अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् |
साधुरेव स मन्तव्य: सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि स: || 30||
api chet su-durāchāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ
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
Translation:
Even the most sinful man, if he worships Me with unswerving devotion, must be regarded as righteous; for he has formed the right resolution.
Commentary:
Though the most wicked of men, if he takes refuge in the Lord with faith and devotion, striving to give up his wickedness, he should be regarded as a righteous and holy person. The Lord uses the superlative term (sudurucharah) to indicate the worst forms of sin and evil. Even such a person should be known as holy by virtue of his absolute self-surrender to the Lord. The reason is that he has come to the right decision that Paramatma is the only Reality and he has obtained a glimpse of this ultimate truth. He has realised the illusory nature of the world, and so he has taken final refuge in the only Reality-Paramatma. His decision is right and his salvation is then assured by the Lord.
He is ceaselessly contemplating the Lord and does not touch anything other than Atma. The evil pertaining to such a person is burnt up in the flame of knowledge. A heap of straw lying for several years be reduced to ashes by fire. So the accumulated evil of past births is destroyed by the fire of knowledge. The darkness existing in a remote mountain-cave for thousands of years is destroyed immediately when a match is lighted. So the evil in man however ancient it might be is destroyed by the flash of knowledge. The asadhu becomes a sadhu, the demon becomes a God. What brings about this wonderful transformation? Pure devotion and the right knowledge.
Therefore, let no sinner be disheartened that the weight of sin is too much for him to bear. Let him decide right. Let him take refuge in the Lord, with faith and devotion. He is freed from all sin. He is then a righteous man (sadhu). Instead of condemning people as sinners, it is necessary to rouse the divinity in them and this is the greatest act of goodness which the realised man can do for humanity.
The point to remember is that nothing good can come out of dull contemplation of one’s own weaknesses, past and present. He should act positively and try to understand d what is true and what is false. He should surrender himself to God, and that very moment he transcends all evil.
Whatever evil clings to man in the state of ignorance, that is cleared off by right decision, and determination.
The path of God is the right path. The path of the world (drisya) is the wrong path.
The word ‘sadhu‘ refers to the righteous man who is leading a truly spiritual life.
Question: How can the wicked man become a sadhu?
Answer: By single-minded devotion to God.
Question: What is the right decision?
Answer: To have faith in the Lord as the only Reality is the correct decision.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 9 🔻 (34 Verses)
