In plain words
By the power of that former practice, one is carried forward even against one’s own resistance. Even one who merely seeks to know yoga goes beyond śabda-brahman.
Word for word
For by that very former practice he is carried, even in spite of himself; even one wishing to know yoga goes beyond śabda-brahman.
पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सःजिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते
Other commentaries
The commentators
▸Bhagavadgītābhāṣyam
कथं पूर्वदेहबुद्धिसंयोग इति तदुच्यते —
यः पूर्वजन्मनि कृतः अभ्यासः सः पूर्वाभ्यासः, तेनैव बलवता ह्रियते संसिद्धौ हि यस्मात् अवशोऽपि सः योगभ्रष्टः ; न कृतं चेत् योगाभ्यासजात् संस्कारात् बलवत्तरमधर्मादिलक्षणं कर्म, तदा योगाभ्यासजनितेन संस्कारेण ह्रियते ; अधर्मश्चेत् बलवत्तरः कृतः, तेन योगजोऽपि संस्कारः अभिभूयत एव, तत्क्षये तु योगजः संस्कारः स्वयमेव कार्यमारभते, न दीर्घकालस्थस्यापि विनाशः तस्य अस्ति इत्यर्थः । अतः जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य स्वरूपं ज्ञातुमिच्छन् अपि योगमार्गे प्रवृत्तः संन्यासी योगभ्रष्टः, सामर्थ्यात् सोऽपि शब्दब्रह्म वेदोक्तकर्मानुष्ठानफलम् अतिवर्तते अतिक्रामति अपाकरिष्यति ; किमुत बुद्ध्वा यः योगं तन्निष्ठः अभ्यासं कुर्यात् ॥ ४४ ॥
In plain words
How does this reconnecting with one's former intellect actually happen? That's explained now —
Whatever practice was done in an earlier life—call it ‘former practice’—by the sheer strength of that alone, he is carried on toward perfection, drawn along even without his own choosing, this person who has fallen from yoga. If nothing stronger was done to counter the impression built up by yoga practice—no action marked by wrongdoing outweighing it—then that very impression from yoga carries him forward. But if a stronger wrongdoing was in fact done, then even the impression born of yoga gets overpowered for a while; yet once that wrongdoing has run its course, the yoga-born impression starts working again on its own—nothing, however long it has lain dormant, ever really destroys it. That is the meaning. So even someone who merely wants to know what yoga truly is, who is only engaged on its path out of curiosity—even this renunciate fallen from yoga, by that same power, goes beyond, leaves behind, the fruit that comes from performing the actions the Veda prescribes. How much more, then, should someone who has actually understood yoga and is established in it keep up the practice!
Close to the Sanskrit
‘How does union with the intellect of the former body come about?’—that is now explained —
Whatever practice was done in a former birth—that is ‘former practice’—by that alone, being strong, he is carried toward perfection, for, because, even without his own will, he, fallen from yoga, is drawn; if a stronger action, characterized by unrighteousness and the like, was not done to counter the impression born from the practice of yoga, then he is carried by that impression born of the practice of yoga; but if unrighteousness, stronger, was done, by that even the impression born of yoga is indeed overpowered; but when that unrighteousness is exhausted, the impression born of yoga itself begins its own work—there is no destruction, even of one that has lasted a long time, for it—that is the meaning. Therefore, even one merely desirous of knowing the true nature of yoga, even desiring to know, but engaged on the path of yoga—the renunciant fallen from yoga—by virtue of that power, he too transcends, i.e. goes beyond, i.e. will leave behind, the Brahman that is the Word, i.e. the Veda, the fruit of performing the actions enjoined in the Veda; how much more, then, one who, having understood, is established in that yoga, should perform the practice!