Bhagavad Gita 6.41

prāpya puṇya-kṛtāḿ lokān
uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ
śucīnāḿ śrīmatāḿ gehe
yoga-bhraṣṭo ’bhijāyate

Translation of Bhagavad Gita 6.41

The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.

Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:

The unsuccessful yogis are divided into two classes: one is fallen after very little progress, and one is fallen after long practice of yoga. The yogi who falls after a short period of practice goes to the higher planets, where pious living entities are allowed to enter. After prolonged life there, one is sent back again to this planet, to take birth in the family of a righteous brahmana vaishnava or of aristocratic merchants.

The real purpose of yoga practice is to achieve the highest perfection of Krishna consciousness, as explained in the last verse of this chapter. But those who do not persevere to such an extent and who fail because of material allurements are allowed, by the grace of the Lord, to make full utilization of their material propensities. And after that, they are given opportunities to live prosperous lives in righteous or aristocratic families. Those who are born in such families may take advantage of the facilities and try to elevate themselves to full Krishna consciousness.

Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:

Then what destination does he attain? He attains the planet where those who perform asva medha sacrifices go (punya krtan lokan). The result of yoga is both liberation and material enjoyment. In this case, the imperfect yogi, having desire for enjoyment, having fallen from yoga, attains material enjoyment. The perfected yogi however, because of not having desires for material enjoyment, attains liberation. Some yogis, even though perfected, by fate have a desire to enjoy, and then accept such enjoyment. Examples are Kardama Muni and Saubari. Such fallen yogis are born in the houses of those performing proper religious acts (sucinam) and who are wealthy merchants or kings (srimatam).

Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:

6.41 This person, who had wandered away from Yoga because of desire for whatever kind of enjoyments, he will gain those very enjoyments through the excellence of Yoga alone. Having attained to the worlds of those who do meritorious acts, he will dwell there for a long time, i.e., till his desire for such enjoyments gets exhausted. Then, devoid of desire for these enjoyment, this person who has swerved from Yoga at the very beginning of Yoga, is born, by virtue of the excellence of Yoga, in a family of those who are competent to practise Yoga.

Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:

So what destination does one obtain who practices yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness but fails to achieve perfection? Lord Krishna confirms that such a one attains the worlds of the righteous where after residing in happiness and peacefulness for a long duration of time one takes birth again in a righteous, virtuous and prosperous family.

Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:

Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.

Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:

Now it may be wondered that if a person who abandons the path of yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness never meets with an evil destiny, then exactly what is the destination of such a person? Lord Krishna answers this by revealing that after death such a person by the power of yoga resides for a long duration of time on the higher planets of the righteous to reap the results which one has merited. After which the results reaped are exhausted, one takes birth in a pious and wealthy family.

Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:

6.41 Prapya, attaining, reaching, lokan, the worlds; punya-krtam, of the righteous, of the performers of the Horse-sacrifice, etc.; and usitva, residing there, enjoying the stay; for sasvatih, eternal; samah, years; (then,) when the period of enjoyment is over, the yoga-bhrastah, man fallen from Yoga, the one who had set out on the path Yoga, i.e. a monk-as understood from the force of the context [From Arjuna’s question it minght appear that he was asking about the fate of people who fall from both the paths, viz that of Karma and of Meditation. But the possibility of getting ruined by performing actios (rites and duties) according to Vedic instructions does not arise, since their results are inevitable. However, the question of ruin is relevant in the case of a monk, for on the one hand he has renounced actions, and on the other he may fail to attain perfection in Yoga in the present life. Hence, the Lord’s answer relates to the fall and ruin of a monk alone.]; abhijayate, is born; gehe, in the house; sucinam, of the pious, who perform actions according to scriptural instructions; and srimatam, who are prosperous.

Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:

6.41 Prapya etc. Of Sasvata of Visnu (personal god). [His] years : three years of Visnu. Of the pure persons : of those whose mind is prone to touch (to meditate upon) the body (amsa) of the Lord.

Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:

prapya punya-krtam lokan
usitva sasvatih samah
sucinam srimatam gehe
yoga-bhrasto ’bhijayate

Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:

prāpya — after achieving; puṇya-kṛtām — of those who performed pious activities; lokān — planets; uṣitvā — after dwelling; śāśvatīḥ — many; samāḥ — years; śucīnām — of the pious; śrī-matām — of the prosperous; gehe — in the house; yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ — one who has fallen from the path of self-realization; abhijāyate — takes his birth.