	parama 1n.1 n. – supreme, the highest (superlative of: para – beyond, ancient, final, the best, the supreme);
sva-bhāvaḥ	–	sva-bhāva 1n.1 m.; TP: svasya bhāva – own nature, natural state (from: sva – own; bhāva – being, state, nature);
adhy-ātmam	–	adhi-ātma 1n.1 n. – the Supreme Self (adhi – over, above; ātman – self);
ucyate	–	√vac (to speak) Praes. pass. 1v.1 – it is said;
bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karaḥ	–	bhūta-bhāva-udbhava-kara 1n.1 m.; DV / TP: bhūtānāṁ bhāvam udbhavaṁ ca kara iti – making the existence and generation of creatures (from: √bhū – to be, PP bhūta – been, real, world; √bhū – to be, bhāva – state, existence, nature, emotions; ud-√bhū – to spring up from, to produce, udbhava – springing from, production; √kṛ – to do, kara – a a doer, cause);
visargaḥ	–	vi-sarga 1n.1 m. – emanation, creation (from: vi-√sṛj – to let go, to emit);
karma-saṁjñitaḥ	–	karma-saṁjñita 1n.1 m. – known as activity (from: √kṛ – to do, karman – activity and its result; sam-√jñā – to be of one opinion, to understand, caus. PP saṁjñita – made known, communicated, called);

textual variants

brahma paramaṁ → paramaṁ brahma (the supreme Brahman);
‘dhy-ātmam → ‘dhy-ātma (the Supreme Self);
karma-saṁjñitaḥ → karma-saṁjñitam / karma-saṁjñakaḥ (known as activity);

Śāṃkara

eṣāṃ praśnānāṃ yathā-kramaṃ nirṇayāya śrī-bhagavān uvāca—

akṣaraṃ na kṣaratīty akṣaraṃ para ātmā, etasya vākṣarasya praśāsane gārgi [bhāvātmauttaṃ 3.8.9] iti śruteḥ | oṃkārasya ca om ity ekākṣaraṃ brahma [gītā 8.13] iti pareṇa viśeṣaṇād agrahaṇam | paramam iti ca niratiśaye brahmaṇy akṣare upapannataraṃ viśeṣaṇam | tasyaiva parasya brahmaṇaḥ pratidehaṃ pratyag-ātma-bhāvaḥ svabhāvaḥ | svo bhāvaḥ svabhāvo’dhyātmam ucyate | ātmānaṃ deham adhikṛtya pratyag-ātmatayā pravṛttaṃ paramārtha-brahmāvasānaṃ vastu svabhāvo’dhyātmam ucyate’dhyātma-śabdenābhidhīyate | bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo bhūtānāṃ bhāvo bhūta-bhāvas tasya udbhavo bhūta-bhāvodbhavas taṃ karotīti bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karaḥ, bhūta-vastūtpatti-kara ity arthaḥ | visargo visarjanaṃ devatoddeśena caru-puroḍāśāder dravyasya parityāgaḥ | sa eṣa visarga-lakṣaṇo yajñaḥ karma-saṃjñitaḥ karma-śabdita ity etat | etasmāt hi bīja-bhūtād vṛṣṭyaādi-krameṇa sthāvara-jaṅgamāni bhūtāny udbhavanti

