Lord Krishna
Divine TeacherThe Supreme Lord, the charioteer and divine guide of Arjuna. Krishna delivers the eternal wisdom of the Gita, revealing the nature of the soul, duty, and the path to liberation.
Speaking: Chapter 8, Verse 25
Verse 25
The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman
The mystic who passes away from this world during the smoke, the night, the fortnight of the waning moon, or the six months when the sun passes to the south reaches the moon planet but again comes back.
Context & Meaning
The path of smoke and darkness: night, the waning moon, the six months of the southern solstice. Those who depart this way reach lunar planes of great enjoyment — but they return. The inner state is one of merit without complete liberation, virtue without self-knowledge. Heaven is a rest stop, not the destination.
Scholar Commentaries
1 commentary · Public domainRamanujacharya
VishishtadvaitaThe lunar path represents those who have performed good karma and ritual worship but have not yet gained the knowledge of Brahman. They enjoy the fruits of their merit in higher realms but must return when that merit is exhausted.