Chapter VIII-23-25. I will tell you, O chief of the Bharatas, where in time departing at which yogis will return or not return. Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path of the sun (the northern solstice – departing by these the people who know Brahman go to Brahman. Attaining to the lunar light by smoke, nighttime, the dark fortnight also, the six months of the southern path of the sun (the southern solstice), the Yogi returns.
The yogic system sees deities as influencing our paths. The deities of light aid those people who are devoted to God and see the life as an offering, a giving rather than a taking. They become merged in Brahman at their death. Those who do work to get fruits, do prayers to achieve earthly desires are aided by the deities of the dark and return to Samsara to get the karmic results. Even if they are charitable they may spend time in heaven, but then return. One can consider deities of light angels and deities of darkness satanic forces.
Chapter VIII-27. Knowing these two paths, Arjuna, the Yogi is not deluded by anyone. Therefore at all times be steadfast in Yoga.
Not only in death do the deities help, but also in life. Following the path of karma yoga, jnana yogi and devotion, the deities of Light will support the aspirant on the path toward unity with God even through the passing of all the daily activities. But, one must be steady, if there is only intermittent distinction between the real and the unreal, if the path of darkness beckons, then even in this life, one will have the unhappiness which comes from going after and clinging to earthly things – denying God for Mammon.
Chapter VIII-28. Having known this, the Yogi transcends all the spiritual fruits that come from (the study) of Vedas (scripture), sacrifices, austerity and charity attaining to the Supreme Original State.
Chapter eight began with seven questions. 1. What is Brahman? 2. What is Adhyatma (the individual Self)? 3. What is Adhibhuta (objective phenomenon)?. 4. What is Karma (action)? 5. What is Adhidaiva (divine phenomena)? 6. In what manner is adhiyajna (basis of sacrifice) here in the body? 7.At the time of death how are you to be known by those of steadfast Mind? Knowing the answers to these questions the Yogi transcends and attains unity with Brahman. The answers are provided in the chapter – not only must one read them, but through meditation and discrimination, come to experience these cosmic realities.
Brahman is the Imperishable, the Supreme, that which can never change or be destroyed. The inherent nature of Brahman is Adhyatma, the Knowledge that dwells in each individual body as the innermost Self. Karma is all the virtuous actions and offerings that cause the origin and growth of beings. Actions consist of all the cycles of the physical world. Everything that manifests comes as a result of some action at some level – from atoms combining and forming compounds to the joining of sperm and egg and through the actions of RNA, DNA, the creation of beings. (Chapter VIII-3) Adhibuta is everything that exists on the physical plane, all creatures, the inanimate materials of the world-earth, water, and air. Adhibuta is the changing in the world, creatures that are born and die, rivers that change as they flow, the variable aspects of continents, mountains, rocks. Adhidaiva is Supreme Presence by which everything is filled. It is the sustainer from whom all living beings derive their sense-power. It is the witnessing consciousness. Adhiyajna is God present in the body as the force empowering all selfless works and offerings. (Chapter VIII-4) God promises that whoever at the time of death remembers God only attains to God. How this is done and what the processes are is elaborated in the other verses from Chapter VIII above. We must be aware that the predominant idea at the time of death is that which has occupied our attention most in normal life. That is why sadhana, all the things we do in our lives to keep the awareness of Presence of God with us is so important. Sadhana is spiritual study, prayer, repeating God's name, service, anything keeping the God thought primary. This is why if we want God-centered lives, we must avoid desires and strivings that divert our attention.
Chapter IX-27-28. Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you make as an offering, whatever you give, whatever austerities you perform, do it for my sake. Thus, you will be freed from the bonds of action yielding good and evil fruits when your mind is harmonized through the yoga of renunciation, and liberated you will come to me.
What ties us up in knots is always thinking of the outcome, either doing something thinking of what might be gained or worrying about how it might not work out. God asks us to think only of bringing our actions in harmony with the Divine. We spend such energy on thinking about foods and many people go overboard with over eating but if as we eat we are conscious of feeding the God within us, providing energy to partake in the creating of the world, we both digest our food better and eat properly. Many of us are not even aware of the food as we eat, we are so busy talking, thinking, or even reading. Mealtime can become a special time to be in God's presence.
Again as we give gifts, often we worry about the details rather than seeing it as recognition, honoring of the divine as manifest in the receiver. As we try and simplify our lives, have restraint as we limit our own greed for things in the world, unless we do it as part of spirituality we can become prideful and angry with others whom we consider profligate and greedy.
Through the practice of continually making all an offering we become free of desire, therefore we are not tied up inside by the fruits of our action. Renunciation is the same as doing everything for God's sake until the ego is washed away and one recognizes the unity with God.
Chapter X-7-8. One who knows the Divine glories of my Yogic power in Truth becomes united (with me) by unshakable Yoga. There is no doubt. I am the source of all. From me everything evolves. The wise knowing this, endowed with meditation, worship me.
Once we are ready to admit that everything we see is more than it seems, that it has God manifest as its source and changes through the Divine Power, we come to the Truth of our unity with God. Our practice is unshakable when we are steadfast in our resistance to a small local view of the world and can take in God in all and through this understanding meditate and worship.