Rāmānuja

tadbrahmeti nirdiṣṭaṃ paramam akṣaraṃ na kṣaratīty akṣaram, kṣetrajñasamaṣṭirūpam / tathā ca śrutiḥ, „avyaktam akṣare līyate akṣaraṃ tamasi līyate” ityādikā / paramam akṣaraṃ prakṛtivinirmuktam ātmasvarūpam / svabhāvo ‚dhyātmam ucyate / svabhāvaḥ prakṛtiḥ / anātmabhūtam, ātmani saṃbadhyamānaṃ bhūtasūkṣmatadvāsanādikaṃ pañcāgnividyāyāṃ jñātavyatayoditam / tadubhayaṃ prāpyatayā tyājyatayā ca mumukṣubhir jñātavyam / bhūtabhāvodbhavakaro visargaḥ karmasaṃjñitaḥ / bhūtabhāvaḥ manuṣyādibhāvaḥ; tadudbhavakaro yo visargaḥ, „pañcamyām āhutāv āpaḥ puruṣavacaso bhavanti” iti śrutisiddho yoṣitsaṃbandhajaḥ, sa karmasaṃjñitaḥ / tac cākhilaṃ sānubandham udvejanīyatayā, pariharaṇīyatayā ca mumukṣubhir jñātavyam / pariharaṇīyatayā cānantaram eva vakṣyate, „yad icchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti” iti

Śrīdhara

praśna-krameṇaivottaraṃ śrī-bhagavān uvāca akṣaram iti tribhiḥ | na kṣarati na calatīty akṣaram | nanu jīvo ‚py akṣaraḥ | paramaṃ yad akṣaraṃ jagato mūla-kāraṇaṃ tad braham | etad vai tad akṣaraṃ gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadantīti śruteḥ | svasyaiva brahmaṇa evāṃśatayā jīva-rūpeṇa bhavanaṃ svabhāvaḥ | sa evātmānaṃ deham adhikṛtya bhoktṛtvena vartamāno ‚dhyātma-śabdenocyate ity arthaḥ | bhūtānāṃ jarāyujādīnāṃ bhāva utpattiḥ | udbhavaś ca utkṛṣṭatvena bhavanam udbhavaḥ |

agnau prāstāhutiḥ samyag ādityam upatiṣṭhate |
ādityāj jāyate vṛṣṭir vṛṣṭer annaṃ tataḥ prajā ||

iti krameṇa vṛddhiḥ | tau bhūta-bhāvodbhavau karoti yo visargo devatoddeśena dravya-tyāga-rūpo yajñaḥ | sarva-karmaṇām upalakṣaṇam etat sa ca karma-śabda-vācyaḥ

Madhusūdana

evaṃ saptānāṃ praśnānāṃ krameṇottaraṃ tribhiḥ ślokaiḥ | praśna-krameṇa hi nirṇaye praṣṭur abhīṣṭa-siddhir anāyāsena syādity abhiprāyavān bhagavān atra śloke praśna-trayaṃ krameṇa nirdhāritavān | evaṃ dvitīya-śloke ‚pi praśna-trayaṃ tṛtīya-śloke tv ekam iti vibhāgaḥ | nirupādhikam eva brahmātra vivakṣitaṃ brahma-śabdena na tu sopādhikam iti prathama-praśnasyottaram āha – akṣaraṃ na kṣaratīty avināśi aśnute vā sarvam iti sarva-vyāpakam | etad vai tad akṣaraṃ gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadanty asthūlam anaṇu ity ādy upakramya etasya vā akṣarasya praśāsane gārgi sūryā-candramasau vidhṛtau tiṣṭhataḥ nānyad ato ‚sti draṣṭṛ śrutir ityādi madhye parāmṛśya etasmin tu khalv akṣarae gārgy ākāśa otaś ca protaś ca ity upasaṃhṛtaṃ śrutyā | sarvopādhi-śūnyaṃ sarvasya praśāsitṛ, avyākṛtākāśāntasya kṛtsnasya prapañcasya dhārayitṛ | asmiṃś ca śarīrendriya-saṃghāte vijñātṛ | nirupādhikaṃ caitanyaṃ tad iha brahmeti vivakṣitam | etad eva vivṛṇoti paramam iti | paramaṃ sva-prakāśa-paramānanda-rūpaṃ praśāsanasya kṛtsna-jaḍa-varga-dhāraṇasya ca liṅgasya tatraivopapatteḥ | akṣaram ambarānta-dhṛteḥ (Vs 1.3.10) iti nyāyāt |

