Bhagavad Gita BG 6.43
Chapter 6, Verse 43 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम् । यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन ॥
tatra tam buddhi-samyogam labhate paurvadehikam yatate ca tato bhuyah samsiddhau kuru-nandana
Meaning
There, he regains that same understanding acquired from his previous body (birth), and from that, O joy of the Kurus, he strives even more intensely toward perfection.
Understanding
This verse contains one of the most profound and reassuring teachings in the Gita: 'buddhi-samyogam labhate paurvadehikam' — he regains (labhate) the inner intelligence-union (buddhi-samyogam) from the previous body (paurvadehikam). The word 'paurvadehika' is compound: purva (previous) + deha (body) — the spiritual capacity accumulated and refined in the previous life is not lost. It is revived in the new birth. What does he revive? Not just memories but the entire buddhi-samyoga — the disciplined, yoga-tuned intelligence, the capacity for discrimination (viveka), the familiarity with the inner world, the strength of will developed through practice. 'Yatate ca tato bhuyah' — and from there, he strives even MORE (bhuyah) toward perfection (samsiddhau). The previous life's effort becomes the launching pad for the new life's greater effort. The sincere yogi does not start over — he picks up exactly where he left off, but with a stronger foundation.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| बुद्धिसंयोगम् | buddhi-samyogam | union of intelligence/understanding with yoga, the yoga-attuned intellect |
| पौर्वदेहिकम् | paurvadehikam | from the previous body/birth, accumulated in the previous life |
| यतते | yatate | strives, makes effort, endeavors |
| भूयः | bhuyah | more, even more, again (comparative) |
| संसिद्धौ | samsiddhau | toward perfection, toward complete accomplishment |
| तत्र | tatra | there / in that birth |
| तम् | tam | that (intelligence-yoga from before) |
| लभते | labhate | obtains / regains / receives |
| च | ca | and (and strives further) |
| ततः | tataḥ | from that / from there (strives even more) |
| कुरुनन्दन | kuru-nandana | O beloved of the Kurus (Arjuna) |