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A critical question that arises is, how does he perceive through which veins he is passing through? Such discussion is unwarranted as one who has worshiped the परमपुरुषः ॥ Parama Purusha, is absorbed in the ultimate goal; the wise seeker who through his own education and by divine grace being illuminated, is able to recognize the veins that help him depart to a higher realm. Such an advanced soul can transit through the path of light and even if such a person dies at night or in दक्षिणायनम् || Dakshinayana, the ज्ञानी ॥ jnani will attain brahmaloka (Moksha).<ref name=":3">Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Sanskritiya Parichaya, Part I''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.</ref>

A critical question that arises is, how does he perceive through which veins he is passing through? Such discussion is unwarranted as one who has worshiped the परमपुरुषः ॥ Parama Purusha, is absorbed in the ultimate goal; the wise seeker who through his own education and by divine grace being illuminated, is able to recognize the veins that help him depart to a higher realm. Such an advanced soul can transit through the path of light and even if such a person dies at night or in दक्षिणायनम् || Dakshinayana, the ज्ञानी ॥ jnani will attain brahmaloka (Moksha).<ref name=":3">Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Sanskritiya Parichaya, Part I''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.</ref>

== पितृयानम् || Pitruyana (Path to the Realm of Pitrus) ==

== पितृयानम् || Pitruyana (Path to the Realm of Pitrus) ==

People unable to live a spiritual life, a life of meditation, having no knowledge whatsoever of the higher truths of life, yet have done पुण्यकर्माणि ॥ punya karmas (good deeds) in this world, with सात्विक ॥ satvika thoughts, deeds and charities, दानगुणः ॥ danaguna and who are परहितचिन्तकाः ॥ parahitachintaka (ie.who think of the welfare of others), accumulate the merits equivalent to that obtained by performing great sacrifices such as yajnas. Such good people by means of virtue do not go along the path of light. Rather, they go along the Southern Path of Return.<ref name=":4" />

People unable to live a spiritual life, a life of meditation, having no knowledge whatsoever of the higher truths of life, yet have done पुण्यकर्माणि ॥ punya karmas (good deeds) in this world, with सात्विक ॥ satvika thoughts, deeds and charities, दानगुणः ॥ danaguna and who are परहितचिन्तकाः ॥ parahitachintaka (ie.who think of the welfare of others), accumulate the merits equivalent to that obtained by performing great yajnas. Such good people by means of virtue do not go along the path of light. Rather, they go along the Southern Path of Return.<ref name=":4" />

They embark on another kind of life journey which involves discharging one’s functional responsibilities or [[dharma]] and fulfilling material desires with no direction towards acquiring Brahmavidya and then eventually death. This is called धूममार्गः ॥ dhuma marga (the path of smoke) or दक्षिणयानपथः ॥ dakshinayana-patha (the Southern movements) which is, again, presided over by divinities as described in Chandogya Upanishad<ref name=":2" /><blockquote>अथ य इमे ग्राम इष्टापूर्ते दत्तमित्युपासते ते धूममभिसम्भवन्ति धूमाद्रात्रिँ रात्रेरपरपक्षमपरपक्षाद्यान्षड्दक्षिणैति मासाँस्तान्नैते संवत्सरमभिप्राप्नुवन्ति ॥ ३ ॥(Chan. Upan. 5.10.3)</blockquote><blockquote>atha ya ime grāma iṣṭāpūrte dattamityupāsate te dhūmamabhisambhavanti dhūmādrātrim̐ rātreraparapakṣamaparapakṣādyānṣaḍdakṣiṇaiti māsām̐stānnaite saṃvatsaramabhiprāpnuvanti ॥ 3 ॥(Chan. Upan. 5.10.3) </blockquote><blockquote>मासेभ्यः पितृलोकं पितृलोकादाकाशमाकाशाच्चन्द्रमसमेष सोमो राजा तद्देवानामन्नं तं देवा भक्षयन्ति ॥ ४ ॥ (Chan. Upan. 5.10.4)</blockquote><blockquote>māsebhyaḥ pitṛlokaṃ pitṛlokādākāśamākāśāccandramasameṣa somo rājā taddevānāmannaṃ taṃ devā bhakṣayanti ॥ 4 ॥ (Chan. Upan. 5.10.4)</blockquote>This path can be summarized as follows.   

They embark on another kind of life journey which involves discharging one’s functional responsibilities or [[dharma]] and fulfilling material desires with no direction towards acquiring Brahmavidya and then eventually death. This is called धूममार्गः ॥ dhuma marga (the path of smoke) or दक्षिणयानपथः ॥ dakshinayana-patha (the Southern movements) which is, again, presided over by divinities as described in Chandogya Upanishad<ref name=":2" /><blockquote>अथ य इमे ग्राम इष्टापूर्ते दत्तमित्युपासते ते धूममभिसम्भवन्ति धूमाद्रात्रिँ रात्रेरपरपक्षमपरपक्षाद्यान्षड्दक्षिणैति मासाँस्तान्नैते संवत्सरमभिप्राप्नुवन्ति ॥ ३ ॥(Chan. Upan. 5.10.3)</blockquote><blockquote>atha ya ime grāma iṣṭāpūrte dattamityupāsate te dhūmamabhisambhavanti dhūmādrātrim̐ rātreraparapakṣamaparapakṣādyānṣaḍdakṣiṇaiti māsām̐stānnaite saṃvatsaramabhiprāpnuvanti ॥ 3 ॥(Chan. Upan. 5.10.3) </blockquote><blockquote>मासेभ्यः पितृलोकं पितृलोकादाकाशमाकाशाच्चन्द्रमसमेष सोमो राजा तद्देवानामन्नं तं देवा भक्षयन्ति ॥ ४ ॥ (Chan. Upan. 5.10.4)</blockquote><blockquote>māsebhyaḥ pitṛlokaṃ pitṛlokādākāśamākāśāccandramasameṣa somo rājā taddevānāmannaṃ taṃ devā bhakṣayanti ॥ 4 ॥ (Chan. Upan. 5.10.4)</blockquote>This path can be summarized as follows.