जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते ॥ ४४ ॥
pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo’pi saḥ .
jijñāsurapi yogasya śabdabrahmātivartate .. 44 ..
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The man who failed in Yoga is borne on towards perfection by the force of the practice of the former birth. If he had done no unrighteous deed (a-dharma) which could overpower the tendency caused by the practice of Yoga, then, certainly, the tendency of Yoga prevails. If a-dharma be stronger, then, even the tendency born of Yoga is certainly overpowered by a-dharma. But on the exhaustion of a-dharma the tendency caused by Yoga begins to produce its effects : that is to say, it is not liable to destruction though it may have long been in abeyance. Thus he—i.e. as the context shows, a samnyasin who has failed in Yoga—who works in the path of Yoga, only wishing to know its nature, even he will free himself from the Word-Brahman (Sabda-Brahman), from the effects of the observance of Vedic Karma : what need is there to say that he who knows Yoga and practises it in steady devotion will be free from its effects?
The best of Yogins.
And why is the life of a Yogin preferable?