BHAGAVAD-GITA 6:37

[Guest guest]

BHAGAVAD-GITA 6:37

 

arjuna uvaca

ayatih sraddhayopeto

yogac calita-manasah

aprapya yoga-samsiddhim

kam gatim krsna gacchati

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

arjunah uvaca--Arjuna said; ayatih--the unsuccessful

transcendentalist; sraddhaya--with faith; upetah--engaged; yogat--from

the mystic link; calita--deviated; manasah--who has such a mind;

aprapya--failing to attain; yoga-samsiddhim--the highest perfection in

mysticism; kam--which; gatim--destination; krsna--O Krsna;

gacchati--achieves.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Arjuna said: O Krsna, what is the destination of the unsuccessful

transcendentalist, who in the beginning takes to the process of

self-realization with faith but who later desists due to

worldly-mindedness and thus does not attain perfection in mysticism?

 

PURPORT

 

The path of self-realization or mysticism is described in the

Bhagavad-gita. The basic principle of self-realization is knowledge

that the living entity is not this material body but that he is

different from it and that his happiness is in eternal life, bliss and

knowledge. These are transcendental, beyond both body and mind.

Self-realization is sought by the path of knowledge, by the practice

of the eightfold system or by bhakti-yoga. In each of these processes

one has to realize the constitutional position of the living entity,

his relationship with God, and the activities whereby he can

reestablish the lost link and achieve the highest perfectional stage

of Krsna consciousness. Following any of the above-mentioned three

methods, one is sure to reach the supreme goal sooner or later. This

was asserted by the Lord in the Second Chapter: even a little endeavor

on the transcendental path offers a great hope for deliverance. Out of

these three methods, the path of bhakti-yoga is especially suitable

for this age because it is the most direct method of God realization.

To be doubly assured, Arjuna is asking Lord Krsna to confirm His

former statement. One may sincerely accept the path of

self-realization, but the process of cultivation of knowledge and the

practice of the eightfold yoga system are generally very difficult for

this age. Therefore, despite constant endeavor one may fail, for many

reasons. First of all, one may not be sufficiently serious about

following the process. To pursue the transcendental path is more or

less to declare war on the illusory energy. Consequently, whenever a

person tries to escape the clutches of the illusory energy, she tries

to defeat the practitioner by various allurements. A conditioned soul

is already allured by the modes of material energy, and there is every

chance of being allured again, even while performing transcendental

disciplines. This is called yogac calita-manasah: deviation from the

transcendental path. Arjuna is inquisitive to know the results of

deviation from the path of self-realization.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.