Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9, Verse 32

Chapter 9 – Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

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

Transliteration

māṃ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye.api syuḥ pāpayonayaḥ .
striyo vaiśyāstathā śūdrāste.api yānti parāṃ gatim ॥

Meaning

O Partha, all who take refuge in Me, whatever their birth, women, vaishyas and shudras too, attain the supreme goal.

Word meanings

माम् – in Me
हि – indeed
पार्थ – O son of Pritha
व्यपाश्रित्य – taking full refuge
ये – who
अपि – even
स्युः – may be
पापयोनयः – of births regarded (in that society) as lowly
स्त्रियः – women
वैश्याः – vaishyas
तथा – and also
शूद्राः – shudras
ते – they
अपि – too
यान्ति – attain
पराम् – supreme
गतिम् – goal

Anvaya (word order)

पार्थ, ये अपि पापयोनयः स्युः, (ये च) स्त्रियः वैश्याः तथा शूद्राः (सन्ति), ते अपि मां हि व्यपाश्रित्य परां गतिं यान्ति ।

Explanation

In verses 30 and 31 Krishna showed that even one fallen in conduct can rise through devotion. In this verse He frees the door of devotion from every wall of birth and social standing. Its central message is that bhakti is open to all, without exception.

In the society of that age, Vedic study and many rituals were regarded as the preserve of certain groups. Women, vaishyas and shudras were generally kept away from Vedic learning and sacrifice, and the term papa-yoni was applied to births that the society of the time considered lowest. Krishna is not condemning anyone here. He names the very categories that contemporary custom excluded, precisely in order to declare that none of these is any barrier to taking refuge in Him. Ramanuja and other commentators likewise stress that birth, gender and class are no obstacle to reaching the Lord.

The key word is vyapashritya, taking complete refuge. The prefixes vi and apa signal a refuge that is total, not partial. When one takes full shelter in the Lord, no social barrier can stand. Te ’pi yanti param gatim: they too reach the supreme goal, the same goal attained by the greatest sages and yogis.

The history of the bhakti tradition bears witness to this verse. Mirabai, Shabari, Sant Ravidas, Kabir, Tukaram, Nandanar, Janabai: countless devotees came from backgrounds society looked down upon, yet through devotion they became revered by all. In the Lord’s court there is no high or low; only the language of love is understood.

This verse is thus a charter of the Gita’s universality. Spiritual eligibility comes not from birth but from the heart’s surrender.

Context

In verse 31 Krishna declared that His devotee never perishes. Here He makes clear that this assurance applies to people of every birth and social position. In the next verse He adds that if all these reach the highest goal, how much more so the virtuous brahmanas and royal sages.

Life lesson

Before God no one is small or great; spiritual worth is not decided by birth, gender, caste or rank. Treat everyone with equal respect, and remember that the only real qualification is surrender and love.

Key terms

Vyapashraya: complete refuge
Papa-yoni: a birth regarded as lowly in that society
Para gati: the supreme goal, attainment of God
Universal bhakti: the path of devotion open to all