Bhagavad Gita · 9.30 · Yoga through the King of Sciences·30 of 34
अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक्।साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः ॥
api chet su-durāchāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ
Sanskrit recitation
Offer what you have · 9.26–9.34 · Teaching
Translation
Even if the most sinful worships Me, with devotion to no one else, he should indeed be regarded as righteous, for he has rightly resolved.
Meaning
Even if the most sinful worships Him with undivided heart, he too must indeed be deemed righteous for he has made the holy resolution to give up the evil ways of his life. Rogue Ratnakar became Valmiki by his holy resolution. Jagai and Madhai also became righteous devotees. Mary Magdalene a woman of illfame, became a pious woman. Sin vanishes when thoughts of God arise in the mind. Chandrayana and Kricchra Vratas will remove only certain particular sins but the remembrance of the Lord, thoughts of the Supreme Being, Japa and meditation, and Abheda Brahma Chintana (contemplation of Brahman with a nondualistic or Aham Brahmasmi or I am the Absolute attitute) will destroy the sins committed by a person even in hundred crores of Kalpas or ages.By abandoning the evil ways in his external life and by the force of his internal right resolution, he becomes righteous and attains eternal peace. (Cf.IV.36)
After Swami Sivananda
Offer what you have· 9.26–9.34→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 9.26Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or a little water, that, so offered devotedly by the pure-minded, I accept.
- 9.27Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, whatever austerity you practice, O Arjuna, do it as an offering to Me.
- 9.28Thus, you shall be freed from the bonds of actions yielding good and evil fruits; with the mind steadfast in the Yoga of renunciation, and liberated, you shall come to Me.
- 9.29I am the same to all beings; there is none hateful or dear to Me; but those who worship Me with devotion are in Me, and I am also in them.
9.30Even if the most sinful worships Me, with devotion to no one else, he should indeed be regarded as righteous, for he has rightly resolved.
- 9.31Soon he becomes righteous and attains eternal peace; O Arjuna, proclaim thou for certain that My devotee never perishes.
- 9.32For, taking refuge in Me, they who, O Arjuna, may be of a sinful birth—women, Vaisyas, and Sudras—attain the Supreme Goal.
- 9.33How much more easily, then, do Brahmins and devoted royal saints attain the goal? Having come to this impermanent and unhappy world, do thou worship Me.
- 9.34Fix your mind on Me; be devoted to Me; sacrifice to Me; bow down to Me; having thus united your whole self to Me, taking Me as the supreme goal, you will come to Me.
Word-by-word→
- hi
- certainly
- api
- even
- eva
- certainly
- chet
- if
- mām
- me
- saḥ
- that person
- samyak
- properly
- bhajate
- worship
- sādhuḥ
- righteous
- mantavyaḥ
- is to be considered
- ananya-bhāk
- exclusive devotion
- vyavasitaḥ
- resolve
- su-durāchāraḥ
- the vilest sinners
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