Devanagari
शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगत: शाश्वते मते ।
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुन: ॥ २६ ॥
Verse text
śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hy ete
jagataḥ śāśvate mate
ekayā yāty anāvṛttim
anyayāvartate punaḥ
Synonyms
śukla
—
light
;
kṛṣṇe
—
and darkness
;
gatī
—
ways of passing
;
hi
—
certainly
;
ete
—
these two
;
jagataḥ
—
of the material world
;
śāśvate
—
of the Vedas
;
mate
—
in the opinion
;
ekayā
—
by one
;
yāti
—
goes
;
anāvṛttim
—
to no return
;
anyayā
—
by the other
;
āvartate
—
comes back
;
punaḥ
—
again.
Translation
According to Vedic opinion, there are two ways of passing from this world – one in light and one in darkness. When one passes in light, he does not come back; but when one passes in darkness, he returns.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
26. These two paths, of light and darkness, are considered eternal in this world. By one path, one does not return, and by the other path, one returns.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
26. These two paths, of light and dark, are accepted in this world as being without beginning. By one path, one does not return, and by the other path, one returns.
Purport
The same description of departure and return is quoted by Ācārya Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa from the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (5.10.3–5). Those who are fruitive laborers and philosophical speculators from time immemorial are constantly going and coming. Actually they do not attain ultimate salvation, for they do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The Lord summarizes the two paths mentioned. They are considered without beginning (śāśvate), since the transmigration of the jīvas is without beginning. By the path of light one attains no return, and by the path of darkness, one takes birth again and again on the earth.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
This verse summarizes the two paths. The path of light is called śukla or white because it consists of enlightenment. The path of smoke is called kṛsṇa or dark because it is devoid of enlightenment. These two paths (gatī) are accepted to be without beginning (śaśvataḥ) for those of this world (jagataḥ) qualified respectively for jṣāna and karma, because saṁsāra itself has no beginning. The rest of the verse is clear.
Surrender Unto Me
This is a summary of the two paths.
How do this two paths affect the lives of the devotees?
[ 2 . The devotees, although knowing these two paths, remain fixed in devotion and reach the Supreme abode. (27‑28) ]