Gita 8.25
धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्।
तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते।।
dhūmo rātris tathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇ-māsā dakṣiṇāyanam tatra cāndramasaṁ jyotir yogī prāpya nivartate
"Smoke, night, the dark fortnight, the six months of the sun's southern journey—departing then, the yogi reaches the lunar light and returns."
What This Means:
The path of darkness (smoke, night, waning moon, southern solstice): departing during these, the yogi reaches the lunar realm but eventually returns to rebirth.
Going Deeper:
This path leads to temporary heavenly enjoyment (moon/lunar realm) but not final liberation. It's good—but not ultimate. Even yogis on this path must return when their merit exhausts.
How To Apply This:
Good karma leads to good results, but temporary ones. Heaven itself has an expiration date. Don't settle for temporary upgrades. Seek what doesn't expire.
Key Sanskrit Terms:
Dhūma= SmokeKṛṣṇa= Dark (fortnight)Dakṣiṇāyana= Southern journey of the sun