Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 8 · Akshara Brahma Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 8.23 यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः
श्लोक 8.23
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः ।
प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ ॥
yatra kāle tvanāvṛttimāvṛttiṃ caiva yoginaḥ |
prayātā yānti taṃ kālaṃ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha ||
हिन्दी अर्थ
हे भरतश्रेष्ठ, अब मैं तुम्हें वह समय बताऊँगा जिसमें शरीर छोड़कर गए योगी लौटकर नहीं आते, और वह भी जिसमें वे लौट आते हैं।
Meaning in English
O best of the Bharatas, I will now tell you of the times at which yogis, departing, either do not return or do return.
Bhagavad Gita 8.23 — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| यत्र काले | yatra kāle | at what time |
| तु | tu | and |
| अनावृत्तिम् | anāvṛttim | non-return |
| आवृत्तिम् | āvṛttim | return |
| च एव | ca eva | and also |
| योगिनः | yoginaḥ | yogis |
| प्रयाताः | prayātāḥ | having departed |
| यान्ति | yānti | go to |
| तम् कालम् | tam kālam | that time |
| वक्ष्यामि | vakṣyāmi | I shall tell |
| भरतर्षभ | bharata-ṛṣabha | O best of the Bharatas |
Explanation
Now I will tell you, O best of the Bharatas, the times at which yogis who depart from this world either do not return, or return again. He is about to describe two paths the soul may take after death.
Krishna introduces the teaching of the two paths after death (8.23–26), drawn from the Upanishads, especially the Chandogya (5.10) and Brihadaranyaka (6.2), which describe the path of the gods (devayana) and the path of the ancestors (pitriyana). Here kala, time, is better understood as a path or route. Shankara explains that the stages named are presiding deities guiding the departed soul, not literally calendar times. Ramanuja agrees. This reading frees the teaching from fear about the exact day of one's death.
भावार्थ
हे भरतश्रेष्ठ, अब मैं वह काल अर्थात् मार्ग बताता हूँ जिसमें शरीर छोड़कर गए हुए योगी लौटकर नहीं आते, और जिसमें गए हुए लौटकर आते हैं। अर्थात् मृत्यु के बाद के दो मार्गों का वर्णन।
Living it today
Do not worry about auspicious dates for the end of life. What matters is the direction of your heart, cultivated day by day.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 8.23?
Now I will tell you, O best of the Bharatas, the times at which yogis who depart from this world either do not return, or return again. He is about to describe two paths the soul may take after death.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 8.23?
Sri Krishna speaks this verse, in Chapter 8 (Akshara Brahma Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 8.23 in daily life?
Do not worry about auspicious dates for the end of life. What matters is the direction of your heart, cultivated day by day.
Reflected on verse 8.23?
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