"Listen, Arjuna," Krishna condescended to reply. "The source of all types of sorrow is ignorance, A-jnana. You might ask Me now what is the source of A-jnana? I shall tell you. It is the identification with the body, the delusion that you are the body. This can be removed only by the acquisition of right knowledge. To remove darkness, light is what is needed; you cannot frighten it away, nor can you make it yield by prayer or petition or protest. Unless light is on, darkness will not disappear, howsoever you may try. So too, A-jnana will not disappear by merely wishing for disappearance. Once you understand the nature and ramifications of this trait, this A-jnana, the truth will be laid bare and grief will vanish."

"When A-jnana goes, grief too goes. So attach yourself to Me and earn the light of true knowledge and tread the path of no-grief," said Krishna.

Immediately, Arjuna interjected, "Krishna! You were saying till now of certain paths by which we can reach you. Now, at the end of it all, if you throw this cannonball, how can I ever grasp its meaning? You did not even confer, as a preliminary, a little power to do so! Please, therefore, make me happy by describing this point in greater detail so that I might follow You better and attain You."

Krishna replied, "My dear brother-in-law! Listen, My mystery can be understood once you are clear about the meaning of Brahmam, Adhyaathmam, Karma, Adhibhootham, Adhidaivam and Adhiyajnam. And let Me tell you this also. Whoever understands My mystery attains Me."

"Then, O Lord, tell me about the first of these, Brahmam," exclaimed Arjuna.

"Arjuna! Aksharam-Brahma Paramam," Brahmam is referred to as the Akshara which is Param. Akshara means without Kshara or destruction, indestructible. Brahmam comes from a root which means big, vast, etc. How vast, you may ask. Vaster than whatever you call vast, that is the answer. The word Akshara has another meaning also. It means omnipresent, immanent everywhere. Brahmam is not mere Aksharam, as you will have noticed. It is Param Aksharam. What does that mean? It is that type of Akshara which is beyond the reach of time and space and knowability; it cannot be known by any or all the categories; it never declines or ends; it is Param Aksharam, the highest indestructible, indescribable.