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Bhagavad-gītā 8.26

श‍ुक्ल‍कृष्णे गती ह्येते जगत: शाश्वते मते । एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुन: ॥ २६ ॥
śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hy ete
[shukla-krishne gatee hy ete]
jagataḥ śāśvate mate
[jagatah shaashvate mate]
ekayā yāty anāvṛttim
[ekayaa yaaty anaavrittim]
anyayāvartate punaḥ
[anyayaavartate punah]
Word-for-word
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 .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hy ete
śukla
light
kṛṣṇe
and darkness
gatī
ways of passing
hi
certainly
ete
these two
jagataḥ śāśvate mate
jagataḥ
of the material world
śāśvate
of the Vedas
mate
in the opinion
ekayā yāty anāvṛttim
ekayā
by one
yāti
goes
anāvṛttim
to no return
anyayāvartate punaḥ
anyayā
by the other
āvartate
comes back
punaḥ
again .
Important Words
  • śukla kṛṣṇe — light and darkness
    The two adjectives now appear together as the paired names of the two paths. Sanskrit grammar compresses the chart: śukla (bright) versus kṛṣṇa (dark) — the same words that named the lunar fortnights in 8.24 and 8.25 are here generalized into path-names.
  • gatī — ways of passing
    Dual of gati — two destinations, two goings. The Gītā has used gati repeatedly in this chapter (paramām gatim in 8.13 and 8.21). Here the word is dualized: there are precisely two, not three or many.
  • hi — certainly
    Emphatic particle. Often translated as 'indeed' or 'for'. Here it serves to underline the duality — there are 'indeed' these two ways, no other. The particle does the work that an English italicization would do.
  • jagataḥ śāśvate — of the material world, eternal
    Jagat (the moving world) + śāśvata (eternal) in agreement. The paths themselves are eternal — they are not seasonal arrangements but permanent features of the cosmos. The seeker is choosing among architectural fixtures, not contingent options.
  • mate — in the opinion
    Locative of mata — opinion, judgment. 'In the considered view'. The Gītā here is appealing to the established Vedic consensus, not to Kṛṣṇa's personal innovation. The mata of the seers is invoked as authority.
  • anāvṛttim — to no return
    Same word as in 8.23. The 'non-return' destination. By repeating the technical term across many verses, the Gītā builds a precise vocabulary: anāvṛtti is the goal, āvṛtti is the trap, and only ananyā bhakti (8.22) reliably reaches the former.
  • āvartate punaḥ — comes back again
    Ā + vṛt, in active form, with punaḥ (again). 'Turns back again'. The dark-path yogi returns; the cycle resumes. The verb is the same root that named the cosmic wheel in 8.16 — āvartin. Returning is the cosmos's default.
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.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Summary: the two paths — bright and dark — are the cosmos's eternal disjunction. One yields liberation; the other, return. 'Śāśvate mate' — 'considered eternal' — signals these are not Kṛṣṇa's invention but accepted Vedic doctrine, now ratified by Him.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The dual feminine 'gatī … śāśvate mate' is the marker of a settled doctrine. The dvandva compound 'śukla-kṛṣṇe' is striking: light and dark are not moral opposites here but ritual / cosmic taxa, the upward (devayāna) and circular (pitṛyāna) trajectories of post-mortem movement. The dual-path doctrine is the bedrock of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka jīvayāna teaching.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
शुक्ल-कृष्णे एते हि गती जगतः शाश्वते मते। एकया [जनः] अनावृत्तिम् याति, अन्यया पुनः आवर्तते।
śukla-kṛṣṇe ete hi gatī jagataḥ śāśvate mate| ekayā [janaḥ] anāvṛttim yāti, anyayā punaḥ āvartate|
These two paths — bright and dark — are held to be the world's eternal pair. By one, one goes to no-return; by the other, one returns again.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
शुक्ल-कृष्णे गती हि एते जगतः शाश्वते मते । एकया याति अनावृत्तिम् अन्यया आवर्तते पुनः ॥
śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hi ete jagataḥ śāśvate mate | ekayā yāti anāvṛttim anyayā āvartate punaḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
शुक्ल-कृष्णे śukla-kṛṣṇe शुक्ल + कृष्ण (adj.) nom.du. (nominative dual)f., dvandva cpd. (compound) bright-and-dark
गती gatī गति (f.) nom.du. (nominative dual) the two paths
हि hi ind. (indeclinable) indeed
एते ete एतद् dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) nom.du. (nominative dual)f. these
जगतः jagataḥ जगत् (n.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of the world
शाश्वते śāśvate शाश्वत (adj.) nom.du. (nominative dual)f. eternal
मते mate √मन् p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.du. (nominative dual)f., 'held, taught' considered
एकया ekayā एक (num./adj.) ins.sg. (instrumental singular)f. by one
याति yāti √या pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) goes
अनावृत्तिम् anāvṛttim अन् + आवृत्ति (f.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) to non-return
अन्यया anyayā अन्य (adj.) ins.sg. (instrumental singular)f. by the other
आवर्तते āvartate आ + √वृत् pres. (present) 3sg.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) returns
पुनः punaḥ ind. (indeclinable) again
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.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
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.
Commentary

