शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते ।
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुनः ।। ८.२६ ।।
नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन ।
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन ।। ८.२७ ।।

śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hy-ete jagataḥ śāśvate mate |
ekayā yāty-anāvṛttim-anyayāvartate punaḥ || 8.26 ||
naite sṛtī pārtha jānan-yogī muhyati kaścana |
tasmāt-sarveṣu kāleṣu yoga-yukto bhavārjuna || 8.27 ||

Audio-BG-8.26

Audio-BG-8.27

Krishna, therefore, adds:

These bright and dark paths of the world are regarded as eternal. One takes the seeker to the Supreme and the other brings back the votary again and again to where he started. Knowing the truth about the two paths properly, the yogi does not get deluded. Therefore, O Arjuna, be given to yoga at all times. That will save you from all differential notions, and bestow deliverance.

The divergence in the two paths is something that will remain eternally. There will always be those who adopt the repetitive path, and a few others who prefer, like Nachiketas and Arjuna, the Imperishable, to gain the eternal release it bestows. That is why he has used the words sasvate mate. The six-month uttarayana or dakshinayana is not sasvata, eternal. They alternate like day and night. But the real uttarana (elevation) and pradakshina (coming back again and again) paths remain ever constant before man.

So what should one do? Krishna makes it clear: “Without awaiting any particular period of time, Arjuna, be ever dedicated to the non-dual, independently brilliant, path of yoga, in which all differences cease, and the one Imperishable alone reigns.” In fact, this is the message throughout the dialogue.