शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते | एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुनः || २६ ||
śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hy ete jagataḥ śāśvate mate ekayā yāty anāvṛttim anyayāvartate punaḥ
śukla—bright; kṛṣṇe—dark; gatī—paths; hi—certainly; ete—these two; jagataḥ—of the material world; śāśvate—eternal; mate—are considered; ekayā—by one; yāti—goes; anāvṛttim—no return; anyayā—by the other; āvartate—comes back; punaḥ—again.
“These two paths of the bright and the dark are considered eternal in this world. By one, a person goes and does not return; by the other, he returns again.”
The two paths—śukla (bright/liberation) and kṛṣṇa (dark/return)—are permanent features of creation. This teaching is not meant to create fear but to inspire discrimination. The bright path is available to all; the choice of which path to take is made throughout the entirety of one's spiritual life.
In practical terms, every choice you make is a small vote for one path or the other. Choices that increase awareness, reduce ego, and deepen compassion are votes for the bright path. Choices that increase unconsciousness, strengthen ego, and deepen selfishness are votes for the dark. Each day offers countless such choices.