tatra taṁ buddhi-sanyogaṁ labhate paurva-dehikam
yatate cha tato bhūyaḥ sansiddhau kuru-nandana
Word meanings
tatra—there; tam—that; buddhi-sanyogam—reawaken their wisdom; labhate—obtains; paurva-dehikam—from the previous lives; yatate—strives; cha—and; tataḥ—thereafter; bhūyaḥ—again; sansiddhau—for perfection; kuru-nandana—Arjun, descendant of the Kurus
English translation
Then he comes into contact with the knowledge acquired in his former body and strives even more for perfection, O Arjuna.
Translation by Swami Sivananda
Hindi meaning
।।6.43।। हे कुरुनन्दन ! वह पुरुष वहाँ पूर्व देह में प्राप्त किये गये ज्ञान से सम्पन्न होकर योगसंसिद्धि के लिए उससे भी अधिक प्रयत्न करता है।।
Hindi rendering by Swami Tejomayananda
English meaning
Then, the experience acquired in his former life will revive, and with it, he will more eagerly strive for perfection than before.
Shri Purohit Swami
There, in that life, he regains the link of mentality transmitted from his former body. Consequently, once again he strives for full success, O rejoicer of the Kurus!
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Detailed explanation
When he takes a human body again in this world his previous exertions and practice in the path of Yoga are not wasted. They bear full fruit now, and hasten his moral and spiritual evolution.Our thoughts and actions are left in our subconscious minds in the form of subtle Samskaras or impressions. Our experiences in the shape of Samskaras, habits and tendencies are also stored up in our subconscious mind. These Samskaras of the past birth are revivified and reenergised in the next birth. The Samskaras of Yogic practices and meditation and the Yogic tendencies will compel the spiritual aspirant to strive with greater vigour than that with which he attempted in the former birth. He will endeavour more strenuously to get more spiritual experiences and to attain to higher planes of realisation than those acired in his previous birth.
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
Hindi commentary
।।6.43।। किसी को यह आशंका हो सकती है कि पुनर्जन्म लेने पर उस साधक को पुन प्रारम्भ से साधना का अभ्यास करना पड़ेगा। यह आशंका निर्मूल है। भगवान् कहते हैं कि योग के अनुकूल वातावरण में जन्म लेने के पश्चात् वह पुरुष पूर्व देह में अर्जित ज्ञान से सम्पन्न हो जाता है जिनके कारण अन्य लोगों की अपेक्षा वह अपनी शिक्षा अधिक सरलता से पूर्ण कर लेता है। कारण यह है कि उसके लिए यह कोई नवीन अध्ययन नहीं वरन् पूर्वार्जित ज्ञान की मात्र पुनरावृत्ति या सिंहावलोकन ही होता है। अल्पकाल में ही वह अपने हृदय में ही ज्ञान को सिद्ध होते हुए देखता है जो अव्यक्त रूप में पूर्व से ही निहित था।इतना ही नहीं कि वह पौर्वदेहिक ज्ञान से युक्त होता है किन्तु वह फिर संसिद्धि के लिए पूर्व से भी अधिक प्रयत्न करता है। उसमें उत्साह क्षमता तथा प्रयत्न की कमी नहीं होती। प्रयत्न रहित ज्ञान साधक के लिए दुखदायी भार ही बनता है। भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण कहते हैं कि हे कुरुनन्दन योगभ्रष्ट पुरुष संसिद्धि के लिए और भी अधिक प्रयत्न करता है।पौर्वदेहिक बुद्धि संयोग का प्रभाव बताते हुये कहते हैं
Swami Chinmayananda
।।6.43।। व्याख्या--'तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम्'--तत्त्वज्ञ जीवन्मुक्त महापुरुषोंके कुलमें जन्म होनेके बाद उस वैराग्यवान् साधककी क्या दशा होती है? इस बातको बतानेके लिये यहाँ 'तत्र' पद आया है।
Swami Ramsukhdas
Key teachings
When he takes a human body again in this world his previous exertions and practice in the path of Yoga are not wasted.
They bear full fruit now, and hasten his moral and spiritual evolution.Our thoughts and actions are left in our subconscious minds in the form of subtle Samskaras or impressions.
Our experiences in the shape of Samskaras, habits and tendencies are also stored up in our subconscious mind.
Spiritual significance
In Dhyana Yoga (Path of Meditation), this verse belongs to the Gita’s teaching on karma yoga. Here the text presents that teaching through these words: Then he comes into contact with the knowledge acquired in his former body and strives even more for perfection, O Arjuna.
Chapter 6, verse 43 is part of Dhyana Yoga. In the English translation used on this page, it says: Then he comes into contact with the knowledge acquired in his former body and strives even more for perfection, O Arjuna.
What is the spiritual context of this verse?
It appears in Dhyana Yoga, a chapter associated with Karma Yoga. Self-mastery.
