Bhashya
अथेत्यर्थान्तरप्रस्तावनार्थः, य इमे गृहस्थाः ग्रामे, ग्रामइति गृहस्थानामसाधारणं विशेषणम् अरण्यवासिभ्यो व्या-वृत्त्यर्थम्— यथा वानप्रस्थपरिव्राजकानामरण्यं विशेषणंगृहस्थेभ्यो व्यावृत्त्यर्थम्, तद्वत्; इष्टापूर्ते इष्टमग्निहोत्रादिवैदिकं कर्म, पूर्तं वापीकूपतडागारामादिकरणम् ; दत्तं बहि-र्वेदि यथाशक्त्यर्हेभ्यो द्रव्यसंविभागो दत्तम् ; इति एवंविधंपरिचरणपरित्राणादि उपासते, इति-शब्दस्य प्रकारदर्श-नार्थत्वात् ।ते दर्शनवर्जितत्वाद्धूमं धूमाभिमानिनीं देवताम्अभिसंभवन्ति प्रतिपद्यन्ते ।तया अतिवाहिता धूमाद्रात्रिंरात्रिदेवतां रात्रेरपरपक्षदेवताम् एवमेव कृष्णपक्षाभिमानिनीम्अपरपक्षात् यान्षण्मासान् दक्षिणा दक्षिणां दिशमेति सविता,तान्मासान् दक्षिणायनषण्मासाभिमानिनीर्देवताः प्रति-पद्यन्त इत्यर्थः ।संघचारिण्यो हि षण्मासदेवता इतिमासानिति बहुवचनप्रयोगः तासु ।नैते कर्मिणः प्रकृताःसंवत्सरं संवत्सराभिमानिनीं देवतामभिप्राप्नुवन्ति ।कुतःपुनः संवत्सरप्राप्तिप्रसङ्गः, यतः प्रतिषिध्यते ? अस्ति हि प्रस-ङ्गः—संवत्सरस्य हि एकस्यावयवभूते दक्षिणोत्तरायणे, तत्रअर्चिरादिमार्गप्रवृत्तानामुदगयनमासेभ्योऽवयविनः संवत्स-रस्य प्राप्तिरुक्ता ; अतः इहापि तदवयवभूतानां दक्षिणायन-
In plain words
Now, this introduces a different line of explanation. The word 'village' specifies householders, setting them apart from forest-dwellers just as 'forest' sets hermits apart from householders. 'Sacrifices and public works' means Vedic rituals like the agnihotra as well as digging wells, ponds, and building gardens. 'Charity' means sharing wealth outside the altar with worthy recipients according to one's ability. Such householders, along with service and protection, worship in this manner—the word 'thus' indicating the mode of practice. Lacking true knowledge, they attain the deity presiding over smoke. Guided by her, they pass from smoke to the night deity, from night to the dark deity of the dark fortnight, and from there to the six months during which the sun moves south, reaching the deities of the southern solstice months. Because these six-month deities move as a group, the plural 'months' is used. These ritualists under discussion do not attain the year itself, represented by the year deity. Why even raise the question of attaining the year if it is denied? Because since the solstices are parts of the year, and those on the path of light attain the whole year starting from the northern months, the question naturally arises here for those traveling the southern path...
Close to the Sanskrit
Now has the purpose of introducing another meaning; which these householders in village, village thus is householders' specific attribute for exclusion from forest-dwellers — just as forest-dwellers and renunciates' forest is attribute for exclusion from householders, similarly; sacrificed-and-public-works, sacrifice is Vedic action, public-works is making wells, ponds, gardens; charity is distribution of wealth outside altar to worthy ones according to capacity; thus such service and protection etc. they worship, because of the word 'thus' being for showing manner. They, due to lacking vision, smoke, the deity identifying with smoke, attain; guided by her, from smoke to night, the night deity, from night to the dark fortnight, similarly identifying with dark fortnight, from dark fortnight which six months south goes the sun, those months, the deities presiding over the six months of southern solstice, attain, is the meaning. Moving together indeed are the six-month deities, thus the plural use 'months' among them. Not these doers of action under discussion the year, the deity identifying with the year, attain. From where again the possibility of attaining the year, since it is prohibited? There is indeed the possibility — of the year indeed of one being constituent parts, the southern and northern solstices, there of those engaged in the path beginning with flame, from the months of the northern solstice of the possessor of parts, the year, attainment is stated; hence here also of those being parts thereof, southern solstice...