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Bhagavad-gītā 8.24

अग्न‍िर्ज्योतिरह: शुक्ल‍ः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् । तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जना: ॥ २४ ॥
agnir jyotir ahaḥ śuklaḥ
[agnir jyotir ahah shuklah]
ṣaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam
[shan-maasaa uttaraayanam]
tatra prayātā gacchanti
[tatra prayaataa gachchanti]
brahma brahma-vido janāḥ
[brahma brahma-vido janaah]
Word-for-word
agniḥ — fire jyotiḥ — light ahaḥ — day śuklaḥ — the white fortnight ṣaṭ - māsāḥ — the six months uttara - ayanam — when the sun passes on the northern side tatra — there prayātāḥ — those who pass away gacchanti — go brahma — to the Absolute brahma - vidaḥ — who know the Absolute janāḥ — persons .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
agnir jyotir ahaḥ śuklaḥ
agniḥ
fire
jyotiḥ
light
ahaḥ
day
śuklaḥ
the white fortnight
ṣaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam
ṣaṭ - māsāḥ
the six months
uttara - ayanam
when the sun passes on the northern side
tatra prayātā gacchanti
tatra
there
prayātāḥ
those who pass away
gacchanti
go
brahma brahma-vido janāḥ
brahma
to the Absolute
brahma - vidaḥ
who know the Absolute
janāḥ
persons .
Important Words
  • agniḥ — fire
    The first item on the chart of bright signs. Agni is the Vedic god of fire, the visible deity of sacrifice. To die in fire-presence — or fire-presiding time — is a sign of bright passage. The Vedic cosmology is precise about which agencies preside over which transits.
  • jyotiḥ — light
    From jyut — to shine. Light as such — the luminous register. Paired with agni in the verse, these two name the bright domain: visible fire, luminous medium. The departure conditioned by light leads to Brahman.
  • ahaḥ — day
    Daytime — the sun's manifest phase. Same word as in 8.17 (Brahmā's day), here scaled down to the human day. The correspondence across scales is the verse's working principle: micro and macro share signs.
  • śuklaḥ — the white fortnight
    Śukla — bright, white. Names the waxing fortnight of the moon (śukla-pakṣa), when the moon is growing toward fullness. The lunar phase is treated as a real factor in the soul's departure — the cosmos is participatory, not indifferent.
  • ṣaṭ - māsāḥ uttara - ayanam — the six months when the sun passes on the northern side
    Ṣaṭ (six) + māsa (month) + uttara (northern) + ayana (course, going). Uttarāyaṇa — the sun's northward course, roughly winter solstice to summer solstice. The same period for which Bhīṣma waited on his bed of arrows.
  • brahma — to the Absolute
    The Absolute as destination. Note: in this verse, the bright-signs-departure leads to brahma, not to Kṛṣṇa-loka. The chapter's structure distinguishes liberation-to-Brahman from arrival-at-Kṛṣṇa's-abode — the latter requires bhakti specifically (8.22).
  • brahma - vidaḥ — who know the Absolute
    Brahma-knowers — those who know Brahman. A specific category of practitioner. They depart in bright signs and attain Brahman. The verse correlates knower-type with destination-type — not all yogis are aiming at the same place.
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.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
The bright path — devayāna — listed in five elements: fire-deity, light, day, bright fortnight, uttarāyaṇa half-year. Those who quit the body in such an 'illumined' time and such an illumined state, knowers of Brahman, go to Brahman.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The list maps the Chāndogya 5.10.1-2 devayāna sequence (arcis → ahaḥ → śuklapakṣa → uttarāyaṇa → samvatsara → Brahmaloka) almost verbatim, telescoped into one śloka. Each term is doubly meant: a calendric marker, and a quality of mind (jyotis as the inner light, uttarāyaṇa as upward turn). Hence Bhīṣma's choice to die during uttarāyaṇa.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
अग्निः, ज्योतिः, अहः, शुक्लः [पक्षः], उत्तरायणम् षण्-मासाः — तत्र प्रयाताः ब्रह्म-विदः जनाः ब्रह्म गच्छन्ति।
agniḥ, jyotiḥ, ahaḥ, śuklaḥ [pakṣaḥ], uttarāyaṇam ṣaṇ-māsāḥ — tatra prayātāḥ brahma-vidaḥ janāḥ brahma gacchanti|
Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern course — those knowers of Brahman who depart at these go to Brahman.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
अग्निः ज्योतिः अहः शुक्लः षण्-मासाः उत्तरायणम् । तत्र प्रयाताः गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्म-विदः जनाः ॥
agniḥ jyotiḥ ahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇ-māsāḥ uttarāyaṇam | tatra prayātāḥ gacchanti brahma brahma-vidaḥ janāḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
अग्निः agniḥ अग्नि (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) fire
ज्योतिः jyotiḥ ज्योतिस् (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) light
अहः ahaḥ अहन् (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) day
शुक्लः śuklaḥ शुक्ल (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., scil. 'pakṣa' bright (fortnight)
षण्-मासाः ṣaṇ-māsāḥ षष् (num.) + मास (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural), dvigu cpd. (compound) six months
उत्तरायणम् uttarāyaṇam उत्तर (adj.) + अयन (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) 'northern course' northward course (of the sun)
तत्र tatra ind. (indeclinable) there, then
प्रयाताः prayātāḥ प्र + √या p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. those who have departed
गच्छन्ति gacchanti √गम् pres. (present) 3pl.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) they go
ब्रह्म brahma ब्रह्मन् (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) to Brahman
ब्रह्म-विदः brahma-vidaḥ ब्रह्मन् + विद् (agent-noun) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) knowers of Brahman
जनाः janāḥ जन (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural) persons
Purport

