Chapter 6, Verse 37 (Bhagavad Gita 6.37)
Chapter 6: Dhyān Yog – Path of Meditation
Sanskrit Shloka
अर्जुन उवाच अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः। अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति
Transliteration
arjuna uvācha ayatiḥ śhraddhayopeto yogāch chalita-mānasaḥ aprāpya yoga-sansiddhiṁ kāṅ gatiṁ kṛiṣhṇa gachchhati
Word Meanings
arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; ayatiḥ—lax; śhraddhayā—with faith; upetaḥ—possessed; yogāt—from Yog; chalita-mānasaḥ—whose mind becomes deviated; aprāpya—failing to attain; yoga-sansiddhim—the highest perfection in yog; kām—which; gatim—destination; kṛiṣhṇa—Shree Krishna; gachchhati—goes
Translation
Arjuna said: He who possesses faith but fails to control his mind, and whose mind wanders away from Yoga—what is the ultimate destination of such a person who has failed to attain perfection in Yoga, O Krishna?
Meaning & Commentary
This verse addresses the deep-seated human anxiety regarding the fear of failure on the spiritual path. Arjuna’s question reflects the psychological struggle of a seeker who possesses sincerity but lacks the mental discipline to remain anchored in the divine. It teaches us that spiritual practice is not a binary success-or-failure outcome, but a profound transformation of consciousness. The deeper wisdom lies in realizing that no sincere effort is ever lost, as even a faltering start contains the seeds of future realization. Ultimately, the Gita assures the seeker that the grace of the Divine transcends the transient lapses of the human mind.