शुक्लकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगतः शाश्वते मते । एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावर्तते पुनः ॥
śuklakṛṣṇe gatī hyete jagataḥ śāśvate mate | ekayā yātyanāvṛttimanyayāvartate punaḥ ||
Translation
These two paths — bright and dark — are considered eternal for this world. By one, one goes to non-return; by the other, one returns again.
Interpretation
The two paths (the bright/shukla and the dark/krishna) are shashvate — eternal, permanent features of cosmic reality. They represent the two possibilities for the human being: liberation (anvritti — non-return) and rebirth (avritti — return). All spiritual practice, all the Gita's teaching, points toward the bright path. The choice is made not at the moment of death but through the entire orientation of one's life — toward the Real or toward the transient.