Thus far, Krishna had emphasized on the importance of elevating our consciousness and improving the quality of our remembrance for going beyond the cycle of birth and death and entering into Krishna’s own transcendental abode. Depending on the quality of our remembrance at the time of death, we will secure a particular destination. In this section, Krishna points out the role played by the time (kālaṁ) of departure in determining the fate of certain yogis.
Depending on the timing (kālaṁ) of departure (prayātā) from the body, a yogi may (āvṛttiṁ) or may not (anāvṛttim) come back to this world. (BG 8.23) One who knows Brahman (brahma-vido janāḥ), or the jñāna yogis go (gacchanti) to the Brahman platform (brahma) if they depart (prayātā) during fire (agnir), light (jyotir), day (ahaḥ), waxing moon (śuklaḥ), and the six months when the sun travels in the north (ṣaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam). (BG 8.24) However, if the yogis depart during smoke (dhūmo), night (rātris), waning moon (kṛṣṇaḥ), and (tathā) the six months when the sun travels in the south (ṣaṇ-māsā dakṣiṇāyanam), they, upon reaching (prāpya) the light of the moon (cāndramasaṁ jyotir), come back to the material world (nivartate). (BG 8.25)
According to Vedic opinion (śāśvate mate), there are two ways of passing (gatī) from this world – one in light (śukla) and the other in darkness (kṛṣṇe). When one passes in light, one does not come back (anāvṛttim); but when one passes in darkness, one returns (āvartate punaḥ). (BG 8.26) Knowing (sṛtī) these two paths, a yogi is never (na kaścana) bewildered (muhyati). Therefore (tasmāt), Krishna advises Arjuna to be linked in devotional yoga (yoga-yukto) at all times (sarveṣu kāleṣu). (BG 8.27) Knowing all this (tat sarvam idaṁ viditvā), such a devotional yogi surpasses (atyeti) whatever auspicious fruit is indicated in the Vedas (vedeṣu) in sacrifices (yajñeṣu), in austerities (tapaḥsu), and in charity (dāneṣu), and comes (upaiti) to the supreme (paraṁ), original (ādyam) abode (sthānam). (BG 8.28)
In this section, we can observe a stark contrast between the prospect of a jñāna yogi and a bhakti yogi. The jñāna yogis need to get the time of departure right for success, while the bhakti yogis do not need to worry about these complications but instead, need to simply cultivate a high quality of remembrance by adopting a proper lifestyle so that they can remember Krishna at the time of death. Therefore, Krishna states (in BG 8.14) that He is easy to obtain (su-labhaḥ) for the bhakti yogis because they are exclusively (ananya-cetāḥ), constantly (satataṁ), and regularly (nityaśaḥ) engaged (nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ) in remembering Krishna.
