Chapter 8: Akshara Brahma Yoga, verse 24
अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्।
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः ॥
Say itagnir jyotir ahaḥ śhuklaḥ ṣhaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam
tatra prayātā gachchhanti brahma brahma-vido janāḥ
Translation
Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path of the sun (the northern solstice) departing, then men who know Brahman go to Brahman.
Swami Sivananda
Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern solstice—by following this path, persons who are knowers of Brahman attain Brahman when they die.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern solstice—by following this path, persons who are knowers of Brahman attain Brahman when they die.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
The northern course consisting of six months is fire, light, day, and bright. Departing in it, the Brahman-knowing men attain Brahman.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
If the sage, knowing the Supreme Spirit, goes forth with fire and light during the day, in the fortnight of the waxing moon, and in the six months before the Northern summer solstice, he will attain the Supreme.
Shri Purohit Swami
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।
Swami Ramsukhdas
जो ब्रह्मविद् साधकजन मरणोपरान्त अग्नि, ज्योति, दिन, शुक्लपक्ष और उत्तरायण के छः मास वाले मार्ग से जाते हैं, वे ब्रह्म को प्राप्त होते हैं।
Swami Tejomayananda
Classical commentariesFor deeper study. Most are in the original Sanskrit.
Advaita
Non-dual: the self and the absolute are one.
Vishishtadvaita
Qualified non-dual: souls are real parts of the divine.
Dvaita
Dual: the soul and God are eternally distinct.
Shuddhadvaita
Pure non-dual, centred on grace and devotion.
Kashmir Shaivism
The Gita read through Trika Shaiva philosophy.
Modern teachers
20th-century teachers writing for today's readers.