38 Beyond Birth and Death

“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.” (Bg. 8.24)

The sun spends six months on the northern side
of the equator and six months on the southern side.
In Srimad-Bhagavatam we have information that as
the planets are moving, so also the sun is moving. If
one dies when the sun 1s situated in the northern
hemisphere, he attains liberation.

dhumo ratris tatha krsnah
san-masa daksinayanam
tatra candramasam jyotir
yogi prapya nivartate
Sukla-krsne gati hy ete
jagatah SaSvate»mate
ekaya yaty anavyttim
anyayavartate punah
“The mystic who passes away from this world during
the smoke, the night, the moonless fortnight, or in
the six months when the sun passes to the south, or
who reaches the moon planet, again comes back.
According to the Vedas, there are two ways of pass-
ing from this world—one in light and one in dark-
ness, When one passes in light, he does not come
back; but when one passes in darkness, he returns.”
(Bg. 8.25-26)

This is all by chance. We do not know when we

are going to die, and we may die accidentally at any
