Bhagavad Gita · 8.23 · Path of the Eternal God·23 of 28
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः।प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ ॥
yatra kāle tvanāvṛittim āvṛittiṁ chaiva yoginaḥ
prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ vakṣhyāmi bharatarṣhabha
Sanskrit recitation
Leaving and returning · 8.23–8.28 · Teaching
Translation
Now I will tell you, O chief of the Bharatas, the times of departure at which the Yogis will return or not return.
Meaning
I shall declare to you, O Prince of the Bharatas, the time at which if the Yogis leave their body they will not be born again and also when if they die they will be born again.To return means to be born again.
After Swami Sivananda
Leaving and returning· 8.23–8.28→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
8.23Now I will tell you, O chief of the Bharatas, the times of departure at which the Yogis will return or not return.
- 8.24Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path of the sun (the northern solstice) departing, then men who know Brahman go to Brahman.
- 8.25Attaining the lunar light through smoke, night time, the dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern path of the sun (the southern solstice), the yogi returns.
- 8.26The bright and dark paths of the world are thought to be eternal; one leads to no return, and the other leads to return.
- 8.27Knowing these paths, O Arjuna, no yogi is deluded; therefore, at all times, be steadfast in yoga.
- 8.28Whatever fruit of merit is declared (in the scriptures) to accrue from (the study of) the Vedas, (the performance of) sacrifices, (the practice of) austerities, and gifts, beyond all this goes the Yogi, having known this; and he attains to the Supreme, Primeval (first or ancient) Abode.
Word-by-word→
- tu
- certainly
- cha
- and
- eva
- certainly
- tam
- that
- kāle
- time
- yatra
- where
- kālam
- time
- yānti
- attain
- yoginaḥ
- a yogi
- āvṛittim
- return
- prayātāḥ
- having departed
- vakṣhyāmi
- I shall describe
- anāvṛittim
- no return
- bharata-ṛiṣhabha
- Arjun, the best of the Bharatas
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