Yatra Kale Tv Anavrittim

Krishna transitions to a new topic. He says: I will now tell you about the times at which departing yogis either attain liberation — never to return — or come back to the cycle of rebirth.

Until now, Krishna explained what to remember (8.5-8.14) and where to go (8.15-8.22). Now He addresses the question of when — the timing of departure also plays a role in determining whether a soul achieves moksha or returns.

The next two shlokas (8.24-8.25) describe two paths: the shukla gati (path of light, no return) and the krishna gati (path of darkness, return).

The concept of shukla gati and krishna gati appears in the Chhandogya Upanishad (5.10) and the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (6.2). Krishna draws from this ancient tradition. It is important to note that in 8.27, Krishna himself says that the yogi who knows both paths is not confused by them — meaning that devotion ultimately transcends all such distinctions.