Gita 8.23
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिनः।
प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ।।
yatra kāle tv anāvṛttim āvṛttiṁ caiva yoginaḥ prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha
"I shall now tell you, O best of Bharatas, of the times at which yogis departing this world either return or do not return."
What This Means:
Krishna will explain the two paths of departure: one where yogis don't return (anavṛtti) and one where they do (avṛtti). The timing and circumstances of death affect the destination.
Going Deeper:
This isn't fatalism ('death at the wrong time ruins everything'). It's describing cosmic rhythms that affect the subtle body's journey. For the fully realized, these become irrelevant—but for others, they matter.
How To Apply This:
While interesting cosmology, don't obsess over 'dying at the right time.' Your lifelong practice matters more than exit circumstances. Trust that sincere devotion transcends these technicalities.
Key Sanskrit Terms:
Anāvṛtti= Non-returnĀvṛtti= ReturnKāla= Time, circumstances