prayatnād yatamānas tu
yogī saḿśuddha-kilbiṣaḥ
aneka-janma-saḿsiddhas
tato yāti parāḿ gatim
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 6.45
And when the yogi engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, achieving perfection after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
A person born in a particularly righteous, aristocratic or sacred family becomes conscious of his favorable condition for executing yoga practice. With determination, therefore, he begins his unfinished task, and thus he completely cleanses himself of all material contaminations. When he is finally free from all contaminations, he attains the supreme perfection—Krishna consciousness. Krishna consciousness is the perfect stage of being freed of all contaminations. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.28):
yesham tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
“After many, many births of executing pious activities, when one is completely freed from all contaminations, and from all illusory dualities, one becomes engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.”
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
The cause of falling from the path is lack of effort. That has been mentioned before: though he has faith, he puts forth little effort (ayatih). It has been mentioned that the fallen yogi with lax practice attains the practice of yoga again in the next life. However, he does not attain perfection. That will only be attained after many births when his practice becomes mature. But he does not become lax in the yoga practice, and cannot be called a fallen yogi.
The perfection takes place only after many births of practice. Kardama Muni says:
bahu-janma-vipakvena samyag-yoga-samadhina
drastum yatante yatayah sunyagaresu yat-padam
After many births, mature yogis, by complete trance in yoga, endeavor in secluded places to see the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. SB 3.24.28
Thus it is mentioned in this verse that he does not attain perfection in one birth. He makes great effort (prayatnad yatamanah) in this life, in contrast to his previous life (tu), and burns up all faults, but even he does not attain perfection in one life. Finally, he attains liberation (param gatim).
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
6.45 Because of such excellence of Yoga, through accumulation of merit collected in many births the Yogin striving earnestly, becomes cleansed from stains. Having become perfected, he reaches the supreme state, even though he had once gone astray. Sri Krsna now speaks of the superiority of the Yogin above all others because of his being devoted to the supreme goal of human existence.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
If even a novice or beginner yogi or one perfecting the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness can eventually attain moksa or liberation from material existence. it goes without saying that what can be said for a yogi who practices diligently and wholeheartedly purifying themselves more and more in mind and bodily activities will soon attain perfection and atma tattva or realisatio of the soul through accumulated merits of performing yoga for many lifetimes and attain moksa.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna states the words aneka-janma meaning after many births the aspirant by spiritual experience acquires spiritual knowledge and accumulated merit after many lifetimes and achieves moksa or liberation from the material existence. If one exerts themselves sincerely and intensely one becomes endowed with devotion to the Supreme Lord. In the Narada Purana it states: Knowing, perceiving and meditating for many lives in the mood of devotion a person invariably attains the immaculate Supreme Lord and not by any other manner or means.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Does such a yogi or one perfecting the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness become finally established in yoga in their present birth after transcending prescribed Vedic activities for rewards? Is such a person qualified for moksa or liberation from material existence in this life or the next? Lord Krishna uses the words prayatmad yatmanas meaning endeavouring diligently. Because a person deviated from yoga in the past life due to negligence and distraction they must pick up where they left off with even more effort than before as to not be deviated again. One should sincerely and determinedly make up their mind to attain perfection in this very life purging themselves of all impurities and neutralising all obstructions from self realisation with diligent endeavour so the opportunity for development is not lost in this birth or in future births until at last one attains moksa.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
6.45 The yogi, the man of Knowledge; yatamanah, applying himself; prayatnat, assiduously, i.e. striving more intensely; and as a result, samsuddha-kilbisah, becoming purified from sin; and aneka-janma-samsiddhah, attaining perfection through many births- gathering together tendencies little by little in many births, and attaining perfection through that totality of impressions acquired in many births; tatah, thereby coming to have full Illumination; yati, achieves; the param, highest, most perfect; ;gatim, Goal. Since this is so, therefore.
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:
prayatnad yatamanas tu
yogi samsuddha-kilbisah
aneka-janma-samsiddhas
tato yati param gatim
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
prayatnāt — by rigid practice; yatamānaḥ — endeavoring; tu — and; yogī — such a transcendentalist; saḿśuddha — washed off; kilbiṣaḥ — all of whose sins; aneka — after many, many; janma — births; saḿsiddhaḥ — having achieved perfection; tataḥ — thereafter; yāti — attains; parām — the highest; gatim — destination.
