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TEXT 37 arjuna uvaca
SYNONYMS  arjunah uvaca--Arjuna
said; ayatih--unsuccessful transcendentalist; sraddhaya--with
faith; upetah--engaged; yogat--from the mystic link; calita--deviated;
manasah--of one who has such a mind; aprapya--failing; yoga-samsiddhim--highest
perfection in mysticism; kam--which; gatim--destination;
krsna--O Krsna; gacchati--achieves.
TRANSLATION Arjuna said:
What is the destination of the man of faith who does not persevere, who
in the beginning takes to the process of self-realization but who later
desists due to worldly-mindedness and thus does not attain perfection in
mysticism?
PURPORT The path of
self-realization or mysticism is described in the Bhagavad-gita.
The basic principle of self-realization is knowledge that the living entity
is not this material body but that he is different from it and that his
happiness is in eternal life, bliss and knowledge. These are transcendental,
beyond both body and mind. Self-realization is sought by the path of knowledge,
the practice of the eightfold system or by bhakti-yoga. In each
of these processes one has to realize the constitutional position of the
living entity, his relationship with God, and the activities whereby he
can reestablish the lost link and achieve the highest perfectional stage
of Krsna consciousness. Following any of the above-mentioned three methods,
one is sure to reach the supreme goal sooner or later. This was asserted
by the Lord in the Second Chapter: even a little endeavor on the transcendental
path offers a great hope for deliverance. Out of these three methods, the
path of bhakti-yoga is especially suitable for this age because
it is the most direct method of God realization. To be doubly assured,
Arjuna is asking Lord Krsna to confirm His former statement. One may sincerely
accept the path of self-realization, but the process of cultivation of
knowledge and the practice of the eightfold yoga system are generally
very difficult for this age. Therefore, despite constant endeavor, one
may fail for many reasons. First of all, one may not be following the process.
To pursue the transcendental path is more or less to declare war on illusory
energy. Consequently, whenever a person tries to escape the clutches of
the illusory energy, she tries to defeat the practitioner by various allurements.
A conditioned soul is already allured by the modes of material energy,
and there is every chance of being allured again, even while performing
transcendental disciplines. This is called yogac calita-manasah:
deviation from the transcendental path. Arjuna is inquisitive to know the
results of deviation from the path of self-realization.
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