धूमो रात्रिस्तथा कृष्णः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम् | तत्र चान्द्रमसं ज्योतिर्योगी प्राप्य निवर्तते || २५ ||
dhūmo rātris tathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇ-māsā dakṣiṇāyanam tatra cāndramasaṁ jyotir yogī prāpya nivartate
dhūmaḥ—smoke; rātriḥ—night; tathā—and; kṛṣṇaḥ—the dark fortnight; ṣaṭ-māsāḥ—six months; dakṣiṇāyanam—the southern course of the sun; tatra—there; cāndramasam—lunar; jyotiḥ—light; yogī—the yogi; prāpya—attaining; nivartate—returns.
“Smoke, night, the dark lunar fortnight, the six months of the southern course of the sun—departing through these, the yogi attains the lunar light and returns.”
The Pitriyana (path of the ancestors) involves smoke rather than fire, darkness rather than light—symbols of decreased luminosity and consciousness. After enjoying their accumulated merit in the heavenly planes, these souls return to earth. Even 'yogis' who do not reach full liberation may travel this path if their practice has not brought complete realisation.
The 'dark path' is not evil—it is simply incomplete. Many sincere practitioners accumulate great merit and enjoy its fruits, but without full realisation, they cycle back. This understanding motivates going beyond the acquisition of pleasant states to the realisation of one's eternal nature.