56 The Perfection of Yoga

Krsna further indicates that of all good families
to be born into—families of successful merchants or
philosophers or meditators—the best is the family of
yogis. One who takes birth in a very rich family may
be misled. It is normal for a man who is given great
riches to try to enjoy those riches; thus rich men’s
sons often become drunkards or prostitute hunters.
Similarly, one who takes birth in a pious family or in
a brahminical family often becomes very puffed up
and proud, thinking, “I am a brahmana; I am a pious
man.” There is chance of degradation in both rich
and pious families, but one who takes birth in a
family of yogis or of devotees has a much better
chance of cultivating again that spiritual life from
which he has fallen. Krsna tells Arjuna:

tatra tam buddhi-samyogam
labhate paurva-dehikam

yatate ca tato bhuyah
samsiddhau kuru-nandana

“On taking such a birth, he again revives the divine
consciousness of his previous life, and he tries to
make further progress in order to achieve complete
success, O son of Kuru.” (Bg. 6.43)

Being born in a family of those who execute yoga
or devotional service, one remembers his spiritual
activities executed in his previous life. Anyone who
takes to Krsna consciousness seriously is not an
ordinary person; he must have taken to the same
process in his previous life. Why is this?

purvabhyasena tenaiva
hriyate hy avaso’pi sah
