Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 44

Chapter 6 – Dhyana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः ।
जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते ॥

Transliteration

pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo.api saḥ .
jijñāsurapi yogasya śabdabrahmātivartate ॥

Meaning

By that very former practice he is carried forward, even in spite of himself. Even one who merely seeks to know yoga goes beyond the ritual injunctions of the Vedas.

Word meanings

पूर्वाभ्यासेन – by former practice
तेन – by that
एव – very
ह्रियते – is carried, is drawn
हि – indeed
अवशः – helplessly, in spite of himself
अपि – even
सः – he
जिज्ञासुः – one who wishes to know
योगस्य – of yoga
शब्दब्रह्म – the Veda (its ritual portion)
अतिवर्तते – goes beyond, transcends

Anvaya (word order)

तेन एव पूर्वाभ्यासेन सः अवशः अपि हि ह्रियते; योगस्य जिज्ञासुः अपि शब्दब्रह्म अतिवर्तते ।

Explanation

This verse describes the remarkable power of samskaras. Krishna says that the yogic practice of a previous life is so powerful that it draws the seeker toward yoga even when he is avashah — helpless, not even wishing it.

Sometimes in the new life a person becomes entangled in worldly affairs, or circumstances carry him in another direction. Yet an invisible pull from within brings him back to holy company, scripture or meditation. As a magnet draws iron, former impressions draw him back to his original journey. Shankara says that unless some powerful unrighteous karma intervenes, the impression of yogic practice surely leads him to yoga; it is never destroyed.

The second half of the verse is even more significant — jijnasur api yogasya shabda-brahmativartate. One who is merely a seeker of yoga, who has only expressed the desire to know, goes beyond shabda-brahman. Shabda-brahman here refers to the ritual portion of the Vedas that prescribes desire-driven works yielding heaven and the like. That is, being only a sincere inquirer into yoga is worth more than many rituals performed for heavenly reward.

What then of one who fully practises yoga! The verse completely removes the seeker's fear of failure.

Context

Verse 6.43 said that the fallen yogi regains his former understanding; this verse describes the drawing power of those impressions. The next verse (6.45) says that through the efforts of many lives he finally reaches the supreme goal.

Life lesson

Even sincere curiosity has great value. If you have the desire to know the truth, nurture it — that desire is itself a seed that will become a tree in time. Today's good practices will draw you in the right direction tomorrow.

Key terms

Purvabhyasa: practice and impressions from a former life
Avasha: helpless, even without one's own will
Jijnasu: one who wishes to know, an inquirer
Shabda-brahman: the Veda, especially its portion on ritual works