Quiz · 8.23–8.28

Dual. Two paths. gati (गति) makes its nominative dual as gatī (गती), with long ī (ई). śuklakṛṣṇe (शुक्लकृष्णे) names them, the bright and the dark. That e (ए) is the dual of an a (अ)-stem. It is the same number as gatī (गती), not a different case you should force onto the i (इ)-stem.

हि + एते hi + ete is hy ete (ह्येते), because इ + ए i + e becomes ye (ये). अन्यया + आवर्तते anyayā + āvartate is anyayāvartate (अन्ययावर्तते), because आ + आ ā + ā becomes ā (आ). The verb under that long ā (आ) is still āvartate (आवर्तते), "he returns."

Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern course: departing there, people who know brahman (ब्रह्म) go to brahman (ब्रह्म).

Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) declares the time he has just promised, the time at which yogins who have departed go to non-return, and the time at which they go to return. Two paths lead out. Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, and the northern course go to brahman (ब्रह्म). Smoke, night, the dark fortnight, and the southern course reach the moon's light and return. Knowing both, the yogin is not confused, so at all times he is to be yoked. Knowing this, he passes beyond the fruit assigned in the Vedas, in sacrifices, in austerities, and in gifts, and goes to the supreme primal place.

agniḥ jyotiḥ ahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsāḥ uttarāyaṇam (अग्निः ज्योतिः अहः शुक्लः षण्मासाः उत्तरायणम्), then dhūmaḥ rātriḥ kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇmāsāḥ dakṣiṇāyanam (धूमः रात्रिः कृष्णः षण्मासाः दक्षिणायनम्). The sitting fails if uttarāyaṇam (उत्तरायणम्) is paired with dhūmaḥ (धूमः), or dakṣiṇāyanam (दक्षिणायनम्) with agniḥ (अग्निः).