Chapter 8 · Verse 23

Akshara Brahma Yoga

अक्षरब्रह्मयोग

यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः | प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ ||८-२३||

yatra kāle tvanāvṛttimāvṛttiṃ caiva yoginaḥ . prayātā yānti taṃ kālaṃ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha ||8-23||

In plain words

I shall declare to you. O Prince of the Bharatas the time at which if the Yogis leave their body they will not be born again and also when if they die they will be born again. To return means to be born again.

Translation

8.23 O best of the Bharata dynasty, I shall now speak of that time by departing at which the yogis attain the State of Non-return, and also (of the time by departing at which they attain) the State of Return. 8.23 Now I will tell thee, O chief of Bharatas, the times departing at which the Yogis will return or not return. 8.23 Bharatarsabha, O best of the Bharata dynasty; vaksyami, I shall speak; tu, now; tam, of that; kalam, time; prayatah, by departing, by dying; (-these words are to be which time; yoginah, the yogis; yanti, attain; anavrttim, the State of Non-return, of nonrirth; ca eva, and also; of the time by departing at which they attain its opposite, avrttim, the State of Return. By 'Yogis' are implied both the yogis (men of meditation) and the men of acitons (rites and duties). But the men of action are yogis by courtesy, in accordance with the description, 'through the Yoga of Action for the yogis' (3.3). The Lord speaks of that time: [This is Ast.'s reading.-Tr.]

Meaning

Word by word

यत्र where काले in time तु verily अनावृत्तिम् nonreturn आवृत्तिम् return च and एव even योगिनः Yogis प्रयाताः departing यान्ति go to तम् that कालम् time वक्ष्यामि (I) will tell भरतर्षभ O chief of Bharatas.