Chapter 8, Verse 23
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः | प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ ||८-२३||
yatra kāle tvanāvṛttimāvṛttiṃ caiva yoginaḥ . prayātā yānti taṃ kālaṃ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha ||8-23||
Meaning
8.23 Now I will tell thee, O chief of Bharatas, the times departing at which the Yogis will return or not return.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Explanation & Commentary
Krishna turns to a new theme: the 'times' or paths of departure. He promises to tell Arjuna the conditions under which yogis, after death, either return to rebirth or pass beyond return. This introduces the well-known teaching of the two paths — the bright path of no-return and the dark path of return.
The word kala here refers not merely to clock-time but to the quality of one's departure — the inner and outer conditions that accompany the soul's exit from the body. Krishna addresses Arjuna as Bharatarshabha, 'best of the Bharatas,' encouraging him to receive this subtle knowledge worthily. What follows is symbolic and has been variously interpreted, but its purpose is clear: to show that the trajectory of consciousness after death is not arbitrary. It reflects the spiritual condition cultivated in life — distinguishing those who have realized the imperishable from those still bound to return.
💡 Key Takeaway
The soul's path after death is no accident but reflects the spiritual quality cultivated throughout one's life.
Related Verses
अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन | प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः ||८-२||
adhiyajñaḥ kathaṃ ko.atra dehe.asminmadhusūdana . prayāṇakāle ca kathaṃ jñeyo.asi niyatātmabhiḥ ||8-2||
8.2 Who and how is Adhiyajna here in this body, O destroyer of Madhu (Krishna)? And how at the time of death, art Thou to be known by the self-controlled?
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् | यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ||८-५||
antakāle ca māmeva smaranmuktvā kalevaram . yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṃ yāti nāstyatra saṃśayaḥ ||8-5||
8.5 And whosoever, leaving the body, goes forth remembering Me alone, at the time of death, he attains My Being: there is no doubt about this.
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् | तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः ||८-६||
yaṃ yaṃ vāpi smaranbhāvaṃ tyajatyante kalevaram . taṃ tamevaiti kaunteya sadā tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ ||8-6||
8.6 Whosoever at the end leaves the body, thinking of any being, to that being only does he go, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), because of his constant thought of that being.