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.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
24. The knowers of Brahman (jñānīs) who depart on the path of fire and light, the waxing fortnight, and the northern progress of the sun attain Brahman.
Commentary

He speaks in this verse about the path of no return. The words agnir jyotir (fire and light) indicate the presiding deity of the sun according to the śruti statement te ‘rcisam abhisambhavanti: they go to the sun planet. Aha indicates the deity of the day, and śukla indicates the deity of the fortnight of the waxing moon. The six months of uttarāyaṇa means the deity who presides over the uttarāyaṇa. The jñānīs (brahma vidaḥ) who go on the path of these devatās attain Brahman. As the śruti says: te ’rciṣam abhi sambhavanti arciṣo ’rahna āpūryamāṇa-pakṣam āpūryamāṇa-pakṣād yān ṣaṇ-māsānudaṅṅāditya eti mālebhyo deva-lokam

They reach the deity of fire. From there they go to the deity of the day, from there to the deity of the waxing fortnight, and from there to the uttarāyaṇa deity. Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.10.2

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
24. The knowers of brahman who depart on the path of fire and light, the waxing fortnight, and the northern progress of the sun attain brahman.
Commentary

This verse speaks of the path of no return. The two words agni and jyoti indicate the presiding devatā of light, which is mentioned in the śrutis. Ahaḥ means the deity of the day. Śukla means the deity of the waxing fortnight. Ṣaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam means the presiding deity of the six months leading up to the summer solstice. Understood here are also other deities such as the presiding deity of the year. Chāndogya Upaniṣad says: atha yad u caivāsmin śavyaṁ kurvanti yadi ca nārciṣam evābhisaṁbhavanty arciṣo’haraha āpūryamāṇa-pakṣam āpūryamāṇa-pakṣādyān ṣaḍ-udaṇṇeti māsāṁs tān māsebhyaḥ saṁvatsaraṁ saṁvatsarād ādityam ādityāc candramasaṁ candramaso vidyutaṁ tat puruṣo’mānavaḥ sa enān brahma gamayaty eṣa deva-patho brahma-patha etena pratipadyamānā imaṁ mānavam āvartaṁ nāvartanta iti On dying, such persons, whether they undergo cremation rites or not, go to the deity of light. From the deity of light, they go the deity of the day. From the deity of the day they go the deity of the waxing fortnight. From the deity of the waxing fortnight they go the deity of the six months leading to the summer solstice. From there they go to the deity of the year. From the deity of the year, they go to the deity of the sun, then the deity of the moon, and then the deity of lightning. A non-human form takes them to brahman. This is the path of the devas, the path of brahman. Those who go by this path do not return to repeated human birth. Chāndogya Upaniṣad 4.15.5 The meaning is this. When persons who worship brahman situated in the eye die (asmin), whether their sons or disciples perform cremation rites (śabyam) or not, in either case, because of their uninterrupted worship, those worshippers go to their object of worship by means of the deities starting with the deity of the light. The rest is clear. Between the deity of the year and the deity of the sun the