By that very same earlier practice he is carried along, even in spite of himself. Even one who merely wants to know yoga goes beyond the Vedic word (shabda-brahman).
Explanation
Krishna is continuing his answer to Arjuna about what happens to someone who begins yoga (disciplined spiritual practice) but dies before completing it. Here he says that practice from a past life pulls the person back toward yoga, even against their will. 'Shabda-brahman' (śabdabrahma) means the Vedic word or ritual teaching; commentators differ on whether going 'beyond' it means rising above ritual results or surpassing mere scriptural study.