Chapter 8, Verse 26
Akshara Brahma Yoga — Sanskrit shloka, transliteration, word meanings, English translation, and commentary.
Original Sanskrit verse
Transliteration
Word meanings
śhukla—bright; kṛiṣhṇe—dark; gatī—paths; hi—certainly; ete—these; jagataḥ—of the material world; śhāśhvate—eternal; mate—opinion; ekayā—by one; yāti—goes; anāvṛittim—to non return; anyayā—by the other; āvartate—comes back; punaḥ—again
English translation
The bright and dark paths of the world are thought to be eternal; one leads to no return, and the other leads to return.
— Swami Sivananda
Listen to Shloka 8.26
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.
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
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