8.24 Fire, light, daytime, the birght forrnight, the six months of the Northern solstice-by following this Path, persons who are knowers of Brahman attain Brahman when they die.

8.24 Fire, light, daytime, the birght forrnight, the six months of the Northern solstice-by following this Path, persons who are knowers of Brahman attain Brahman when they die. 8.24 Fire, light daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path of the sun (the northern solstice) departing then (by these) men who know Brahman go to Brahman. 8.24 Agnih, fire-is a deity presiding over a period of time; similarly, jyotih, light-also is a deity presiding over a period of time. Or fire and light are the well-known Vedic deities. As the expression 'mango grove' is used with regard to a place where mango trees are more numerous, similarly, the expressions 'at which time' and 'that time' (in the earlier verse) are used in view of the predominance (of the deities presiding over time). [If the first two (fire and light) are taken as Vedic deities, then the remaining three are the only deities of time. Still, the latter being numerically greater, all the five deities are referred to as deities of time. The deities of both the Paths-of gods and manes, or of the Northern and the Southern Paths as they are called-who are gods of time, are referred to here as 'time' by such words as day, fortnight, six months, etc.] So also, ahah, daytime, means the deity of daytime. Suklah, the bright fortnight, implies the deity presiding over the bright fortnight. Sanmasah uttarayanam, the six months of the Northern solstice-here, too, is understood the deity presiding over the Path. This is the principle (of interpretation followed elsewhere (in the Upanisads also). Tatra, following this Path; janah, persons; who are brahma-vidah, knowers of Brahman, those engaged in meditation on (the alified) Brahman; gacchanti, attain; brahma, Brahman; prayatah, when they die. It is understood that they attain Brahman through stages. Indeed, according to the Upanisadic text, 'His vital forces do not depart' (Br. 4.4.46), there is neither going nor coming back for those established in full realization, who are fit for immediate Liberation. Having their organs merged in Brahman, they are suffused with Brahman, they are verily identified with Brahman.

।।8.24।। जिस मार्गमें प्रकाशस्वरूप अग्निका अधिपति देवता, दिनका अधिपति देवता, शुक्लपक्षका अधिपति देवता, और छः महीनोंवाले उत्तरायणका अधिपति देवता है, शरीर छोड़कर उस मार्गसे गये हुए ब्रह्मवेत्ता पुरुष (पहले ब्रह्मलोकको प्राप्त होकर पीछे ब्रह्माजीके साथ) ब्रह्मको प्राप्त हो जाते हैं।

।।8.24।। व्याख्या--'अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्'--इस भूमण्डलपर शुक्लमार्गमें सबसे पहले अग्निदेवताका अधिकार रहता है। अग्नि रात्रिमें प्रकाश करती है, दिनमें नहीं; क्योंकि दिनके प्रकाशकी अपेक्षा अग्निका प्रकाश सीमित है। अतः अग्निका प्रकाश थोड़ी दूरतक (थोड़े देशमें) तथा थोड़े समयतक रहता है; और दिनका प्रकाश बहुत दूरतक तथा बहुत समयतक रहता है।   शुक्लपक्ष पंद्रह दिनोंका होता है, जो कि पितरोंकी एक रात है। इस शुक्लपक्षका प्रकाश आकाशमें बहुत दूरतक और बहुत दिनोंतक रहता है। इसी तरहसे जब सूर्य भगवान् उत्तरकी तरफ चलते हैं, तब उसको उत्तरायण कहते हैं, जिसमें दिनका समय बढ़ता है। वह उत्तरायण छः महीनोंका होता है, जो कि देवताओंका एक दिन है। उस उत्तरायण प्रकाश बहुत दूरतक और बहुत समयतक रहता है।     'तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः'-- जो शुक्लमार्गमें अर्थात् प्रकाशकी बहुलतावाले मार्गमें जानेवाले हैं, वे सबसे पहले ज्योतिःस्वरूप अग्निदेवताके अधिकारमें आते हैं। जहाँतक अग्निदेवताका अधिकार है, वहाँसे पार कराकर अग्निदेवता उन जीवोंको दिनके देवताको सौंप देता है। दिनका देवता उन जीवोंको अपने अधिकारतक ले जाकर शुक्लपक्षके अधिपति देवताके समर्पित कर देता है। वह शुक्लपक्षका अधिपति देवता अपनी सीमाको पार कराकर उन जीवोंको उत्तरायणके अधिपति देवताके सुपुर्द कर देता है। फिर वह उत्तरायणका अधिपति देवता उनको ब्रह्मलोकके अधिकारी देवताके समर्पित कर देता है। इस प्रकार वे क्रमपूर्वक ब्रह्मलोकमें पहुँच जाते हैं। ब्रह्माजीकी आयुतक वे वहाँ रहकर महाप्रलयमें ब्रह्माजीके साथ ही मुक्त हो जाते हैं--सच्चिदानन्दघन परमात्माको प्राप्त हो जाते हैं।     यहाँ 'ब्रह्मविदः' पद परमात्माको परोक्षरूपसे जाननेवाले मनुष्योंका वाचक है, अपरोक्षरूपसे अनुभव करनेवाले,ब्रह्मज्ञानियोंका नहीं। कारण कि अगर वे अपरोक्ष ब्रह्मज्ञानी होते, तो यहाँ ही मुक्त (सद्योमुक्त या जीवन्मुक्त) हो जाते और उनको ब्रह्मलोकमें जाना नहीं पड़ता।  सम्बन्ध--अब आगेके श्लोकमें कृष्णमार्गका अर्थात् लौटकर आनेवालोंके मार्गका वर्णन करते हैं।

Those who know the Supreme Brahman attain that Supreme by passing away from the world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious moment of the day, during the fortnight of the waxing moon, or during the six months when the sun travels in the north.

When fire, light, day and the fortnight of the moon are mentioned, it is to be understood that over all of them there are various presiding deities who make arrangements for the passage of the soul. At the time of death, the mind carries one on the path to a new life. If one leaves the body at the time designated above, either accidentally or by arrangement, it is possible for him to attain the impersonal brahma-jyotir. Mystics who are advanced in yoga practice can arrange the time and place to leave the body. Others have no control – if by accident they leave at an auspicious moment, then they will not return to the cycle of birth and death, but otherwise there is every possibility that they will have to return. However, for the pure devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no fear of returning, whether he leaves the body at an auspicious or inauspicious moment, by accident or arrangement.