Gita 06.41 – The deviated yogi loses neither materially nor spiritually

Audio Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-06-41-the-deviated-yogi-loses-neither-materially-nor-spiritually/

prāpya puṇya-kṛtāṁ lokān
uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ
śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe
yoga-bhraṣṭo ’bhijāyate (Bg 6.41)

Word-for-word:
prāpya — after achieving; puṇya-kṛtām — of those who performed pious activities; lokān — planets; uṣitvā — after dwelling; śāśvatīḥ — many; samāḥ — years; śucīnām — of the pious; śrī-matām — of the prosperous; gehe — in the house; yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ — one who has fallen from the path of self-realization; abhijāyate — takes his birth.

Translation:
The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.

Explanation:
Kṛṣṇa now describes to Arjuna the destination of a yogī who, after some practice, deviates from the spiritual path. Such a person is not highly advanced but has nonetheless performed yoga for some time and shown a genuine desire for transcendence—though unable to sustain that desire throughout life. The fate of such an unsuccessful yogī is described in this verse.

Kṛṣṇa says:
prāpya puṇya-kṛtāṁ lokān: Attaining the worlds of the pious (heaven)
uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ: and residing there for many, many years
śucīnām śrīmatāṁ gehe: he then takes birth in the home of learned brāhmaṇas or wealthy families
yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ abhijāyate: thus, the unsuccessful yogī is born again.

The Bhagavad-gītā explains that those who perform pious deeds (puṇya) attain svarga (heavenly abodes), while those who engage in sinful activities (pāpa) go to naraka (hellish planets). Therefore, puṇya-kṛtām lokān refers to the heavenly realms attained by those who have performed virtuous deeds.

Kṛṣṇa further explains that after residing in the heavenly planets for a long time, the person takes birth either in a pure or wealthy family (śucīnām śrīmatām gehe). Both types of birth are advantageous for one’s spiritual journey.

If one is born in a cultured and spiritually inclined family, one naturally gains early exposure to spiritual truths and thus receives a head start in life. In contrast, those born into families lacking spiritual orientation often spend many years merely conforming to social norms, without turning their attention toward higher goals.

Even if a person carries spiritual impressions from a previous life, these may not manifest quickly in an unsupportive environment. And even if they do manifest, a hostile or materialistic culture can obstruct or delay their expression. Furthermore, even in a conducive environment, excessive financial anxiety can hinder the practice of spirituality with steadiness and focus.

In this context, Kṛṣṇa describes two important consequences. First, the unsuccessful yogī attains the abode of the puṇya-kṛtām—the realms of the pious, namely the heavenly planets. Why does Kṛṣṇa grant heaven to such a person? Because heaven is a place where abundant material enjoyment is available. After all, these individuals had turned away from the spiritual path due to lingering desires for enjoyment.

When they reach the heavenly planets, those desires are fulfilled, and their restless urge for enjoyment gradually subsides. As a result, their material distractions diminish, and they become inwardly prepared to resume their spiritual journey with greater steadiness and clarity.

The key point to recognize is that Kṛṣṇa is always waiting, willing, and helping a soul who is trying to progress on the spiritual path. How Kṛṣṇa helps varies according to the type of person, place, and circumstance. In this context, Kṛṣṇa helps by acknowledging the sensory desires that distract one and by arranging for those desires to be fulfilled.

Once these desires are satisfied, the yogī can resume progress toward a meaningful spiritual destination. The distraction caused by these desires, which had been preventing him from advancing, then subsides, allowing him to move forward on his spiritual journey.

Essentially, what Kṛṣṇa is describing here is that He accommodates whatever distracts the yogīs. There are multiple ways to deal with desires. One way is to reject them—by philosophically and intellectually understanding that such desires do not lead to lasting satisfaction, and therefore, there is no need to pursue them further. With this understanding, one voluntarily gives up those desires.

This is the conviction with which yogīs initially pursue the path of yoga. However, sometimes they find it difficult to persevere in that conviction. Though they begin with determination, they are unable to sustain it, lose their resolve, and turn again toward worldly pursuits.

If one does not gain conviction through intellectual contemplation, Kṛṣṇa says, “I will help you gain conviction through experiential verification.” He grants the kind of enjoyment that is far superior to what was available on earth—the very enjoyment that had previously distracted the person.

Through such experience, the soul comes to realize that even this higher pleasure does not bring lasting happiness. With that realization, the soul decides to put such enjoyment aside and move forward in its journey toward Kṛṣṇa. In this way, experiential verification helps the conditioned soul progress on the spiritual path.

The phrase “śāśvatīḥ samāḥ” means living for a long time, indicating that abundant enjoyment is available in the heavenly abodes. In this earthly world, even in youth, the amount of enjoyment is limited because youth is short-lived, the body is fragile, and enduring the physical pains and limitations is difficult. The sensory capacity for enjoyment is also restricted.

Kṛṣṇa grants the soul a far greater degree of enjoyment for a much longer time in heaven than what could ever be experienced on earth. Through this, the soul realizes that even the fulfillment of the cravings for enjoyment does not bring lasting satisfaction. Consequently, the soul willingly puts aside such desires and turns wholeheartedly toward Kṛṣṇa.

Then the unsuccessful yogī (yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ) descends to the earthly world and takes birth (abhijāyate) either in a pure (śucīnām) or wealthy (śrīmatām) family. This is one trajectory Kṛṣṇa describes for those who have not advanced very far on the path of yoga.

For those who are more advanced, Kṛṣṇa will describe a different path: taking birth directly in a family of spiritually advanced devotees, which He addresses in the next verse.

In this verse, however, Kṛṣṇa addresses Arjuna’s doubt that such a person might lose in both this life and the next. Arjuna’s concern arises because, in this life, the yogī gave up material enjoyment for the sake of spiritual practice. Since the yogī is not yet spiritually successful, it may seem that he will also lose spiritual happiness.

Kṛṣṇa clarifies that this is not the case. Instead, the yogī benefits in both material and spiritual happiness. First, Kṛṣṇa explains that the yogī will receive material enjoyment far beyond what is possible on earth by attaining heaven. Normally, going to heaven requires performing many yajñas and accumulating significant puṇya, but Kṛṣṇa says even a person who fails on the path of yoga can attain this heavenly enjoyment.

After enjoying heavenly pleasures, the yogī returns to earth in favorable circumstances to continue the spiritual quest. Thus, the person neither loses materially nor spiritually, but progresses on both fronts. In this way, Kṛṣṇa reassures Arjuna and addresses his reservation.

Thank you.