TEXT 25
The mystic who passes away from this world during the smoke, the night, the moonlight fortnight, or in the six months when the sun passes to the south, or who reaches the moon planet, again comes back.
PURPORT
A perfect mystic leaves the body at his will at an auspicious time; others who have realized Brahman but are not so perfect, leave the body for good luck. Leaving the body when the cycle of all universal processes is in a positive phase, the mystic remains in Brahman forever; and leaving the body when the influence of dark forces grows, the mystic reaches Brahman, but then falls again. To put it bluntly: when the next cycle of universal processes declines, it is virtually impossible to enter Brahman with the help of ordinary yoga, and having come into contact with the eternal radiance, the mystic falls down again.
Some mystics cannot reach Brahman and, as a side effect, reach the Moon, live there their time and then also fall back. The Moon is a reflection of the Sun, therefore all who aspire to Brahman but are not perfect enough reach the Moon as one of the forms of the reflected Brahman. In fact, all of this indicates that the mystics initially choose the wrong goal. Instead of striving for God, for the true Sun, they all strive only for the sunlight, for Brahman; or Brahman is considered even lower as a reflection of the sunlight, in this case personified by the Moon.
The entire material world is created by God and for the convenience of cognition, all categories in it are arranged in a harmonious order from giant to more local. The alternation of day and night echoes the struggle of light and dark forces, good and evil. Having begun to comprehend the world with the concepts of good and evil, light and darkness, truth and ignorance, a person can gradually improve by deepening his knowledge. The creation and destruction of the universe is cyclical and calculated over a huge period of time; within the universe, all processes are also cyclical, although they are more local in time. They repeat the main giant cycle, representing its miniature which gives us help in the development of knowledge. The universe is created and destroyed and this basic law is further manifested at all lower levels, so any developed being - human, demigod or demon - can observe all the basic universe processes in miniature and develop spiritual knowledge. Scientists who looking at this completely harmonious world and say that everything arose by chance, are essentially insane.
As for life on the Moon, the Moon is a heavenly planet where, like on the Sun, life exists on the basis of fire or light. Earthly life is also formed by sunlight and moonlight, but light here is mainly transformed into bodies consisting of gross elements - earth and water. Earthly life in this sense is much lower than life on the Sun or the Moon. Bodies based on water and earth are short-lived and more susceptible to diseases and destruction, in contrast to the bodies of more highly developed beings. At the top of the world there are knowledge, intelligence and bodies are formed on the basis of intelligence, the body of Brahma for example; lower there are bodies formed on the basis of, respectively, ether, air, fire, water, and earth (space, gaseous state of matter, light, liquid state of matter and solid), moreover the bodies formed on the basis of each subsequent element are more and more lower quality.
People form desires on the basis of senses and mind, but then, embodying them in gross matter, they experience only disappointment. The demigods do not associate with gross matter, therefore their senses and mind are much stronger and they experience happiness of a much higher order than humans. Materialist thinks that everything have to be embodied in matter, while transcendentalist minimizes the use of gross matter, thereby making his life easier in all respects. Materialists think that the basis of life is gross elements while in reality everything is exactly the opposite: it is senses, mind, and intelligence that are the true basis of life and a superior force, in contrast to inert matter.
Seeing material forms, the materialists are fascinated by them and want to possess them, but the demigods live above gross matter and enjoy all kinds of relationships and knowledge without connection with gross matter. Ascending, a person develops consciousness, and the developed consciousness leads him to higher levels of life. Those who are attached to gross matter will suffer and fall lower and lower. These are elementary facts and rules that are not difficult to understand.
The Sun is a higher planet than the Moon; the light of the Sun is bright and contains all kinds of forms and pleasures; the Moon is lower and although there are also all forms and pleasures, but they are less intense. In fact, life on the Moon is more blessed than life on the Sun, because sense happiness is lower there; the same applies to Earth life where sense happiness is even lower, which is favorable for spiritual practice. On planets below the Earth, there is even less happiness, but the accompanying sufferings creates more and more difficulties which is not always favorable. Also, the lower the planet, the stronger demonic tendencies there, earthly life in this sense is the most balanced. Although in an absolute sense, one can develop spiritually, of course, in any place, even on the Sun, even on the Moon or in demonic worlds.
