Chapter 9 · Verse 32

Yoga through the King of Sciences

मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः। स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम्

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśhritya ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ striyo vaiśhyās tathā śhūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim

Word Meanings

mām hi pārtha vyapāśhritya ye api syuḥ pāpa yonayaḥ striyaḥ vaiśhyāḥ tathā śhūdrāḥ te api yānti parām gatim

Translation

For those who take refuge in Me, O Arjuna, even those of lowly birth—women, merchants, and laborers—they too attain the supreme destination.

Commentary

माम् Me? हि indeed? पार्थ O Partha? व्यपाश्रित्य taking refuge in? ये who? अपि even? स्युः may be? पापयोनयः of sinful birth? स्त्रियः women? वैश्याः Vaisyas? तथा also? शूद्राः Sudras? ते they? अपि also? यान्ति attain? पराम् the Supreme? गतिम् Goal.Commentary Chandalas or outcastes are of a sinful birth. Women and Sudras are darred by social rules from the study of the Vedas. What is wanted is devotion. There is no need for family traditions. The elephant Gajendra remembered Me with devotion and attained Me in spite of his being an animal. The lowest of the low and the vilest of the vile can attain Me if they have faith and devotion? if they sing and repeat My Name and if they think of Me always and think of no worldy object.Prahlada was a demon and yet by his devotion forced Me to incarnate as Narasimha. Birth is immaterial. Devotion is everything. The Gopis attained Me through their devotion. Kamsa and Ravana attained Me through fear. Sisupala reached Me through hatred. Narada? Dhruva? Akrura? Suka? Sanatkumara and others attined Me through their devotion. Nandan? a man of low caste but a great devotee of Lord Siva? had direct vision of the Lord in Chidambaram in South India. Raidas? a cobbler? was a great devotee. In the spiritual life or in the Adhyatmic sphere all the external distinctions of caste? colour and creed disappear altogether. Shabari? though a Bhilni (a tribe) by birth? was a great devotee of Lord Rama.Hindu scriptures are full of such instances. Hinduism does not restrict salvation to any one group or section of humanity. All can attain God if they have devotion.