FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 6.44

పూర్వాభ్యాసేన తేనైవ హ్రియతే హ్యవశోఽపి స: । జిజ్ఞాసురపి యోగస్య శబ్దబ్రహ్మాతివర్తతే ॥ ౪౪ ॥
pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva
[poorvaabhyaasena tenaiva]
hriyate hy avaśo ’pi saḥ
[hriyate hy avasho ’pi sah]
jijñāsur api yogasya
[jijnaasur api yogasya]
śabda-brahmātivartate
[shabda-brahmaativartate]
Word-for-word
pūrva — previous abhyāsena — by practice tena — by that eva — certainly hriyate — is attracted hi — surely avaśaḥ — automatically api — also saḥ — he jijñāsuḥ — inquisitive api — even yogasya — about yoga śabda - brahma — ritualistic principles of scriptures ativartate — transcends .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva
pūrva
previous
abhyāsena
by practice
tena
by that
eva
certainly
hriyate hy avaśo ’pi saḥ
hriyate
is attracted
hi
surely
avaśaḥ
automatically
jijñāsur api yogasya
api
also
śabda-brahmātivartate
saḥ
he
jijñāsuḥ
inquisitive
api
even
yogasya
about yoga
śabda - brahma
ritualistic principles of scriptures
ativartate
transcends .
Important Words
  • pūrva-abhyāsena — by previous practice
    Pūrva — 'former'; abhyāsa — 'practice' — the same word as 6.35's instrument. The verse names that even abhyāsa from a former life retains its instrumental power. Practice is not erased by death.
  • hriyate — is attracted
    Passive of √hṛ — 'to carry.' He is carried by his previous practice. Note the passivity: the seeker does not choose; he is drawn. This is the technical force of saṁskāra.
  • avaśaḥ api — automatically
    A-vaśa — 'without his own will'; api — 'even.' The double emphasis: even without willing it, even involuntarily, he is pulled. The verse honors the strange experience of being drawn to scripture before one even decided to look.
  • jijñāsuḥ — inquisitive
    Desiderative of √jñā — 'desirous of knowing.' The category Kṛṣṇa names later in 7.16 as one of the four kinds who approach Him. The reborn yogī finds himself, in this life, a natural jijñāsu.
  • śabda-brahma — ritualistic principles of scriptures
    Śabda — 'word, sound'; Brahman — here, the Vedas as sound. The reborn yogī transcends even the ritualistic dimension of scripture, going to the meaning rather than only the procedure. This is high theological territory.
  • ativartate — transcends
    Ati-√vṛt — 'rolls beyond.' He moves past the merely ritual. The verse acknowledges that the karma-kāṇḍa portion of the Vedas is left behind by the one whose previous birth was already in yoga.
By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles – even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures.
Purport

Advanced yogīs are not very much attracted to the rituals of the scriptures, but they automatically become attracted to the yoga principles, which can elevate them to complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the highest yoga perfection. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.33.7) , such disregard of Vedic rituals by the advanced transcendentalists is explained as follows: aho bata śva-paco ’to garīyān yaj-jihvāgre vartate nāma tubhyam tepus tapas te juhuvuḥ sasnur āryā brahmānūcur nāma gṛṇanti ye te “O my Lord! Persons who chant the holy names of Your Lordship are far, far advanced in spiritual life, even if born in families of dog-eaters. Such chanters have undoubtedly performed all kinds of austerities and sacrifices, bathed in all sacred places and finished all scriptural studies.” The famous example of this was presented by Lord Caitanya, who accepted Ṭhākura Haridāsa as one of His most important disciples. Although Ṭhākura Haridāsa happened to take his birth in a Muslim family, he was elevated to the post of nāmācārya by Lord Caitanya due to his rigidly attended principle of chanting three hundred thousand holy names of the Lord daily: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. And because he chanted the holy name of the Lord constantly, it is understood that in his previous life he must have passed through all the ritualistic methods of the Vedas, known as śabda-brahma. Unless, therefore, one is purified, one cannot take to the principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness or become engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
44. He is attracted to that previous practice even against his will. Inquisitive about yoga, he surpasses the materialistic path of the Vedas.
Commentary

