Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8, Verse 24

Chapter 8 – Akshara Brahma Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

अग्निर्जोतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् ।
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः ॥

Transliteration

agnirjotirahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam .
tatra prayātā gacchanti brahma brahmavido janāḥ ॥

Meaning

Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight and the six months of the northern course of the sun: on this path those who depart, knowers of Brahman, go to Brahman.

Word meanings

अग्निः – fire (its presiding deity)
ज्योतिः – light
अहः – day
शुक्लः – bright fortnight
षण्मासाः उत्तरायणम् – the six months of the northern course
तत्र – there, on that path
प्रयाताः – those who depart
ब्रह्मविदः जनाः – people who know Brahman
ब्रह्म गच्छन्ति – go to Brahman

Anvaya (word order)

अग्निः ज्योतिः अहः शुक्लः षण्मासाः उत्तरायणम् — तत्र प्रयाताः ब्रह्मविदः जनाः ब्रह्म गच्छन्ति ।

Explanation

This verse describes the shukla (bright) path. Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight and the six months of uttarayana are named. These are material markers of time, but according to Shankara each has a presiding deity behind it who leads the soul onward. In the Upanishads this is called devayana (Chandogya 5.10, Brihadaranyaka 6.2), in which the soul passes through deities of the flame, day, bright half, northern course and so on up to Brahmaloka.

Those eligible for this path are brahmavido janah, who have prepared their minds through worship and knowledge of Brahman. The fruit for them is brahma gacchanti, attaining Brahman. In Shankara's view this is the path of worshippers of saguna Brahman who gain krama-mukti, gradual liberation; those who are fully Self-realised do not need to go anywhere, they are Brahman here itself (Brihadaranyaka 4.4.6). Ramanuja calls it the archiradi path that leads devotees of the Lord to the supreme abode.

The story in the Mahabharata of Bhishma lying on his bed of arrows awaiting uttarayana is linked with this belief. But the Gita's essence is not that one must leave the body at the right hour; it is that the bright road of knowledge and worship leads toward light.

In 8.27 the Lord will himself clarify that knowing these paths the yogi is not deluded, and that one should be ever steadfast in yoga.

Context

Verse 8.23 introduced the two paths. This verse gives the first, the shukla (bright) path leading to non-return; the next verse (8.25) gives the second, the dark path of smoke.

Life lesson

Make choices in life that lead toward light: knowledge, good company and worship of God. That is the uttarayana within us that carries us from darkness to light.

Key terms

उत्तरायण: northward course of the sun, marking the path of light
शुक्ल मार्ग (देवयान): the path of light leading to non-return
ब्रह्मवित्: knower and worshipper of Brahman