The path of light

agnirjotirahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇamtatra prayātā gacchanti brahma brahmavido janāḥ

Fire, light, day, the bright half of the moon, the six months of the northern sun. Going then, knowers of Brahman reach Brahman.

What it means

Krishna describes the path of light. Fire, brightness, daytime, the waxing moon, the sun's northward journey. Those who know Brahman, departing on this path, reach Brahman. Many teachers read these as symbols of inner light, a mind illumined and clear at the end, not a calendar to fear.

The story

Bhishma, Arjuna's grandfather, will later wait on a bed of arrows until the sun turns north before leaving his body. The Mahabharata takes this imagery seriously, and treats it with great reverence.

In your life

Imagine someone who died peacefully, surrounded by love, with words of gratitude on their lips. That's the path of light. Fill your days with light, and the end takes care of itself.