Archirādi Mārga — The Luminous Path to Paramapadham
Archirādi mārga (Sanskrit: arcis = flame/light + ādi = beginning with/and others + mārga = path; 'the path beginning with flame [and proceeding through successive light-stages]') is the post-death journey of the liberated soul — described in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (8.6.5) and Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad — through which the prapanna's soul travels from the departing body to Paramapadham.
The Stages of the Path: The Upaniṣads contain related recensions of the path of light, and Piḷḷai Lokācārya's Archirādi presents the received Śrī Vaiṣṇava synthesis in rich detail. The soul is successively honored and conducted by the presiding deities of arcis (flame/light), ahas (day), śukla-pakṣa, uttarāyaṇa, saṃvatsara, and vāyu; it then passes through the solar orb, reaches the moon, and is led by an amānava puruṣa. Varuṇa, Indra, and Prajāpati honor and guide it onward. It crosses the brahmāṇḍa, its successive coverings, and mūla-prakṛti, reaches the Virajā, is freed from the subtle body, receives a śuddha-sattva form through the divine guide's touch, and enters Paramapadham. The relevant term here is brahmāṇḍa (the cosmic egg and its coverings), not a separate final material Brahmaloka immediately before Virajā.
Why This Path: The Āchāryas teach that the archirādi mārga is Bhagavān's gracious arrangement for ensuring the liberated soul reaches Paramapadham safely, guided at each stage. 'The Lord does not merely open the door and tell the soul to find its own way — He sends guides at every station of the journey.'
Only for Prapannas: This path is available only to those who have performed prapatti (or completed bhakti yoga). Other souls return to saṃsāra through different routes.