Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 41

Chapter 6 – Dhyana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः ।
शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते ॥

Transliteration

prāpya puṇyakṛtāṃ lokānuṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ .
śucīnāṃ śrīmatāṃ gehe yogabhraṣṭo.abhijāyate ॥

Meaning

Having reached the worlds of the righteous and dwelt there for countless years, the one who fell from yoga is reborn in the home of the pure and the prosperous.

Word meanings

प्राप्य – having reached
पुण्यकृताम् – of the righteous, of doers of merit
लोकान् – worlds
उषित्वा – having dwelt
शाश्वतीः – countless, very many
समाः – years
शुचीनाम् – of the pure
श्रीमताम् – of the prosperous
गेहे – in the home
योगभ्रष्टः – one fallen from yoga
अभिजायते – is born

Anvaya (word order)

योगभ्रष्टः पुण्यकृतां लोकान् प्राप्य (तत्र) शाश्वतीः समाः उषित्वा शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे अभिजायते ।

Explanation

Krishna now explains what actually happens to one who falls from yoga. The first possibility, described in this verse, generally applies to a seeker who travelled some distance on the path of yoga but in whose mind some subtle desires for enjoyment remained.

First he attains punya-kritam lokan — the worlds of the righteous. Shankara says these are the realms gained by those who perform great sacrifices such as the ashvamedha. Arjuna feared the seeker had given up the path to heaven; Krishna says the merit of his yogic effort is so great that he receives even that. Shashvatih samah — he dwells there for a very long time, as if for endless years, and exhausts his remaining desires by enjoying them.

Then he is born shuchinam shrimatam gehe — in a pure and prosperous family. Shuchi means virtuous, religious, of pure life; shrimat means endowed with wealth. The advantage of such a birth is that he receives both a religious atmosphere and freedom from anxiety about livelihood, so he can carry his spiritual practice forward.

The verse illustrates the principle of karma and samskara — our efforts shape the circumstances of our next life. No effort is lost in a void.

Context

In 6.40 Krishna said the doer of good never comes to a bad end. This verse gives the first destiny of one fallen from yoga — after the heavenly worlds, birth in a pure and prosperous family. The next verse (6.42) gives a second and rarer destiny — birth in a family of yogis.

Life lesson

Today's good habits and efforts create tomorrow's circumstances. Build an atmosphere of righteousness and good conduct in your family; it is the greatest inheritance for generations to come.

Key terms

Yoga-bhrashta: one who strayed from the path of yoga before reaching perfection
Punya-krit loka: the higher worlds of the righteous
Shuchi: pure, virtuous
Shriman: prosperous, well-to-do