Gita 06.40 – Krishna reveals how an apparently lose-lose situation is actually win-win

So how are you Krishna response we'll discuss in the next blocks thank you that Krishna is answering to Arjuna's question and he states Arjuna's question was that a person who gives up the practice of spiritual who gives up material life to pursue spiritual life but is unable to succeed in the pursuit of spiritual life what happens to such a person what happens to such a person that was the question it stretched over three verses 37 38 39 and now Krishna is answering by stating that neither in this world nor in the next world either in this or the next world there will not be destruction why that one who is engaged in auspicious work will never get Durgati so Durgati is an auspicious destination now how exactly does this work Arjuna's question was that if somebody practices material life that normally is practicing material life now material life at that time meant pious material life in bhagavad-gita is a part of the Mahabharata where in Mahabharata people are engaged in the practice of karma kanda in dharma so that they can as Kshatriya so that they can attain heaven so Arjuna is going to say that that Krishna says that Arjuna you're thinking that the person who gives up karma kanda and that person has given up karma kanda that person will not attain heaven and the next stage is that person will not attain earth also because that person will not attain the spiritual world also because person will not attain spiritual perfection so what will happen so Krishna replies that so it seems that if we will lose in both this both in material life as well as spiritual life so neither in this world nor in the next world when the person be a loser so Krishna says so how how is that going to happen Krishna will explain that first of all we see here Krishna's tone is very reassuring Arjuna I love you and with affection I will tell you this the Arjuna no durgati will come to such a person and then he further explains exactly how that durgati will not come and then he states that actually the durgati comes because people in this world are caught in in material sense gratification and especially in irrational sense gratification in religious sense gratification and that is what causes suffering that is what causes bonding that is what causes illusion and as a karmic consequence there is immense suffering that results so now as compared to that a person who is wanting to come out of material existence give up the attachment and infatuation with matter such a person what happens such a person is Kalyanakrit is such a person is engaged in auspicious work Kalyanakrit and what is the auspicious work actually to strive to come out of this material world is definitely auspicious it is extremely supremely auspicious and one who seeks such an auspicious destination such a person will never meet with evil no matter what the specific trajectory of that person means that's what Krishna is assuring over here so in general anybody who seeks transcendence something beyond matter that is that person is engaged in auspicious work so Krishna has talked about this in 5.2 and he said that so both renunciation of work and engagement in work both are favorable for nishreyas both help one to progress towards nishreyas nishreyas means liberation so here Krishna states that the nishreyas the long-term liberation when somebody seeks that whatever be the path whether it be karma yoga, jnana yoga, ishtama yoga, bhakti yoga if one is seeking a goal beyond the material that is auspicious and it is such an auspicious goal that Krishna appreciates Kalyanakrit so from Arjuna's point of view durgati is that a person doesn't gain material things also or doesn't gain spiritual things also doesn't but Krishna says that actually one who engages in auspicious work will never perish so now let's understand how this will happen this will be analyzed in the next series of verses but a quick recap Krishna says that there are two possibilities for a person two broad possibilities for a person who deviates from the path of yoga so if that person has done some practice of yoga some practice of yoga not a you has not made huge spiritual advancement then that person is deviated and that person is deviated because of the desires for worldly gratification or for material gratification more specifically then Krishna says in the next verse such a person would be allowed to go to swarga and in swarga that person can attain lasting happiness which lasts for a long time and after enjoying that sense gratification in heavens for a substantial amount of time the person can be reborn on earth where one can continue one's pursuit of worldly life but the person who comes back to this world will not pursue worldly life because the person already has spiritual revelation and further a person has realized the futility of material gratification by prolonged enjoyment in the heavens so oh and thirdly because that person born in a family that is conduced that is either pure so if it's pure then the inclination to practice spiritual life is likely to be inculcated since childhood and if it's wealthy then the anxiety for material maintenance will not be there and that's how the person can practice so in this way one way that means both in the next with another world also this person gets enjoyment heavenly pleasure and then after that person comes to this world and here also well situate the person well situated so that that person can practice spiritual life in contrast or another way Krishna says is that it's possible that the person otherwise yogi what will happen to the yogi maybe take birth in a heavenly may take birth in a family of very advanced spiritual so again the if the families of not just pure brahmanas or not just but then with great spiritual intelligence then the likelihood of which a family giving spiritual impressions and facilitating the spiritual inclination of this child is much much greater and that's why such a birth is very fortunate so overall Krishna turns what is a loose loose situation what Arjuna thinks of as a loose situation into a win-win situation Krishna tells Arjuna that Arjuna had thought that if I don't get that if I don't get material success I don't get spiritual success both ways I'll be lost but he says that if I get material success that the person will get material success in the sense that the person will get material gratification in heavens and person will get also spiritual success means that will be reborn in the place where one can take off spiritually quite well or that person will be directly born in a spiritually conducive place where one can continue so either way there is no loss and so Krishna tells Arjuna do not be in anxiety do not give up do not lose hope do not feel discouraged and avatara or you know you're very affectionate I am very affectionate towards you and I assure you that there may no suspiciousness that will come to you therefore press onwards on the spiritual path determinately that is the implication thank.