येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम् |
ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रता: || 28||
yeṣhāṁ tvanta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛiḍha-vratāḥ
yeṣhām—whose; tu—but; anta-gatam—completely destroyed; pāpam—sins; janānām—of persons; puṇya—pious; karmaṇām—activities; te—they; dvandva—of dualities; moha—illusion; nirmuktāḥ—free from; bhajante—worship;mām; dṛiḍha-vratāḥ—with determination
Translation:
But those men of good works whose sin has come to an end, worship Me steadfast in vows, freed from the delusive pairs of opposites.
Commentary:
Only the man who is steadfast in his vows can worship the Lord and understand His higher nature. Vows of silence, fasting, celibacy, study and others are practised by many for self-perfection. But to acquire steadfast discipline is difficult. The reason is that the mind is impure by accumulated sins of several births. This is the chief obstacle in spiritual life. As the dirty cloth cannot be dyed, as no seed grows in the wasteland, so also spiritual illumination does not arise in the heart of the sinful man. Sin is the manifestation of ‘rajo guna’ and this does not allow a man to remain still in the contemplation of the Self. The Mind is turned outward to wander in the wildness of the world.
So the mind should be washed pure. And this is possible by performing good deeds, ‘Do Punya karma and destroy sin‘-that is the Lord’s command. The seeker should do good deeds continuously. Some charity, some service to suffering-humanity, some self-sacrifice for the sake of others, some japa and some kind of spiritual discipline should be done by him. This is the only way to eliminate sin. It is foolish to say that even good karma binds. Bad can be removed only by good, and in the final stages of Realisation, both bad and good are left behind. But even after Realisation the Lord has ordained that good works should be continued for the sake of setting an example for humanity. The man of good deeds shall never fall to a low state says the Lord.
Those who have destroyed sin by good deeds, are freed from the delusive pairs of opposites, and worship the Lord with unswerving devotion. Thus they realise the Self and attain Moksha.
Vows firmly held and practised with a resolute spirit are necessary for progress. A weak and, vacillating mind cannot achieve anything. The obstruction of Maya cannot be easily removed. The Sadhaka should fix the discipline and follow it. “I will not touch food till I complete some Japa, and read a chapter of the Gita of Ramayana or some other sacred work.” Thus he should determine and act.
Question: Who can worship the Lord with steadfast vows?
Answer: The sinless.
Question: How can sin be destroyed?
Answer: By performing good works.
Question: What are the rewards of destroying sin?
Answer: The removal of the delusive pairs of opposites, and firmness in the contemplation of the Self.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 7 🔻 (30 Verses)
