SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hy ete
jagataḥ śāśvate mate
ekayā yāty anāvṛttim
anyayāvartate punaḥ
‘Verily are these Paths —the White and the Black— permanently ordained for the Kosmos. By the one, the non-returning (state) is reached, by the other, there is return again.’
The White Path is the archir-ādi, the Black is the dhūm-ādi. He who goes, by the White Path, goes to that, from which he returns not; but by the Dark Path, he turns back. The White is for the two kinds of the jñānis (the God-seeker, and the ātma-seeker), and the Black is for the man who does meritorious work (entitling him to reap material pleasures). These two Paths for the three kinds of devotees (wealth-seeker, soul-seeker and God-seeker), are thus declared in the Śruti:—
‘(1) Those who understand it (ātma) thus, and (2) those who in forest (retired place) meditate on Śraddhā-Tapas (or Mother-Father aspect of God), join the Archi(= the Bright Path). Then, those who in their own place (or village) devote themselves to sacrifices (=ishti), public works (=pūrtam=constructing tanks, wells etc)., charities (=dattam), and other pious acts (iti), join the Dhūma (= the Smoky Path)’[1. Chh: Up: V-10-1 and 3 ‘Tad Ya itthan vidur ye ch-eme `ranye Śraddhā-Tapa ity upāsate te `rchi-sham abhisambhavanti; atha ya ime grāma ishtā-pūrte dattam ity upāsate dhūmam abhisambhavanti’.].
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