Shloka 25
विभूति-योगः (Vibhūti-yoga) — Exemplary Manifestations as a Contemplative Index
धूमो3 रात्रिस्तथारं कृष्ण:5 षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम्ईः | तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते,जिस मार्गमें धूमाभिमानी देवता है, रात्रि-अभिमानी देवता है तथा कृष्णपक्षका अभिमानी देवता है और दक्षिणायनके छ: महीनोंका अभिमानी देवता है, उस मार्गमें मरकर गया हुआ सकाम कर्म करनेवाला योगीः उपर्युक्त देवताओंद्वारा क्रमसे ले गया हुआ चन्द्रमाकी ज्योतिकोः प्राप्त होकर स्वर्गमें अपने शुभकर्मोका फल भोगकर वापस आता है?
dhūmo rātris tathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇmāsā dakṣiṇāyanam | tatra cāndramasaṃ jyotir yogī prāpya nivartate ||
Arjuna said: The path marked by smoke, by night, by the dark fortnight, and by the six months of the sun’s southern course—following that route, a yogin who acts with desire (seeking results) attains the lunar radiance; having enjoyed the fruits of meritorious deeds in the heavenly realm, he returns again (to mortal existence).
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Two broad post-mortem trajectories are implied: one leading to a temporary heavenly attainment (the lunar radiance) and eventual return, and another (contrasted in nearby verses) leading beyond return. Here the emphasis is that desire-driven merit yields finite results; when the merit is spent, the soul returns to embodied life.
Arjuna is describing a cosmological-ethical map of outcomes after death. He lists the markers of the ‘smoke/night/dark fortnight/southern course’ route and states that a yogin who still seeks results reaches the lunar realm, enjoys heavenly fruits, and then returns to the world.