Chapter 9 · Verse 30

Yoga through the King of Sciences

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

Word Meanings

api — even; chet — if; su-durāchāraḥ — the vilest sinners; bhajate — worship; mām — me; ananya-bhāk — exclusive devotion; sādhuḥ — righteous; eva — certainly; saḥ — that person; mantavyaḥ — is to be considered; samyak — properly; vyavasitaḥ — resolve; hi — certainly; saḥ — that person

Language:

Translation

Even if the most sinful person worships Me with unwavering, exclusive devotion, he is to be regarded as righteous, for he has truly resolved rightly.

Commentary

अपि even? चेत् if? सुदुराचारः a very wicked person? भजते worships? माम् Me? अनन्यभाक् with devotion to none else? साधुः righteous? एव verily? सः he? मन्तव्यः should be regarded? सम्यक् rightly? व्यवसितः resolved? हि indeed? सः he.Commentary 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)