Text 30]
Bhīsma's Passing Away
477
TRANSLATION
While Bhīṣmadeva was describing occupational duties, the sun's course ran into the northern hemisphere. This period is desired by mystics who die at their will.
PURPORT
The perfect  yogīs  or mystics can leave the material body at their own sweet will at a suitable time and go to a suitable planet desired by them. In the  Bhagavad-gītā  (Bg. 8.14) it is said that self-realized souls who have exactly identified themselves with the interest of the Supreme Lord can generally leave the material body during the time of the fire-god's effulgence and when the sun is in the northern horizon, and thus achieve the transcendental sky. In the  Vedas  these times are considered auspicious for quitting the body, and they are taken advantage of by the expert mystics who have perfected the system. Perfection of  yoga  means attainment of such supermental states as to be able to leave the material body as desired. They can also reach any planet within no time without a material vehicle. The  yogīs  can reach the highest planetary system within a very short time, and this is impossible for the materialist. Even attempting to reach the highest planet will take millions of years at a speed of millions of miles per hour. This is a different science, and Bhīṣmadeva knew well how to utilize it. He was just waiting for the suitable moment to quit his material body, and the golden opportunity arrived when he was instructing his noble grandsons, the Pāṇḍavas. He thus prepared himself to quit his body before the exalted Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the pious Pāṇḍavas and the great sages headed by Bhagavān Vyāsa, etc., all great souls.
TEXT 30
तदोपसंहृत्य निरः सहस्रणी- 
  विमुक्तसङ्गं मन आदिपूरुषे 
  कृष्णे लसत्पीतपटे चतुर्भुजे 
  पुरःस्थितेऽमीत्तितद्व्यधारयत् ॥३०॥
tadopasamhṛtya giraḥ sahasraṇīr 
  vimukta-saṅgaṁ mana ādi-pūruṣe 
  kṛṣṇe lasat-pīta-paṭe catur-bhuje 
  puraḥ sthite'mīlita dṛg vyadhārayat