Attracted by previous practice, he becomes inquisitive about yoga and surpasses the path of karma mentioned in the Vedas (śabda-brahma), but this time remains fixed on the path of yoga.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
44. Definitely, he is attracted to that previous practice even without effort. Inquisitive about yoga, he surpasses the materialistic path of the Vedas.
Commentary

This verse explains the reason for his intense effort. Through his practice of yoga in the previous life, this yogī is attracted to yoga, even against his will, with some opposition (avaśo’pi). Hi (certainly) indicates that the power of yoga is an accepted fact. He is inquisitive about yoga, and inclined to practice, and surpasses (ativartate) the materialistic aspects of the Vedas (śabda brahma). He does not have faith in those aspects of the Vedas

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

He is above the karma‑kanda section of the Vedas because he is on the path of yoga ‑ he is a yogi.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: After getting opportunities in the appropriate families, they begin their yoga practice

from wherever they left off

One revives the divine consciousness of their previous lives
Automatically they are attracted to yogic principles – Even without seeking them
They always stand above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures
Thus they try to make further progress to achieve complete success

Focus of Learning

(a) Examples of family of transcendentalists

Acharyas and Goswamis
Srila A.C Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktsiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja taking birth in Vaishnava families

(b) Nowdays the Acharyas and Goswamis families have degenerated – due to ‘insufficient education’

and ‘training’

(a) The real purpose of yoga-practice – To achieve the highest perfection of Krishna consciousness

(Ref. Bg. 6.47)

(b) What about those who fail to reach that goal because of material allurements

By grace of the Lord they are allowed to make full utilization of their material propensities in the heavenly planets
Then they are given prosperous lives in righteous or aristocratic families
One must take advantage of these facilities and try to elevate to Krishna consciousness

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 6.44 & 6.45:

Finally, the next verse explains how and when the yogi will achieve his ultimate goal

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
6.44 Hi, for; tena eva, by that very; purva-abhyasena, past practice-the powerful habit formed in the past life; hiryate, he, the yogi who had fallen from Yoga, is carried forward; avasah api, even inspite of himself. If he had not committed any act which could be characterized as unrigtheous etc. and more powerful than the tendency created by the practice of Yoga, then he is carried forward by the tendency created by the practice of Yoga. If he had committed any unrighteous act which was more powerful, then, even the tendency born of Yoga gets surely overpowered. But when that is exhausted, the tendency born of Yoga begins to take effect by itself. The idea is that it does not get destroyed, even though it may lie in abeyance over a long period. Jijnasuh api, even a seeker; yogasya, of Yoga from the force of the context, the person implied is a monk who had engaged in the path of Yoga with a desire to known his true nature, but had falled from Yoga-; ;even he, ativartate, trascends-will free himself from; sabda-brahma, the result of the performance of Vedic ritual. What to speak of him who after understanding Yoga, may undertake it with steadfastness! And why is the state of Yoga higher?
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
6.43 - 6.44 There, in that existence, he regains the mental disposition for Yoga that he had in the previous birth. Like one awakened from sleep, he strives again from where he had left before attaining complete success. He strives so as not to be defeated by impediments. This person who has fallen away from Yoga is borne on towards Yoga alone by his previous practice, i.e., by the older practice with regard to Yoga. This power of Yoga is well known. Even a person, who has not engaged in Yoga but has only been desirous of knowing Yoga, i.e., has failed to follow it up, acries once again the same desire to practise Yoga. He then practises Yoga, of which the first stage is Karma Yoga, and transcends Sabda-brahman (or Brahman which is denotable by words). The Sabda-brahman is the Brahman capable of manifesting as gods, men, earth, sky, heaven etc., namely, Prakrti. The meaning is that having been liberated from the bonds of Prakrti, he attains the self which is incapable of being named by such words as gods, men etc., and which comprises solely of knowledge and beatitude. After thus describing the glory of Yoga the verse says:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
6.44 See Comment under 6.45
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
6.44 By that very former practice he is borne on in spite of himself. Even he who merely wishes to know Yoga goes beyond the Brahmic word.
Commentary

