BG 8.24 (1972)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 24
- अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् ।
- तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः ॥२४॥
- agnir jyotir ahaḥ śuklaḥ
- ṣaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam
- tatra prayātā gacchanti
- brahma brahma-vido janāḥ
SYNONYMS
agniḥ—fire; jyotiḥ—light; ahaḥ—day; śuklaḥ—white; ṣaṭ-māsāḥ—six months; uttarāyaṇam—when the sun passes on the northern side; tatra—there; prayātāḥ—one who goes; gacchanti—passes away; brahma—the Absolute; brahma-vidaḥ—one who knows the Absolute; janāḥ—person.
TRANSLATION
Those who know the Supreme Brahman pass away from the world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious moment, during the fortnight of the moon and the six months when the sun travels in the north.
PURPORT
When fire, light, day and 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 jīva sets forth 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 brahmajyoti. 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 if not, then 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.