नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते ।स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ॥
nehābhikramanāśo 'sti pratyavāyo na vidyate |svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt ||
- न · na
- not
- इह · iha
- here, in this (path)
- अभिक्रमनाशः · abhikramanāśaḥ
- loss of effort, wasted beginning
- अस्ति · asti
- there is
- प्रत्यवायः · pratyavāyaḥ
- harm, adverse result, backsliding
- न · na
- not
- विद्यते · vidyate
- there is
- स्वल्पम् · svalpam
- a little
- अपि · api
- even
- अस्य · asya
- of this
- धर्मस्य · dharmasya
- of the righteous path, discipline
- त्रायते · trāyate
- protects, saves
- महतः · mahataḥ
- from great
- भयात् · bhayāt
- from fear, danger
“On this path no effort is wasted, no harm results. Even a little of this discipline protects from great fear.”
— Original plain-language translation
A uniquely reassuring doctrine: unlike Vedic rites, where one error voids the ritual, yoga banks every increment. For the faltering beginner — Arjuna, and every reader — this is the verse that gives permission to start small.
— Reader's notes (original)