Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 45

Chapter 6 – Dhyana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः ।
अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥

Transliteration

prayatnādyatamānastu yogī saṃśuddhakilbiṣaḥ .
anekajanmasaṃsiddhastato yāti parāṃ gatim ॥

Meaning

But the yogi who strives with diligence, purified of all sins and perfected through many births, then reaches the supreme goal.

Word meanings

प्रयत्नात् – with diligence
यतमानः – striving
तु – but
योगी – the yogi
संशुद्धकिल्बिषः – fully purified of sins
अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धः – perfected through many births
ततः – then
याति – reaches
पराम् – supreme
गतिम् – goal

Anvaya (word order)

तु प्रयत्नात् यतमानः संशुद्धकिल्बिषः अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धः योगी ततः परां गतिं याति ।

Explanation

This verse gives the final outcome of the fallen yogi's journey. Arjuna's question now receives its complete answer: the unfinished yogi is not destroyed; advancing from birth to birth, he finally reaches the supreme goal.

Prayatnad yatamanas tu — the word tu, 'but', marks a contrast. Arjuna had spoken of the ayati, the seeker of weak effort; Krishna says that in the new birth the same seeker becomes one who strives with diligence. Former slackness has turned into firmness.

Samshuddha-kilbishah — all his sins and impurities are washed away. Aneka-janma-samsiddhah — the practice gathered gradually over many births now ripens. Shankara says that he becomes perfected through impressions accumulated little by little over many lives, and then, gaining right knowledge, reaches the supreme goal. It is like filling a pot drop by drop; in each life a few drops are added, and at last the pot is full.

Tato yati param gatim — then he attains the supreme goal, liberation. The verse is a deep reassurance for spiritual life: no sincere effort is wasted, and every seeker eventually reaches the goal. It is also an inspiration — the more effort we make in this very life, the nearer the goal will be.

Context

Verses 6.40–44 traced the fallen yogi's progress step by step; this verse gives the final result — the supreme goal. In the next verse (6.46) Krishna declares the yogi superior to the ascetic, the scholar and the ritualist, and urges Arjuna to become a yogi.

Life lesson

The spiritual goal is a long journey, but every step brings it nearer. Do not be discouraged by slow progress; a pot is filled drop by drop. Today's effort is tomorrow's attainment.

Key terms

Yatamana: one who strives continually
Samshuddha-kilbisha: one whose sins have been fully washed away
Aneka-janma-samsiddha: perfected through the practice of many lives
Para gati: the supreme goal, liberation