History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c95.253

v7.c95.253

The Bhagavadgītā (VI 37-45) is very emphatic that no exertions made by a man on the path of Yoga with faith are lost even if he does not quickly attain perfection. Lord Kṛṣṇa replies (VI. 40 ff) that such a man failing to secure perfection does not come to an evil end, but he attains to the worlds of the righteous, dwells there for many years, is born in the houses of prosperous and pure men or is born in the family of wise yogins, where he regains the mental impressions of his past lives. He makes fresh efforts to gain perfection and is carried forward irresistibly by his practice in former lives and being free from all sins and perfecting himself through many lives attains the highest goal. In the Gītā, Kṛṣṇa says (in IV. 5) 'many are my lives that are past and thine also. All of them I know but thou knowest them not.' In many places the Gītā touches upon the doctrine of transmigration (such as in II. 12-13 and 22-27, IV 8-9, VII 19, VIII. 6, 15-16, IX. 21).