Bhagavad Gita 8.17

Akshara Brahma Yoga · English Translation

Those people who know the day of Brahma which is of a duration of a thousand Yugas (ages) and the night which is also of a thousand Yugas duration, they know day and night.

Sanskrit

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद् ब्रह्मणो विदुः | रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः ||८-१७||

Transliteration

sahasrayugaparyantamaharyad brahmaṇo viduḥ . rātriṃ yugasahasrāntāṃ te.ahorātravido janāḥ ||8-17||

What Does This Verse Mean?

In this verse, Lord Krishna explains the vast scale of time to Arjuna by comparing a single day and night of Brahma (the cosmic creator) to thousands of human ages called Yugas. He teaches that while our personal lives feel long, they are merely tiny fractions within an immense divine timeline. The key teaching is that recognizing this perspective helps us understand the imperishable nature of reality beyond temporary worldly events.

The Teaching Behind It

This verse belongs primarily to Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge) and Sankhya philosophy by distinguishing between the perishable material world and the imperishable reality. It develops the concept of 'Kala' (time) as a relative measure, illustrating that finite human existence is insignificant compared to the infinite cycles of creation and dissolution governed by Brahman.

Word by Word

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तम् ending in a thousand Yugas (ages), अहः day, यत् which, ब्रह्मणः of Brahma, विदुः know, रात्रिम् the night, युगसहस्रान्ताम् ending in a thousand Yugas (ages), ते they, अहोरात्रविदः knowers of day and night, जनाः people

Classical Commentary

Day means evolution or projection or manifestation of the universe. Night means involution of the universe or Pralaya. The worlds are limited or conditioned in time. Therefore they return again. The world of Brahma (Brahmaloka or Sattyaloka) is also transient, although it lasts for a thousand ages. When the four great Yugas have gone round a thousan times, it make a daytime of Brahma and when an eal number of Yugas pass again it makes a night. Those who can see and live through the day and night of Brahma can really know what is a day and what is a night. The Suryasiddhanta speaks of the same division of time. According to it YearsKaliyuga (with its Sandhya andSandhyamsa) consists of 432?000Dvapara Yuga (do) 864?000Tretayuga (do) 1?296?000Kritayuga (do) 1?728?000Thus a Mahayuga consisting ofthese four Yugas comprises 4?320?00071 such Mahayugas with an additionalSandhya, at the close of 1?728?000years make one Manvantara of 308?448?00014 such Manvantaras with anotherSandhya, at the close of 1?728?000years constitute one Kalpa of 4?320?000?000Two Kalpas make a day and nightof Brahma of 8?640?000?000360 such days and nights make oneyear of Brahma consisting of 3?110?400?000?000100 such years constituteHis lifetime of 311?040?000?000?000The world is absorbed in the Avyakta or the Unmanifested or Mulaprakriti during the cosmic Pralaya (involution of the world). Just as the tree remains in a latent state in the seed, so also this whole universe remains in a latent state in a seedform in the Mulaprakriti during Pralaya. This is the night of Brahma. This is the cosmic night. Again the world is projected at the beginning of the Mahakalpa (evolution). There comes the cosmic dawn or cosmic day. This eternal rhythm of cosmic day and night (evolution and involution) is kept up in the macrocosm. Nothing that comes under this everrevolving wheel of cosmic day and night lasts for ever. That is the reason why the seers of the Upanishads, the sages of yore, lived in the transcendental Supreme being, the imperishable Self, the indestructible Purusha, the supreme goal of life, the highest end of man, which is beyond the cosmic day and night. Just as the seeds that are fried can hardly germinate, so also those who have attained to the imperishable Brahman, the Absolute, the Eternal, cannot return to this world of sorrow, pain and misery. They know neither day nor night. They are one with Existence Absolute. The manifested and the unmanifested dwell in Brahman. Brahman is beyond the manifested and the unmanifested. When the world and the body are destroyed Brahman is not destroyed. The waves come out and subside, but the ocean remains unaffected. So also the worlds come and subside, but Brahman the source of everything, the source of Mulaprakriti, ever remains unaffected. Just as ornaments come out of gold and then go back to gold when they are melted, so also all the worlds come out of Brahman and go back to Brahman. Gold is in no way affected by the various forms such as earning, bracelets, anklets, etc., that have been made of it. Even so Brahman is not in the least affected by the projection and destruction (dissolution) of the worlds and the bodies of beings. It remains always as It is.