6.44 पूर्वाभ्यासेन former practice? तेन by that? एव verily? ह्रियते is borne? हि indeed? अवशः helpless? अपि even? सः he? जिज्ञासुः he who wishes to know Yoga? अपि even? योगस्य of Yoga? शब्दब्रह्म wordBrahman? अतिवर्तते goes beyond.Commentary The man who fell from Yoga is carried to the goal which he intended to reach in his previous birth? by the force of the Samskaras of the practice of Yoga though he may not be conscious of them and even if he may not be willing to adopt the course of Yogic discipline on account of the force of some evil Karma. If he had not done any great evil action which could overwhelm his Yogic tendencies he will certainly continue his Yogic practices in this birth very vigorously through the force of the Yogic Samskaras created by his Yogic practices in his previous birth. If the force of the evil action is stronger? the Yogic tendencies will be overpowered or suppressed for some time. As soon as the fruits of the evil actions are exhausted? the force of the Yogic Samskaras will begin to manifest itself. He will start his Yogic practices vigorously and attain the final beatitude of life.Even an enirer in whom a desire for information about Yoga is kindled goes beyond the Brahmic word? i.e.? the Vedas. He rises superior to the performer of the Vedic rituals and ceremonies. He is beyond the entanglement of forms and ceremonies. He is not satisfied with mere ritualism. He thirsts for a satisfaction higher than that given by the sensual objects. He who simply wishes to know the nature of the principles of Yoga frees himself from the SabdaBrahma? i.e.? from the effects of the Vedic rituals and ceremonies. If this be the case of a simple enirer? how much more exalted should be the condition of a real practitioner or knower of Yoga or of one who is established in Nirvikalpa Samadhi He will be absolutely free from the effects of the Vedic rituals and ceremonies. He will enjoy the eternal bliss and the everlasting peace of the Eternal.An aspirant who is desirous of obtaining Moksha alone is not affected by the sin of nonperformance of action even if he renounces all the obligatory and optional or occasional duties. He goes beyond the word of Brahman (the scripture or the Vedas).When such is the case of an aspirant who is without any spiritual inclinations or Samskaras of the previous birth? how much more exalted will be the state of that student who has done Yogic practices in his previous birth? who has fallen from Yoga in his previous birth? and who has taken up Yoga in this birth? renouncing all the worldly activitiesImpelled by the strong desire for liberation he practises rigorous Sadhana in this birth. He is constrained? as it were? by the force of the good Samskaras of his previous birth to take to Yogic practices in spite of himself.In this verse the Lord lays stress on the fact that no effort in the practice of Yoga goes in vain. Even the smallest effor will have its effect sooner or later in this birth or another. Therefore there is no cause for disappointment even for the dullest type of spiritual aspirant.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
6.44 For, by that very past practice, he is carried forward even in spite of himself! Even a seeker of Yoga transcends the result of the performance of Vedic rituals!
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
6.44 Unconsciously he will return to the practices of his old life; so that he who tries to realise spiritual consciousness is certainly superior to one who only talks of it.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)
Related verses
BG 6.43 BG 2.40 BG 18.58 SB 1.5.17 SB 11.14.18 SB 4.9.29 CC Madhya 22.65 CC Madhya 20.101 CC Antya 3.86 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.3
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Such an aspirant is automatically attracted to spiritual principles, even without searching — by previous practice he is carried.
Practical Applications
  • Honor automatic spiritual attractions as carry-forward.
  • Don't dismiss your interests as 'just preferences' — they may be momentum.
  • Follow the carry-forward.
Reflection Questions
  • What spiritual interest of mine has felt automatic?
  • Am I following or resisting it?
Analogy

A child raised in a kitchen knows the smell of cardamom before he can name it — and one whiff of it in a strange city will draw him in. The yogī's previous practice is that childhood kitchen. Spiritual fragrances pull him in across the threshold of forgetting, before any new study has had time to teach him their names.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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