deity of air should also be inserted. Following the deity of lightning, there should be inserted the deity of water, Indra, and Brahmā. From other śrutis these details of the path are understood. The non-human mentioned in the verse refers to an eternal associate of the Supreme Lord. The writer of Vedānta has also mentioned these deities. ātivāhikās tal-liṅgāt: the words such as “light” refer to the names of the conducting deities, since this is indicated later in the text of the non-human who leads them to brahman. (Vedānta Sūtra 4.3.4) Therefore the devotees go to the Lord by the path served by twelve devatās (light, day, waxing fortnight, six months leading to the summer solstice, year, air, sun, moon, lightning, water, Indra, Brahmā) who are following the orders of the Lord. They do not return to the material world. The commentators have said: arcir dina-sita-pakṣair ihottarāyaṇa-śaran-marud-ravibhiḥ vidhu-vidyud-varuṇendra-druhiṇaiś cāgāt padaṁ harer muktaḥ The liberated soul goes to the Lord through the light, the day, the waxing fortnight, the solstice, the year, air, the sun, the moon, lightning, water, Indra and Brahmā.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

For one who is practicing jnana‑yoga, he has to deal with the precising deity of the fire, smoke and time. This is like a 'mechanical' way to attain Brahman, which is divided into different segments. When one leaves by this method, the fire‑god takes him to a certain place and hands him over to the next demigod and like that he is passed on until he reaches Brahman through one demigod to another. This is the fruit of jnana‑yoga. Next is for the karma‑kandi.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: These verses mention different ways to leave the body and thus achieving different

destination.

Devotees don’t worry about proper time to leave the body, but leave everything in Krishna’s hands and become fixed in devotion. This is because:
Krishna takes care and gives protection
Devotional service gives results of all other practices

WAYS OF LEAVING THE BODY

1. Path:

In light, influence of fiery God, auspicious moment of day,

Fort night of waxing moon, or 6 months when sun travels to north (8.24)

For whom:

Path of yogis and Jnanis

Destination:

Brahmajyoti

2. Path:

In darkness/night, during smoke, fortnight of waning moon or 6 months when sun

passes to south reaches the moon and again comes back (8.25)

For whom:

Path of Karma-kandis

Destination:

Attain heavenly planets, and then return to earth

3. Path:

At any time (8.27)

For whom:

Path of unalloyed devotees

Destination:

Krishna-loka

Focus of Learning

(a) Can a yogi choose time of leaving – an expert yogi can choose;

If not expert in choosing, then it depends upon accident or destiny

(b) Kala – refers to presiding deity of time

(c) Travel to moon planet

Eligibility – one expert in fruitive acts/sacrificial methods
Ref. Kapildev in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3
Life duration – 10,000 years (demigod calculation)
Engagement – soma rasa and other pleasures
Fate – when credits finished, one return to earth

(d) Yoga-yukta – implies to engage constantly in Krishna Consciousness in all the activities.

