tatra taḿ buddhi-saḿyogaḿ
labhate paurva-dehikam
yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ
saḿsiddhau kuru-nandana
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 6.43
On taking such a birth, he revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he again tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
King Bharata, who took his third birth in the family of a good brahmana, is an example of good birth for the revival of previous transcendental consciousness. King Bharata was the emperor of the world, and since his time this planet has been known among the demigods as Bharata-varsa. Formerly it was known as Ilavrta-varsa. The emperor, at an early age, retired for spiritual perfection but failed to achieve success. In his next life he took birth in the family of a good brahmana and was known as Jada Bharata because he always remained secluded and did not talk to anyone. And later on he was discovered as the greatest transcendentalist by King Rahugana. From his life it is understood that transcendental endeavors, or the practice of yoga, never go in vain. By the grace of the Lord the transcendentalist gets repeated opportunities for complete perfection in Krishna consciousness.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
In these two types of birth (tatra), he attains the state of mind of his previous life (paurva dehikam) with faith in the paramatma (buddhi samyogam).
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
6.43 – 6.44 There, in that existence, he regains the mental disposition for Yoga that he had in the previous birth. Like one awakened from sleep, he strives again from where he had left before attaining complete success. He strives so as not to be defeated by impediments. This person who has fallen away from Yoga is borne on towards Yoga alone by his previous practice, i.e., by the older practice with regard to Yoga. This power of Yoga is well known. Even a person, who has not engaged in Yoga but has only been desirous of knowing Yoga, i.e., has failed to follow it up, acquries once again the same desire to practise Yoga. He then practises Yoga, of which the first stage is Karma Yoga, and transcends Sabda-brahman (or Brahman which is denotable by words). The Sabda-brahman is the Brahman capable of manifesting as gods, men, earth, sky, heaven etc., namely, Prakrti. The meaning is that having been liberated from the bonds of Prakrti, he attains the self which is incapable of being named by such words as gods, men etc., and which comprises solely of knowledge and beatitude. After thus describing the glory of Yoga the verse says:
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
What happens then to such a person as described in the two previous verses. Lord Krishna declares that in both types of birth the person comes into contact with the level of spiritual knowledge which one acquired in the previous life and impelled by the impressions from it strives harder then ever before to reach the perfection of moksa or liberation from material existence.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna states the qualifications of the yogi or one perfecting the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness and why such a birth mentioned in the preceding verse is so rare. It is because the potent impression of one’s past life yoga practices has such efficacy that one regains their spiritual insight and an awakening occurs regarding meditation on the atma or soul. It is exactly like waking up in the morning after sleeping during the night. After such an awakening a person recognises the place where they left off last life and wholeheartedly and determinedly strives for perfection in yoga in their present life without reservation.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
6.43 Tatra, there, in the family of yogis; labhate, tam buddhisamyogam, he becomes endowed with that wisdom; paurva-dehikam, acquired in the previous body. And yatate, he strives; bhuyah, more intensely; tatah, than before, more intensely than that tendency acquired in the previous birth; samsiddau, for, for the sake of, perfection; kuru-nandana, O scion of the Kuru dynasty. How does he become endowed with the wisdom acquired in the previous body? That is being answered:
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
6.43-45 Tatra etc. upto param gatim. For a full success : for emancipation. Being not a master of himself : Indeed being exclusively under the control of other [force], he is forcibly driven towards the practice of Yoga by that [mental impression of his] former practice. This is not an ordinary thing. For, his act of passing over what strengthens the [sacred texual] sound is only due to his desire for knowing the Yoga. He passes over, i.e., he does not undertake, what strengthens the sound i.e., that which is of the nature of hymn-recitation etc. After that : after [the rise of] desire for knowing [Yoga]. Striving by method of practice, he attains the Vasudevahood (identity with the Surpeme) at the time of destruction of his body. It should not be regarded that he has achieved success by [his pratice in] that single body gone. Instead, it should be regarded that he had practised during the course of many a life-period. Therefore, it may be conclude that the fallen-from-Yoga is he who craves continously for activities of [attaining] the Bhagavat by abandoning all other activities. The superiority (or importance) of the Yoga, [the Lord] describes:
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
tatra tam buddhi-samyogam
labhate paurva-dehikam
yatate ca tato bhuyah
samsiddhau kuru-nandana
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
tatra — thereupon; tam — that; buddhi-saḿyogam — revival of consciousness; labhate — gains; paurva-dehikam — from the previous body; yatate — he endeavors; ca — also; tataḥ — thereafter; bhūyaḥ — again; saḿsiddhau — for perfection; kuru-nandana — O son of Kuru.