Where This Happens

This verse occurs in Chapter 8 during the dialogue on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, where Krishna has just begun explaining the path to reach Him after death. Arjuna is overwhelmed by the confusion regarding the nature of Brahman and what happens at the moment of death, seeking clarity from his charioteer who reveals divine knowledge. The context sets a tone of deep philosophical inquiry amidst the tension of an impending war, aiming to shift focus from immediate battle anxiety to eternal truths.

Living It Out Today

When you face a high-stakes work crisis or a family conflict that feels all-consuming and permanent, remember this verse's perspective on time. Realizing that even massive cosmic events are just fleeting moments for the divine can help calm your anxiety about specific outcomes today. Instead of letting fear paralyze you during a hard decision, use this view to act with clarity, knowing that every situation is temporary within the grand flow of life.

Explained for Children

Imagine if one day for a giant in space was as long as all the years you have ever lived plus thousands more days, and their night was just as long! That's what 'one day' means to Brahma. Just like we feel tiny compared to mountains or oceans, our whole life is very small when looking at how big time really is for God. Knowing this helps us realize that even scary problems will pass because they are part of a much bigger picture.

Daily Reflection

In our rush to solve today's problems, we often forget how small our timeline truly is compared to the cosmic cycles of creation and dissolution. When you feel overwhelmed by time slipping away or circumstances shifting too quickly, remember that even a single day for the universe spans eons for us. This perspective does not make your struggles meaningless; rather, it places them in a context where they are part of a sacred, rhythmic dance.

A Practice for Today

Sit quietly and imagine time not as a linear line, but as the rhythmic breathing of the Divine—a thousand ages inhaling into existence and exhaling back into silence. Let this vastness dissolve your immediate anxieties, reminding you that every moment is held within an eternity of peace.

Key Teachings

The Scale of Cosmic Time
A single day or night for the Supreme Being (Brahma) encompasses four thousand Yugas, illustrating that human perception of time is infinitesimally small compared to divine reality. This teaching invites us to shift from a frantic grasp on temporal duration to a reverence for eternal presence.
The Rhythm of Manifestation
Creation and dissolution are not chaotic events but structured phases, with the day representing expansion and the night representing withdrawal into potentiality. Understanding this rhythm helps us accept both periods of activity and rest as necessary parts of a single divine whole.
True Knowledge is Perspective
The verse defines 'knowing' not merely as intellectual facts, but as the ability to see one's life within the grand sweep of cosmic cycles. To truly know day and night is to realize that our individual struggles are transient moments in an imperishable reality.

Themes

Time and EternityThe Nature of RealityDivine ScaleImperishable SelfCosmic CyclesDetachment from Results

Related Verses

2.16 8.20 9.7 15.1

Read This Next

2.16 — This verse complements Chapter 8 by contrasting what is real (the imperishable) versus what is unreal (the transient), reinforcing the theme of cosmic time.
3.5 — It explains why even wise people are driven to action, providing context for how one should behave within these vast cycles described in 8.17.
12.4 — This verse guides the practitioner on how to meditate upon that formless, imperishable reality which underlies all time and space mentioned earlier.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is the duration of one day for Brahma?

One day (or 'day') for Brahma lasts four billion human years, which consists of 1000 Mahayugas. The night of Brahma is equally long, also lasting a thousand Yuga cycles before dawn returns.

Why does Krishna mention such huge numbers to Arjuna?

Krishna uses these immense numbers to help Arjuna realize that human life and its worries are extremely small compared to the eternal divine timeline. This perspective is meant to reduce attachment to temporary outcomes and foster a sense of peace.

How does knowing this help with modern stress?

Understanding that even cosmic cycles change helps us see our personal crises as passing phases rather than permanent states of being. This realization allows one to face challenges with equanimity, knowing that every difficult period eventually gives way to a new beginning.

In Other Languages: Bhagavad Gita 8.17 →