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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 6.42
अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् ।
एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् ॥ ४२ ॥
atha vā yoginām eva
kule bhavati dhīmatām
etad dhi durlabha-taraṁ
loke janma yad īdṛśam
Or [if unsuccessful after long practice of yoga] he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Certainly, such a birth is rare in this world.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
One unsuccessful after long yoga practice may be born into a family of wise spiritualists. Such a birth is rare.
Prabhupāda explains that these families encourage spiritual life from childhood through learning and training in devotion.
Value the chance to learn devotional service to the Lord from an early age.
Fate of unsuccessful yogi who falls after long practice:
Birth in the family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom (6.42)
Examples of family of transcendentalists
Acharyas and Goswamis
Srila A.C Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktsiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja taking birth in Vaishnava families
Nowdays the Acharyas and Goswamis families have degenerated — due to ‘insufficient education’ and ‘training’
Texts 6.41 & 6.42
The destination of the more advanced yogis is explained as follows.
Unsuccessful transcendentalists obtain either heavenly enjoyment followed by an aristocratic birth(if they are slightly advanced) or birth in a family of wise transcendentalists that bring them immediate further training (if they are more advanced)
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: mokṣa, dhāma.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 6.42 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to liberation & destiny?
Reflect on what you want to remember at life's end.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.