(From the discourses of Pujya Sri Swamiji)

Compiled by Swami Datta Pada Renu

"That Supreme Purusha, O Partha !, within whom all beings dwell and by whom all this is pervaded, is attainable by unswerving devotion." (22-VIII)

The whole world and its innumerable objects exist in the Supreme Being as butter exists in milk. If you want to take butter from milk, you have to convert the milk into buttermilk and churn it. In the same way, if you churn your heart with devotion, prayers, meditation etc., you will get the experience of the Supreme Lord.

Therefore it is said that unflinching devotion is necessary for realizing the Supreme Lord, the Imperishable Absolute Godhead. Such devotion is called ‘Ananya Bhakti’ or devotion exclusively to the Lord, exclusive of all others. The devotee has to develop a spirit of identity with the Lord. He should have the conviction that he is not separate from the Lord and in truth he is ever united with Him. As such he is non-different (ananya) from the Lord. Such a devotee’s devotion is ‘Ananya bhakti’ or exclusive devotion. With this attitude of exclusive devotion one can easily attain the Supreme Lord.

"O Arjuna, I shall now speak of that time, departing at which the Yogis attain the state of non-return and also of the time departing at which they attain the state of return." (23-VIII)

"Fire, light, day-time, the bright half of the moon and the six months of the northern path of the Sun – then departing, the knowers of Brahman reach Brahman." (24-VIII)
In these verses, the Lord is giving a description of the two paths, one leading to liberation and the other to rebirth. The first is known as the path of light and the other the path of darkness.

The path of light implies an ascending series of movements of the soul in its journey to the Divine till it reaches and merges with the Supreme Godhead. This path is also called as Bright Path (Shukla) and the path of gods (devayana). Brightness and light are symbolic of the light of knowledge. Divine knowledge is the light which enlightens the mind and dispels the darkness of ignorance. Therefore, the time of light or day, the bright fortnight and the six months of the northern solstice when the skies are bright is the time the Yogis (knowers of Brahman) give up their bodies to attain the realization of Brahman. Such Yogis do not return to this world again.

"Smoke, night, the dark half of the moon, the six months of the southern passage of the sun – then departing, the Yogi reaches the lunar light and returns." (25-VIII)
As light denotes knowledge, smoke and the dark fortnight indicate dark ignorance (Ajnana). Therefore this path is called the path of darkness or Pitriyana (the path of manes). Whatever good a man does in this world creates good results and they bear fruit in his after life. He then reaches the lunar sphere and the realm of ancestors to enjoy the results of his good deeds. And as soon as the momentum of his good deeds is over, he returns to this world again getting reverted to the condition from which he started.

This verse and the previous one give a description of the two ways of progress of the Soul (Jeeva) after death. Death at day time, bright fortnight etc., leads the soul to Godhead. And death in the night, dark fortnight etc., leads to rebirth of the soul in this world.

But, we find very often people who lead a pious and divine life die at an inauspicious time and vice versa. Therefore, instead of giving too much importance to the time of death, what one has to do is to understand the true spirit of these verses.
Even in ordinary life, we see that when a traveler walks through a path when there is light, he reaches the destination safely. On the other hand, if he travels when there is darkness and smoke all around, he would stumble and fall down. In the same way, in a man’s spiritual journey if he has the light of knowledge and Guru’s grace with him he attains higher worlds of deities in the form of Fire, Wind, Varuna, Indra and Brahma the creator one after another and reaches the Supreme Brahman. Thereafter, he never comes back to this world of misery and pain. This path of liberation is called Karma Mukti or gradual liberation. There is also another path of liberation. It is called Sadyo Mukti. The follower of this path by austerities, self-restraint and meditation transcend everything and attain the Supreme Brahman in this life itself.

"These bright and dark paths of the world are verily deemed eternal. By the one, a man goes to the state of non-return; by the other, he returns again and again." (26-VIII)

These two paths, the light and the dark are eternal. The path ‘Devayana’ is styled as white because it helps to attain divine knowledge and the path ‘Pitriyana’ is called dark as it does not help to remove the darkness of ignorance of the Soul. As long as a person is ignorant of his own Self he is subjected to the cycle of birth and rebirth, and also he returns again and again to this world of desires. But he who goes through the bright path attains perfection and gets united with the Supreme Brahman. As the world process of evolution and involution is eternal without any beginning or end, these two paths are also considered eternal.