Chapter 8 Verse 17

Those who know the day of Brahma, which lasts a thousand Yugas, and the night, which also lasts a thousand Yugas, know day and night.

Core Meaning

This verse points out that one day of Brahma is unimaginably long — a thousand yuga ages — and his night is just as long. It describes the vast, repeating cycles of creation and rest in the universe.

Philosophically, knowing these cycles means seeing the world as temporary and rhythmic. When we truly grasp that rise and fall are natural and recurring, we stop treating every change as final or personal.

That knowledge brings inner balance. It helps a seeker stay calm amid success and failure, and to focus on what lasts — the deeper Self and steady right action — rather than short-lived pleasures or fears.

Life Application

• When you feel upset by a setback or elated by success, pause and remember the bigger cycle; this reduces impulsive reactions and helps you act wisely.
• Choose daily habits and values (kindness, honesty, discipline) that matter across time, not only what gives quick comfort.
• Practice a simple reflection each evening: consider one change you faced today and remind yourself it is part of a larger flow.

Reflection Question

How would my choices change if I saw today as one short moment inside a much larger cycle?