Word meanings
- pūrva
- past
- abhyāsena
- discipline
- tena
- by that
- eva
- certainly
- hriyate
- is attracted
- hi
- surely
- avaśaḥ
- helplessly
- api
- although
- saḥ
- that person
- jijñāsuḥ
- inquisitive
- api
- even
- yogasya
- about yog
- śabda-brahma
- fruitive portion of the Vedas
- ativartate
- transcends
Translations
By that same former practice, he is borne on in spite of himself. Even he who merely wishes to know Yoga goes beyond the Brahmanic word.
Unconsciously, he will return to the practices of his old life; thus, one who strives to attain spiritual consciousness is certainly superior to one who merely talks about it.
For, by that very past practice, he is carried forward even in spite of himself! Even a seeker of Yoga transcends the results of the performance of Vedic rituals!
वह (श्रीमानोंके घरमें जन्म लेनेवाला योगभ्रष्ट मनुष्य) भोगोंके परवश होता हुआ भी पूर्वजन्ममें किये हुए अभ्यास-(साधन-) के कारण ही परमात्माकी तरफ खिंच जाता है; क्योंकि योग-(समता-) का जिज्ञासु भी वेदोंमें कहे हुए सकाम कर्मोंका अतिक्रमण कर जाता है।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 Sabda-Brahma, 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 activities-Impelled 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.