BHAGAVAD-GITA 9:32

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 9:32

 

mam hi partha vyapasrit ya

ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah

striyo vaisyas tatha sudras

te 'pi yanti param gatim

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

mam--of Me; hi--certainly; partha--O son of Prtha;

vyapasritya--particularly taking shelter; ye--those who; api--also;

syuh--are; papa-yonayah--born of a lower family; stri yah--women;

vaisyah--mercantile people; tatha--also; sudrah--lower-class men; te

api--even they; yanti--go; param--to the supreme; gatim--destination.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower

birth--women, vaisyas [merchants] and sudras [workers]--can attain the

supreme destination.

 

PURPORT

 

It is clearly declared here by the Supreme Lord that in devotional

service there is no distinction between the lower and higher classes

of people. In the material conception of life there are such

divisions, but for a person engaged in transcendental devotional

service to the Lord there are not. Everyone is eligible for the

supreme destination. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam

(2.4.18) it is stated that even the lowest, who are called candalas

(dog-eaters), can be purified by association with a pure devotee. Therefore

devotional service and the guidance of a pure devotee are so strong

that there is no discrimination between the lower and higher classes

of men; anyone can take to it. The most simple man taking shelter of

the pure devotee can be purified by proper guidance. According to the

different modes of material nature, men are classified in the mode of

goodness (brahmanas), the mode of passion (ksatriyas, or

administrators), the mixed modes of passion and ignorance (vaisyas, or

merchants), and the mode of ignorance

(sudras, or workers). Those lower than them are called candalas, and they

are born in sinful families. Generally, the association of those born

in sinful families is not accepted by the higher classes. But the

process of devotional service is so strong that the pure devotee of

the Supreme Lord can enable people of all the lower classes to attain

the highest perfection of life. This is possible only when one takes

shelter of Krsna. As indicated here by the word vyapasritya, one has

to take shelter completely of Krsna. Then one can become much greater

than great jnanis and yogis.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.