Once a Yogi, always a Yogi

Arjuna asks Krishna the question, "What is the fate of those yogis, who begin the path with faith, but fail to achieve success in yoga in this lifetime, because their minds have wandered away ?"

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति।

अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि।।6.38।।

"Doesn't such a person who deviates from yoga get neither spiritual or material success and perishes like a broken cloud ?"

To this the Blessed Lord says,

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते |

न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति || 40||

"O Partha, neither in this world nor in the world to come is there destruction of that person; Verily, none who does good actions (i.e. yogic actions), ever comes to grief."

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वती: समा: |

शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते || 41||

Those who are unsuccessful in yoga in a lifetime (after death), go to the worlds of the righteous and having dwelt there for everlasting years, are born in a house of the pure and wealthy.

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् |

एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् || 42||

Or they are born in the house of wise yogis; Verily such a birth in this world is very difficult to attain

तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम् |

यतते च ततो भूय: संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन || 43||

"There the yogi comes in touch with the knowledge obtained in previous bodies (lives), and strives more than before for perfection, O Arjuna"

पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि स: |

जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते || 44||

"By virtue of the past practice (the yogi) is again attracted to yoga; Even one who merely wants to know about yoga goes beyond the word-Brahman (the all pervading one)."

प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिष: |

अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम् || 45||

"But the yogi who strives with the right effort, with siddhis (mastery) obtained through many births, attains the highest goal."

तपस्विभ्योऽधिकोयोगी

ज्ञानिभ्योऽपिमतोऽधिक:|

कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिकोयोगी

तस्माद्योगीभवार्जुन|| 46||

"The Yogi is said to be superior to the ascetics and even to the people who possess great knowledge (from scriptures); The Yogi is also superior to people of action; Therefore be a yogi, O Arjuna."