ॐ

अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक्। साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः।।9.30।।

api chet su-durāchāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 9, Verse 30
0:000:00

Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
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.

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: even if a person of the worst conduct worships Krishna with exclusive devotion, they should be considered righteous, for they have rightly resolved, again offering a strikingly generous promise that past conduct doesn't permanently disqualify someone from genuine change.

In life: someone's past behavior, however troubling, doesn't have to be treated as a permanent verdict on who they're capable of becoming from here forward.

Teaching: extend this same generosity to someone you know who's trying to genuinely change after troubling past conduct, and extend it to your own past mistakes as well, they're not the final word on your capability.

apieven
chetif
su-durāchāraḥthe vilest sinners
bhajateworship
māmme
ananya-bhākexclusive devotion
sādhuḥrighteous
evacertainly
saḥthat person
mantavyaḥis to be considered
samyakproperly
vyavasitaḥresolve
hicertainly
saḥthat person

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
9.30 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)