अर्जुन उवाच | अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः | अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति || ३७ ||
arjuna uvāca ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāc calita-mānasaḥ aprāpya yoga-saṃsiddhiṃ kāṃ gatiṃ kṛṣṇa gacchati
arjunaḥ uvāca—Arjuna said; ayatiḥ—a failed transcendentalist; śraddhayā—with faith; upetaḥ—engaged; yogāt—from mysticism; calita—deviated; mānasaḥ—whose mind; aprāpya—unable to attain; yoga-saṃsiddhim—the highest perfection in mysticism; kām—what; gatim—destination; kṛṣṇa—O Krishna; gacchati—achieves.
“Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is the fate of the person who has faith but who has not persevered — whose mind has strayed from yoga before attaining perfection in it?”
Arjuna's second question in this chapter is deeply practical and personally relevant. He has heard the description of the perfect yogi and recognises the long path. Now he asks: what about someone who starts the path with genuine faith and sincere effort, but who falls short — who dies before reaching the goal? Is all that effort wasted? This is a question that troubles every sincere seeker, and Krishna's answer (verses 6.40-45) is profoundly reassuring.
If you sometimes wonder whether your imperfect spiritual practice 'counts' — whether the progress you make in this life carries forward — hold Arjuna's question and wait for Krishna's answer. The doctrine of spiritual inheritance across lifetimes is one of the most comforting teachings in the Gita.