arjuna uvāca ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāc calita-mānasaḥ aprāpya yoga-saṁsiddhiṁ kāṁ gatiṁ kṛṣṇa gacchati
"Arjuna said: What happens to one who has faith but lacks effort, whose mind wanders from yoga, failing to attain perfection in yoga—what path do they follow, O Krishna?"
What This Means:
Arjuna asks a crucial question: What happens to someone who starts the spiritual path with faith but doesn't complete it? They believed but got distracted. Where do they end up?
Going Deeper:
This addresses a real fear: What if I try and fail? Shraddhaya upeta (endowed with faith) but ayati (lacking effort/discipline) and chalita-manasa (mind wandered away). Yoga-samsiddhi (perfection in yoga) wasn't reached. What then?
How To Apply This:
Have you worried about this? Starting but not finishing? Believing but failing to practice consistently? Arjuna voices the fear that keeps many from even beginning. Krishna's answer will be reassuring.
Key Sanskrit Terms: