Bhagavad Gita · Dhyana Yoga (Atma-samyama Yoga)Chapter 6, Shloka 42 (6.42)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम्
एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम्
॥ 6.42 ॥
athavā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām
etaddhi durlabhataraṃ loke janma yadīdṛśam
Translation
"Or one is born into a family of wise yogis themselves; such a birth is even rarer in this world."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya — "a family of poor yogis". Athavā śrīmatāṃ kulāt anyasmin yoginām eva daridrāṇāṃ kule bhavati jāyate dhīmatāṃ buddhimatām — other than a family of the prosperous, in a family of poor wise yogis; etat hi janma yat daridrāṇāṃ yogināṃ kule durlabhataraṃ duḥkha-labhyataraṃ pūrvam apekṣya — this birth in a family of poor yogis is even rarer compared with the former (a prosperous home).
Acharya Ramanuja — the mature seeker. Paripakva-yogaḥ calitaḥ ced yogināṃ dhīmatāṃ yogaṃ kurvatāṃ svayam eva yogopadeṣṭṛṇāṃ kule bhavati — if one with mature yoga strays, one is born into the family of yogis who themselves practise yoga and teach it. Both births are prākṛtānāṃ durlabhataram — rare for ordinary people; etat tu yoga-māhātmya-kṛtam — this happens through the greatness of yoga.
The difference: Shankara — the second option is apart from wealth (poor) and superior; Ramanuja — it is for the mature seeker, who finds a guru right at home.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.