अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् । तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः ॥
agniryotirahah śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam | tatra prayātā gacchanti brahma brahmavidojanāḥ ||
Translation
Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight of the moon, the six months of the northern course of the sun — departing in these, those who know Brahman go to Brahman.
Interpretation
The path of light: associated with fire, light, daytime, the bright lunar fortnight (shukla paksha), and the northern course of the sun (uttarayana — the six months when the sun moves northward from winter solstice). The knowers of Brahman who depart during these auspicious cosmic periods are said to travel the path of light and reach Brahman — no return. In the esoteric interpretation, these 'times' represent states of consciousness (illuminated awareness, spiritual clarity) rather than literal clock times.