It is said that on the Moon there is a heavenly drink soma-rasa. The one who drinks it feels heavenly bliss. Here, people drink alcohol which chemically dulls consciousness, slows down the mind for a while, which allows them to experience happiness. But if a person controls the mind even a little, he will eventually get the same feeling of happiness only without killing the body and consciousness. Happiness in any case comes from the soul, from the senses, alcohol itself can not give happiness, it only mechanically affects the mind. Any material pleasure is always just an echo of Brahman. Therefore, when a person ascends to the level of Brahman and even higher, he loses interest in the material world.
TEXT 26
According to the Vedas, there are two ways of passing from this world—one in light and one in darkness. When one passes in light, he does not come back; but when one passes in darkness, he returns.
PURPORT
Wherever the soul is born in the material world, it is all the the continuation of sufferings. People do not have enough of broad-mindedness to stop deal with small things and find dependence on God by developing knowledge and devotion. Materialists have no rest neither day nor night.
In this verse, passing from the material world basically means as the conscious leaving the body through the yoga process, not death from natural causes. Ordinary people live as long as they can, while advanced mystics leave the body at their will at an auspicious time. This is only for those who realize impersonal Brahman, because devotees, realizing God, reach Him regardless of the external conditions of leaving the body, as described in the next verse.
TEXT 27
The devotees who know these two paths, O Arjuna, are never bewildered. Therefore be always fixed in devotion.
PURPORT
God is the source of everything and the head of everything, so naturally His devotee does not have to worry about anything. This, of course, is not a reason to behave at random, everything must be approached responsibly. Any selfish activity under the guise of any religion will have consequences.
The eighth chapter comes to an end. Basically, almost all the main things necessary for spiritual development have already been given. In the first place there are knowledge and renunciation of the results of all types of activities - it is a reliable foundation for spiritual life. As for spontaneous devotion, it is difficult to imagine its development without preaching. With the help of sādhana (regulated service to God), a person can elevate to the level of Brahman, further realize the greatness of God. Most religions are in this phase. While a person is busy with personal welfare, it will be difficult for him to practice spiritual life, therefore, almost all religions are at the level of arcanā - the temple worship for neophytes.
If a person has not yet accepted the principle of preaching, his spiritual ascent will be very delayed, it will take a long time. Without preaching, people scatter their consciousness into hundreds of things never achieving happiness, and they have to accumulate piety for a long time for something more essential. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam calls it kaitava-dharma ("kaitava" - the way of deception, "dharma" - religion), it means religion for material purposes.
"Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth..." (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 1.1.2).
One way or another, our Bhagavad-gītā is written for potential and real preachers, for those who are looking for the essence. Further we will continue the commentary, where we will talk about God and the qualities of material nature.
TEXT 28
A person who accepts the path of devotional service is not bereft of the results derived from studying the Vedas, performing austere sacrifices, giving charity or pursuing philosophical and fruitive activities. At the end he reaches the supreme abode.
PURPORT
All Vedic systems, including the varṇāśrama system, cannot be widely applied in society for quite a long time, so a devotee should follow the main path - bhāgavata-marg (the path of developing knowledge and preaching), without worrying too much about external rules and rituals. Śrīla Prabhupāda compiled books for ten thousand years and until the end of the age of Kali; they are addressed to all categories of people, including those who are going to live here for about the same time. But we give a commentary for those who are going to develop in the short term and achieve something significant in one life.
Śrīla Prabhupāda does not approve of comments about direct relationships (sambhoga), but for general enthusiasm and for serious preachers, indulgence is made, so sometimes we include some clarifications on this topic. Gradually giving himself, a person can gain a lot. Having attained God, one will receive much more than by observing all the Vedic or other rituals, austerities, and precepts taken together.