39. Doubts arise from ignorance, and the power to dispel doubts comes from knowledge. Scholars of the scriptures possess theoretical knowledge, which is not good enough to dispel doubts, because the scriptures contain many apparent contradictions that can be reconciled only by realization. The God-realized Saints do possess realized knowledge that is limited in extent. They do not become all-knowing. Such realized Saints do possess the power to dispel doubts, but they cannot compete with God, who is all-knowing. God alone is sarvajña (omniscient) and sarva-śhaktimān (all-powerful), and hence he is supremely competent in removing all ignorance, just as the sun is competent in repealing the darkness
40. The word Tāta is a word of endearment, which literally means "son." By addressing Arjun as Tāta in this verse, Shree Krishna is demonstrating his affection for him. The son is affectionately addressed as Tāta. The Guru is like a father to his disciple, and hence the Guru too sometimes affectionately addresses the disciple as Tāta. Here, by displaying his affection and grace toward Arjun, Shree Krishna wishes to indicate that God takes care of those who tread on his path. They are dear to God because they engage in the most auspicious kind of activity, and "the doer of good never comes to grief." This verse asserts that God preserves the devotee both in this world and the world hereafter. This pronouncement is a great assurance to all spiritual aspirants. Shree Krishna then goes on to explain how God preserves the efforts of the yogi who does not complete the journey in the present life.
41-42. Residence in the celestial abodes is awarded to those who engage in mundane virtuous deeds and the fruitive karm-kāṇḍ activities enjoined in the Vedas. So, why should an unsuccessful yogi go to the celestial abodes? The reason is that the opposite of Yog (union with God) is bhog (material enjoyment). One falls from Yog because of the desire for bhog. So God, like an indulgent father, gives that fallen yogi a chance to engage in bhog in the next life and realize that it is an exercise in futility, which does not satiate the yearning of the soul for permanent bliss. So the fallen yogi is sometimes sent to the celestial abodes for a long time, and then again granted birth on Earth.
Such souls are then given birth in a family where they have the opportunity to continue their spiritual journey. Śhuchī means those who are of pious and of good character; shree means those who are wealthy. The unsuccessful yogi are either born in a pious family that will nurture the child's spirituality from childhood, or in a wealthy family where all the bodily needs are taken care of and one does not need to engage in the struggle for survival. Such a family environment facilitates the opportunity to engage in spiritual pursuits for the souls who are so inclined.
The circumstances, situation, and family of our birth have an important bearing upon the course of our life. From our bodily parents we derive physical hereditary characteristics. This is the genetic process of heredity. However, there is also the process of social heredity. We blindly follow many customs because of the social environment of our upbringing. We do not choose to be Indians, Americans, British, etc. We identify ourselves with a nationality based upon our birth, and even go the extent of developing enmity with people of other nationalities. Invariably, we follow the religion of our parents, on the basis of social heredity.
Thus, the place and family of our birth has a great impact upon our direction and attainment in life. If the place and family of birth were arbitrarily decided in every life, there would be no justice in the world. However, God has an account of all our thoughts and actions of endless lifetimes. In accordance with the law of karma, the spiritual assets earned by the unsuccessful yogi in the previous life bear fruit. Accordingly, those yogis who had traversed quite a distance and developed dispassion are not sent to the celestial abodes. They are given birth in a spiritually evolved family, to facilitate the continuance of their journey. Such a birth is a great good fortune because the parents inculcate divine wisdom in the child from the very beginning.
43. God, who is seated within the heart of every living being, is perfectly just. Whatever spiritual assets we had accumulated in the past life—detachment, wisdom, devotion, faith, tolerance, determination, etc.—are known to him. So, at the appropriate time, he gives us the fruits of our past efforts and enhances our spirituality from within, in accordance with our previous attainments. This explains why some people harboring materialistic views suddenly become deeply spiritual. When their spiritual sanskārs awaken, they get the benefit of their sādhanā of previous lives.
A traveler may break journey to rest the night in a hotel on the wayside. But when he wakes up, he does not need to again tread the distance already covered. He simply moves ahead to cover the remaining distance. Likewise, by God's grace, the yogi of past lives receives the previous spiritual assets accumulated, to be able to continue the journey where he had left off, like someone who has woken up from sleep. That is why such a yogi never gets lost.
44.Once spiritual sentiments have sprouted, they cannot be wiped out. The soul with devotional sanskārs (tendencies and impressions) from the present and past lifetimes gets naturally inspired toward spirituality. Such an individual feels drawn toward God, and this pull is also referred to as "the call of God." Based upon the past sanskārs the call of God sometimes becomes so strong that it is said, "The call of God is the strongest call in one's life." People who experience it reject the entire world and the advice of their friends and relatives to tread the path that draws their heart. That is how in history, great princes, noblemen, wealthy businesspersons, etc. renounced the comfort of their worldly position to become ascetics, yogis, sages, mystics, and swamis. And since their hunger was for God alone, they naturally rose above the ritualistic practices prescribed in the Vedas for material advancement.