Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6 Verse 40

Gita 6.40

(भगवान उवाच)

पार्थ, न, एव, इह, न, अमुत्र, विनाशः, तस्य, विद्यते,
न, हि, कल्याणकृत्, कश्चित्, दुर्गतिम्, तात, गच्छति।।40।।

Gita 6.40

(Bhagwan uvaach)

Paarth, na, iv, ih, na, amutr, vinaashH, tasya, vidhyate,
Na, hi, kalyaankrt’, kashchit’, durgatim’, taat, gachchhati ||40||

(God said)

Translation: (Paarth) O Paarth! (ev) in reality, a devotee who has deviated from the path (na) neither (ih) remains of this world (na) nor (amutr) of that world (tasya) his (vinaashH) only destruction (vidhyate) is known (hi) undoubtedly (kashchit’) any person who (na kalyaankrt’) does not act within bound unto last breath for self-welfare i.e. who deviates from yog (taat) O dear, he (durgatim’) unfavourable destination / unfortunate circumstances /disaster (gachchhati) goes to i.e. attains. (40)

Gita 6.40: O Paarth! In reality, neither does a sadhak, who has deviated from the path, remain of this world, nor of that world. Only his destruction is known. Undoubtedly any person who does not act within bound unto last breath for self-welfare i.e. who deviates from yog, O dear, he is destined to unfortunate circumstances/ suffers disaster. Its evidence is also given in Gita Chapter 4 Verse 40.

Meaning: The other translators of Gita ji have written in this Verse 40 that a worshipper, who is deviated from bhakti i.e. whose mind is not under control, neither gets destroyed in this lok/world nor in the other world/lok. Whereas it is written in Gita Chapter 6 Verse 36 that according to my opinion one whose mind is not under control, it is difficult for him to get the benefit of bhakti (yog) i.e. there is no benefit of bhakti. That yog is only possible for one who has overpowered his mind.

Please contemplate then that is it justified to do the meaning of Verse 40 as neither does that person deviated from yog get destroyed in this world, nor in the other world. Because in Gita Chapter 6 Verse 42 to 44 also there is this same evidence. It has been stated that a person deviated from yog due to the sanskaar prior to getting deviated goes to Heaven for some days, then takes birth in a virtuous family, but that human birth is very rare in this world/lok. If he attains human birth then out of previous nature by behaving arbitrarily violates the Tatvgyan i.e. gets destroyed. Therefore the above-mentioned translation of Verse 40 is correct. It is also clear in Gita Chapter 6 Verse 45.

Example: A yogi named Jadbharat, because of developing attachment to a fawn and deviating from the path of bhakti, took birth as a fawn and suffered disaster.