Verse-40
Chapter 2 — Sānkhya Yog
Verse 40
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
nehābhikramanāśo'sti pratyavāyo na vidyate
svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt
🕉 English Translation
📜 Translation
English
Even the first step taken towards this Yoga does not go waste and there are no contrary results as well. But even a little practice of this Yoga of action protects one from the greatest fear of birth and death.
'Nehabhikramanasho asti'. The yoga does not suffer from the loss of slightest initiative taken in it. Any step taken in the direction of yoga never goes waste. Time spent, efforts made are not lost. It is bound to be of benefit. Whatever has been deposited in the bank will be available for withdrawal with interest even if one is not able to make further deposits. Whatever time and capability had been invested on the path of yoga, even if one is not able to maintain it one will get the advantage of it in any case. But this does mean that one should not maintain continuity in it and become complacent. Derive special motivation and enthusiasm from it. Such a vast gulf exists between yoga and indulgence. Even on staking one's life on the path of indulgence 'bhoga na bhugta swaimaiva bhugta', says Bhatrihari, one thinks that one is enjoying the sense objects on the dawn of knowledge one finds that he we have objects of enjoyment by the sense objects. Indulgence in action is where the desire for the world, attachment, egoism are the bases. While engaging in such actions the beginning appears to be attractive but the result is blank.
That is why even the beginning results into futility. Yoga of Action–where the desire for fruit is not there, but desire for God, devotion–like (not attachment), surrender and not egoism, there it is possible that the beginning may be fraught with some difficulties but the end result is extremely satisfying and elevating. From this point of view, the commencement can be difficult but completely meaningful. There is no possibility of a contrary result. There is no question of fear at all in this state. 'traiyate mahato bhayat'–Yoga protects one from the greatest fear. For life the fear of the cycle of birth and death is the greatest. Birth and death are there, where there is sense of doership and attachment to the fruits of action. These do not exist in Yoga of action.