Chapter 8, Verse 25 (Bhagavad Gita 8.25)
Chapter 8: Akṣhar Brahma Yog – Path of the Eternal God
Sanskrit Shloka
धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्। तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते
Transliteration
dhūmo rātris tathā kṛiṣhṇaḥ ṣhaṇ-māsā dakṣhiṇāyanam tatra chāndramasaṁ jyotir yogī prāpya nivartate
Word Meanings
dhūmaḥ—smoke; rātriḥ—night; tathā—and; kṛiṣhṇaḥ—the dark fortnight of the moon; ṣhaṭ-māsāḥ—six months; dakṣhiṇa-ayanam—the sun’s southern course; tatra—there; chāndra-masam—lunar; jyotiḥ—light; yogī—a yogi; prāpya—attain; nivartate—comes back;
Translation
Attaining the lunar light through smoke, the night, the dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern path of the sun, the yogi returns to the cycle of rebirth.
Meaning & Commentary
In this verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna explains the path of 'dhumra-yana' or the path of smoke, which those who perform rituals with desire and attachment must follow. Shri Krishna reveals that such souls, while attaining heavenly realms represented by the lunar light, eventually exhaust their accumulated merit and are compelled to return to the material world. Through this teaching, the Supreme Lord invites the seeker to transcend temporary material rewards and seek the eternal, unchanging abode. By focusing on constant devotion to Him, the yogi can transcend these cyclical paths and attain liberation. It is an act of divine compassion by Lord Krishna to warn the soul against getting lost in the transitory fruits of karma.