Example – Rupa goswami’s yukta vairagya
Devotee does not worry about different paths and is undisturbed (8.27), because...
Firmly established in Krishna Consciousness and chant Hare Krishna
Best way to absorb – dovetail in the service of Krishna
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
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.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
8.23 - 8.24 Here, the term 'time' denotes a path, having many deities beginning with day and ending with year. The deities preside over divisions of time. The meaning is - I declare to you the path departing in which Yogins do not return and also the path departing in which the doers of good actions return. By the clause, 'Light in the form of fire, the day, bright fortnight, six months of the northern course,' year also is denoted.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
8.24 See Comment under 8.25
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
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.
Commentary

8.24 अग्निः fire? ज्योतिः light? अहः day? शुक्लः the bright fortnight? षण्मासाः six months? उत्तरायणम् the northern path of the sun? तत्र there? प्रयाताः departed? गच्छन्ति go? ब्रह्म to Brahman? ब्रह्मविदः knowers of Brahman? जनाः people.Commentary This is the UttaraMarga or Devayana? the northern path or the path of light? by which the Yogis go to Brahman. This path leads to salvation. It takes the devotee to Brahmaloka. The six months of the northern solstice is from the middle of January to the middle of July. It is regarded as the better period for death. There is a vivid description in the Chhandogya Upanishad? the Kaushitaki Upanishad and the Brahma Sutras? chapter IV.3 and 4? ii. 18 and 21.On the road beginning with light (the departed soul proceeds)? on account of that being widely known.Having reached the path of the gods he comes to the world of Agni (fire)? to the world of Vayu (air)? to the world of Varuna (rain)? to the world of Indra (king of the gods)? to the world of Prajapati (the Creator)? to the world of Brahman.They go to the light? from the light to day? from day to the waxing half of the moon? from the waxing half of the moon to the six months when the sun goes to the north? from those months to the year? from the year to the sun.When the person goes away from this world he comes to Vayu (air). Then Vayu room for him like the hole of a wheel and through it he mounts higher. He comes to the sun.From the moon to the lightning there a person that is not human leads him to Brahman.Time is here used in the sense of the path or the stage on the path. Fire and light are the deities who preside over time. Daytime is the deity who presides over the day. The bright fortnight is the deity presiding over it. The six months of the northern solstice are the deity who presides over the northern path.This is the path of illumination that leads to liberation.The lifreaths of the liberated sages who have attained knowledge of the Self do not depart. They are absorbed in Brahman. The Jivanmuktas who attain KaivalyaMoksha or immediate,salvation or liberation have no place to go to or return from. They become one with the allpervading Brahman.Each step may mean a plane or a state of consciousness or the degree of purity or illumination. The more the purity the more the divine light. There are bright objects throughout the course of the path. There is illumination or knowledge when one passes along this path. Hence it is called the path of light.After Bhishma was mortally wounded? he lay on the bed of arrows till the onset of the northern solstice and then departed from here to the Abode of the Lord.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
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.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
8.24 If knowing the Supreme Spirit the sage goes forth with fire and light, in the daytime, in the fortnight of the waxing moon and in the six months before the Northern summer solstice, he will attain the Supreme.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 8.26 BG 15.6 BG 8.23 SB 2.2.24 SB 2.2.31 SB 4.12.29 CC Madhya 24.194 CC Madhya 20.218 CC Madhya 22.46 Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.10.1Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 6.2.15
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of northern movement of the sun — attainments by these signs go to Brahman.
Practical Applications
  • Honor traditional cosmic correspondences without superstition.
  • Recognize that nature has signs aligned with spiritual transit.
  • Approach these with trust in the seers' observation.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I dismiss traditional cosmology too quickly?
  • What in it deserves respectful inquiry?
Analogy

The 'path of light' is like a wedding party leaving the house at dawn, in the bright fortnight, when the sun is climbing — every condition pointing upward and outward. The Vedic seers saw correspondences between the soul's outward journey and the sun's, the moon's, the day's. The verse names them not as magic but as observed alignment.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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