na tv ihākṣara-śabdasya varṇa-mātre rūḍhatvāc chruti-liṅgādhikaraṇa-nyāya-mūlakena rūḍhir yogam apaharati iti nyāyena rathakāra-śabdena jāti-viśeṣavat-praṇavākhyam akṣaram eva grāhyaṃ tatrokta-liṅga-sambhavāt | om ity ekākṣaraṃ brahmeti ca pareṇa viśeṣaṇāt ānaarthakya-pratihatānāṃ viparītaṃ balābalam iti nyāyāt | varṣāsu rathakāra ādadhīta ity atra tu jāti-viśeṣe nāsty asambhava iti viśeṣaḥ | ananyathā-siddhena tu liṅgena śruter bādhaḥ ākāśas tal-liṅgāt ity ādau vivṛtaḥ | etāvāṃs tv iha viśeṣaḥ | ananyathā-siddhena liṅgena śruter bādhe yatra yogaḥ sambhavati tatra sa eva gṛhyate mukhyatvāt | yathājyaiḥ stuvate pṛṣṭaiḥ stuvata ity ādau | yathā cātraivākṣara-śabde | yatra tu yogo ‚pi na sambhavati tatra gauṇī vṛttir yathākāśa-prāṇādi-śabdeṣu | ākāśa-śabdasyāpi brahmaṇi ā samantāt kāśata iti yogaḥ sambhavatīti cet | sa eva gṛhyatām iti pañcapādīkṛtaḥ | tathā ca parāmarṣaṃ sūtraṃ prasiddheś ca (Vs 1.3.17) iti | kṛtam atra vistareṇa |

tad evaṃ kiṃ tad brahmeti nirṇītam | adhunā kim adhyātmam iti nirṇīyate | yad akṣaraṃ brahmety uktaṃ tasyaiva svabhāvaḥ svo bhāvaḥ svarūpaṃ pratyak-caitanyaṃ na tu svasya bhāva iti ṣaṣṭhī-samāsaḥ | lakṣaṇāprasaṅgāt, ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa-bādhena karma-dhāraya-parigrahasya śruta-padārthānvayena viṣāda-sthapaty-adhikaraṇa-siddhatvāt | tasmān na brahmaṇaḥ saṃbandhi kintu brahma-svarūpam eva | ātmānaṃ deham adhikṛtya bhoktṛtayā vartamānam adhyātmam ucyate ‚dhyātma-śabdenābhidhīyate na karaṇa-grāma ity arthaḥ |

yāga-dāna-homātmakaṃ vaidikaṃ karmaivātra karma-śabdena vivikṣitam iti tṛtīya-praśnottaram āha bhūtānāṃ bhavana-dharmakāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ sthāvara-jaṅgamānāṃ bhāvam utpattim udbhavaṃ vṛddhiṃ ca karoti yo visargas tyāgasta-tac-chāstra-vihito yāga-dāna-homātmakaḥ sa iha karma-saṃjñitaḥ | karma-śabdenokta iti yāvat | tatra devatoddeśena dravya-tyāgo yāga uttiṣṭhad dhomo vaṣaṭ-kāra-prayogāntaḥ | sa evopaviṣṭa-homaḥ svāhā-kāra-prayogānta āsecana-paryanto homaḥ | para-svatvāpatti-paryantaḥ svatva-tyāgo dānam | sarvatra ca tyāgāṃśo ‚nugataḥ | tasya ca bhā̆ta-bhāvodbhava-karatvam-

agnau prāstāhutiḥ samyag ādityam upatiṣṭhate |
ādityāj jāyate vṛṣṭir vṛṣṭer annaṃ tataḥ prajāḥ || iti smṛteḥ |

