शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते |
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुनः ||८-२६||
śuklakṛṣṇe gatī hyete jagataḥ śāśvate mate . ekayā yātyanāvṛttimanyayāvartate punaḥ ||8-26||
8.26 The bright and the dark paths of the world are verily thought to be eternal; by the one (the bright path) a man goes not to return and by the other (the dark path) he returns.
8.26 शुक्लकृष्णे bright and dark? गती (two) paths? हि verily? एते these? जगतः of the world? शाश्वते eternal? मते are thought? एकया by one? याति (he) goes? अनावृत्तिम् to nonreturn? अन्यया by another? आवर्तते (he) returns? पुनः again.Commentary The bright path is the path to the gods taken by the devotees. The dark path is of the manes taken by those who perform sacrifices or charitable acts with the expectation of rewards. These two paths are not open to the whole world. The bright path is open
Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.
8.26 Ete, these two; gati, courses; jagatah, of the world; which are sukla-krsne, white and black [The Northern Path (the path of the Gods), and the Southern Path (the Path of the Manes) respectively.]-white because it is a revealer of Knowlege, and black because there is absence of that (revelation); are hi, verily; mate, considered; sasvate, eternal, because the world is eternal. These two courses are possible for those who are alified for Knowledge and for rites and duties; not for everybody. This being so, ekaya, by the one, by the white one; yati, a man goes; anavrttim, to the State of Non-return; anyaya, by the other; avartate, he returns; punah, again.
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8.26 These two courses of the world, which are white and black, are verily considered eternal. By the one a man goes to the State of Non-return; by the other he returns again.
This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.
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