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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.

For how long does this material world exist? It exists for the duration of a day of Lord Brahma (BG 8.18), which is 1000 times the cycle of 4 millennia (sahasra-yuga-paryantam). (BG 8.17) Upon a simple calculation, this comes out to be 4.32 billion years. At the beginning of Lord Brahma’s day, all the planets (sarvāḥ) become manifest (vyaktayaḥ) from the unmanifest state (avyaktād), and thereafter, when his night of the same duration (rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ) as the day (BG 8.17) begins (rātry-āgame), the living entities are merged into the unmanifest state (pralīyante). (BG 8.18) Again and again (bhūtvā bhūtvā), the collection of living entities (bhūta-grāmaḥ) along with these planets surely (sa evāyaṁ) come into being at the beginning of Brahma’s day (prabhavaty ahar-āgame), and with the arrival of Brahmā’s night, they are helplessly (avaśaḥ) annihilated (pralīyate). (BG 8.19)

But (tu), transcendental (paras) to all these (tasmāt) manifest and unmanifest (avyaktāt) is another (bhāvo anyo) eternal (sanātanaḥ) unmanifest (avyaktaḥ), which is not annihilated (na vinaśyati) when all in this world (sarveṣu bhūteṣu) is annihilated (naśyatsu). (BG 8.20) It is said (ity uktas) that this unmanifest (avyakto) and imperishable (akṣara), known as (tam āhuḥ) the supreme destination (paramāṁ gatim) is Krishna’s transcendental abode (tad dhāma paramaṁ mama). Once having reached that place (yaṁ prāpya), one never returns to this world (na nivartante). (BG 8.21) Recall the usage of the word, akṣaraṁ, to mean the indestructible Brahman (BG 8.3), the indestructible destination (BG 8.11), and the indestructible oṁ (BG 8.13) in the previous section. The supreme destination is again being referred to as akṣara.

Can we go there? Certainly. It is possible (labhyas) only (tu) by exclusive (ananyayā) devotion (bhaktyā) to the Supreme (paraḥ) Personality (puruṣaḥ), Lord Krishna, who is presiding over His transcendental abode (tad dhāma paramaṁ mama). While He resides in His abode, at the same time, He is all-pervading (yena sarvam idaṁ tatam) and everything is situated within Him (yasyāntaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni). (BG 8.22) This point will be further elaborated in Chapter 9.

It is clear now that this material world is like our vacation home, which is temporary, but we have a real home, Krishna’s transcendental and eternal abode, where we really belong. We should aspire to go there by the process of exclusive devotional service to Krishna.

Lord Krishna gives an encouraging response. He first states an important principle: “A transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with evil either in this life or next. One who does good is never overcome by evil.” (BG 6.40) Then, Krishna elaborates further by considering two kinds of unsuccessful yogis – one who is unsuccessful after a short period of practice, and the other who is unsuccessful after a prolonged period of practice.

The yogi who gives up after a short span of practice becomes fortunate to be born into a pious and rich family, where one does not have to struggle for bare necessities of life and the conditions are suitable for reactivating the spiritual journey. (BG 6.41) A yogi is even more fortunate if he or she had practiced for a long period but desisted. Such a fortunate soul takes birth in a family endowed with transcendental wisdom by dint of culture and practice. Such a birth is indeed very rare and one gets the highest opportunity for the revival of spiritual consciousness. (BG 6.42)

What does it mean by being unsuccessful on a spiritual journey? It means that we stop inquiring into the Absolute Truth (e.g. asking fundamental questions like, “who am I?”, “What is the goal of life?”, “Who is God?”, “What is my relationship with God?”, “Why am I suffering?”, “How can I eradicate suffering once and for all?”, “What is the significance of this world?”, “What is the relationship between God and this world?”, etc.). The success of human life is dependent on the liveness of this spirit of inquiry. Upon getting a fortunate birth in a wisdom-equipped family, one revives the divine consciousness (buddhi-saṁyogaṁ) of the previous body (paurva-dehikam), and again (bhūyaḥ) endeavors for perfection (saṁsiddhau). (BG 6.43) One is innately attracted (hriyate) to the previous life’s practices (pūrvābhyāsena) and restores one’s inquisitive spirit (jijñāsur). (BG 6.44) In this way, there is no dearth of opportunity for us to make our life successful.