te vā ete āhutī hute utkrāmataḥ ity ādi śruteś ca

Viśvanātha

uttaram āha akṣaram iti | na kṣaratīti akṣaraṃ nityaṃ yat paramaṃ tad brahma– etad vai tad akṣaraṃ gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadantīti śruteḥ | svabhāvaḥ svātmānaṃ dehādhyāsa-vaśād bhāvayati janayatīti svabhāvaḥ jīvaḥ | yad vā svaṃ bhāvayati paramātmānaṃ prāpayatīti svabhāvaḥ śuddha-jīvo ‚dhyātmam ucyate | adhyātma-śabda-vācya ity arthaḥ | bhūtair eva bhāvānāṃ manuṣyādi-dehānām udbhavaṃ karotīti sa visargo jīvasya saṃsāraḥ karma-janyatvāt karma-saṃjñaḥ | karma-śabdena jīvasya saṃsāra ucyata ity arthaḥ

Baladeva

evaṃ pṛṣṭo bhagavān krameṇa saptānām uttaram āha akṣaram iti | na kṣaratīti nirkter akṣaraṃ yat paramaṃ dehādi-viviktaṃ jīvātma-caitanyaṃ tan mayā brahmety ucyate | tasyākṣara-śabdatvaṃ brahma-śabdatvaṃ ca-avyaktam akṣare līyate ‚kṣaraṃ tamasi līyate tama ekībhavati parasminn iti vijñānaṃ brahma ced veda iti śruteḥ |

svabhāva iti | svasya jīvātmanaḥ sambandhī yo bhāvo bhūta-sūkṣma-tad-vāsanā-lakṣaṇa-padārthaḥ | pañcāgni-vidyāyāṃ paṭhitas tad-ātmani saṃbadhyamānatvān mayādhyātmam ucyate |

bhūteti teṣāṃ sūkṣmāṇāṃ bhūtānāṃ sthūlais taiḥ saṃpṛktānāṃ bhāvo manuṣyādi-lakṣaṇas tad-udbhava-karas tad-utpādako yo visargaḥ sa karma saṃjñitaḥ | jyotiṣṭomādi-karmaṇā svargam āsādya tasmin deva-dehena tat-karmopabhujya-bhāṇḍa-saṃkrānta-ghṛta-śeṣavad-bhogorvarito yaḥ karma-śeṣo bhuvi manuṣyādi-deha-lābhāya visṛṣṭas tan mayā karmocyate | chāndogye dyu-parjanya-pṛthivī-puruṣa-yoṣitsu pañcasv agniṣu śraddhā-soma-vṛṣṭy-anna-retāṃsi kramāt pañcāhutayaḥ paṭhyante | tatrāyam arthaḥ – vaidiko jīva iha loke ‚smayāni dadhy-ādīni śraddhayā juhoti | tā dadhy-ādimayyaḥ pañcīkṛtatvāt pañca-bhūta-rūpā āpaḥ śraddhayā hutatvāt śraddhākhyāhuti-svarūpeṇa tasmin jīve saṃbaddhās tiṣṭhanti | atha tasmin mṛte tad-indriyādhiṣṭhātāro devās tā dyulokāgnau juhvati | tadvantaṃ jīvaṃ divaṃ nayantīty arthaḥ | hutāstāḥ soma-rājākhya-divya-dehatayā pariṇamante tena dehena sa tatra karma-phalāni bhuṅkte | tad-bhogāvasāne ‚smayo jīvavān dehais tair devaiḥ parjanyāgnau huto vṛṣṭir bhavati | vṛṣṭi-bhūtās tāḥ sajīvāḥ pṛthivy-agnau tair hutā brīhy-ādy-anna-bhāvaṃ labhante | anna-bhūtāḥ sajīvās tāḥ puruṣāgnau hutā reto-bhāvaṃ bhajante | reto-bhūtāḥ sa-jīvās tā yoṣid-agnau tair hutā garbhātmanā sthitā manuṣya-bhāvaṃ prayāntīti tad-bhāva-hetur anuśaya-śabda-vācyaḥ karma-śeṣaḥ karmeti | evam evoktaṃ sūtrakṛtā tad-antara-pratipattau ity ādibhiḥ