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.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
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.
Commentary

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 jñāna and karma, because saṁsāra itself has no beginning. The rest of the verse is clear.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

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) ]

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: These verses mention different ways to leave the body and thus achieving different

destination.

Devotees don’t worry about proper time to leave the body, but leave everything in Krishna’s hands and become fixed in devotion. This is because:
Krishna takes care and gives protection
Devotional service gives results of all other practices

WAYS OF LEAVING THE BODY

1. Path:

In light, influence of fiery God, auspicious moment of day,

Fort night of waxing moon, or 6 months when sun travels to north (8.24)

For whom:

Path of yogis and Jnanis

Destination:

Brahmajyoti

2. Path:

In darkness/night, during smoke, fortnight of waning moon or 6 months when sun

passes to south reaches the moon and again comes back (8.25)

For whom:

Path of Karma-kandis

Destination:

Attain heavenly planets, and then return to earth

3. Path:

At any time (8.27)

For whom:

Path of unalloyed devotees

Destination:

Krishna-loka

Focus of Learning

(a) Can a yogi choose time of leaving – an expert yogi can choose;

If not expert in choosing, then it depends upon accident or destiny

(b) Kala – refers to presiding deity of time

(c) Travel to moon planet

Eligibility – one expert in fruitive acts/sacrificial methods
Ref. Kapildev in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3
Life duration – 10,000 years (demigod calculation)
Engagement – soma rasa and other pleasures
Fate – when credits finished, one return to earth

(d) Yoga-yukta – implies to engage constantly in Krishna Consciousness in all the activities.

Example – Rupa goswami’s yukta vairagya
Devotee does not worry about different paths and is undisturbed (8.27), because...
Firmly established in Krishna Consciousness and chant Hare Krishna
Best way to absorb – dovetail in the service of Krishna
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
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.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
8.26 The bright path is characterised by the terms 'starting with light.' The dark path is characterised by the 'terms starting with smoke.' By the bright path a man goes to the plane of no-return, but he who goes by the dark path returns again. In the Sruti both the bright and dark paths are said to be eternal in relation to Jnanis and doers of good actions of many kinds. This is corroborated in the text: 'Those who know this and those who worship with faith do Tapas in the forest etc., they go to the light' (Cha. U., 5.10.1), and 'But those who in the village perform Vedic and secular acts of a meritorious nature and the giving of alms - they pass to the smoke' (ibid., 5.10.3).
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
8.26 Sukla-krsne etc. By the first of these two courses the non-return i.e., the liberation is attained, and by the other, the enjoyment [of the mundane life].
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
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.
Commentary

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 to the devotees and the dark one to those who are devoted to the rituals. These paths are as eternal as the Samsara.World here means devotees or people devoted to ritual.Pitriloka or Chandraloka is Svarga or heaven.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
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.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
8.26 These bright and dark paths out of the world have always existed. Whoso takes the former, returns not; he who chooses the latter, returns.*
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 8.24 BG 8.25 BG 8.27 SB 2.2.31 SB 3.32.4 SB 2.2.25 CC Madhya 19.167 CC Madhya 22.32 CC Madhya 24.194 Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.10.1Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 6.2.15
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
These two — the path of light, the path of darkness — are eternal; one goes never to return, the other returns again.
Practical Applications
  • Make the two-path distinction operational in your aspirations.
  • Choose deliberately, not accidentally.
  • Refuse the comforting fiction that all paths converge.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have I assumed all paths converge?
  • What is at stake in choosing wisely?
Analogy

The two paths are like two doors built into the same wall — the door of light opens outward to the open sky, the door of darkness opens onto a corridor that loops back into the same house. The verse insists they are eternal — śāśvate — not human inventions. The seeker chooses; the architecture is given.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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