Shloka
अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् |
साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः ||९-३०||Transliteration
api cetsudurācāro bhajate māmananyabhāk .
sādhureva sa mantavyaḥ samyagvyavasito hi saḥ ||9-30||Translations
Dr.S.Sankaranarayan
9.30. Even if an incorrigible evil-doer worships Me, not resorting to anything else [as his goal], he should be deemed to be righteous; for, he has undertaken his task properly.
Shri Purohit Swami
9.30 Even the most sinful, if he worship Me with his whole heart, shalt be considered righteous, for he is treading the right path.
Sri Abhinav Gupta
9.30 See Comment under 9.31
Sri Ramanuja
9.30 Even though he has transgressed rules that ought to be followed and has failed to avoid what a person belonging to a particular class should avoid, if he has begun to worship Me in the manner described above with undivided devotion, namely, with worship as the only purpose - such a person must be considered highly righteous. He is eminent among the worshippers of Visnu. He must be esteemed as fit for honour. The meaning is that he is eal to those Jnanins mentioned earlier. What can be the reason for this? The reason is that, he has rightly resolved, i.e., his resolve is in the proper direction. ‘The Lord who forms the sole cause of the entire universe, who is the Supreme Brahman, Narayana, the Lord of all mobile and immobile beings, is our Master, our Teacher, and our Friend, highest object of enjoyment,’ - such a resolve is difficult to be made by all. Its effect, unremitting worship which has no other purpose, will be found in him who makes such a resolve. Hence he is holy and is to be highly honoured. When this resolve, and unremitting worship which is its effect, are found in a person, he is not to be belittled; for, his transgression of rules is a negligible mistake compared to this kind of excellence. On the other hand he is to be regarded with high honour. Such is the meaning.
No, if it be said that transgression of rules will annul the flow of worship, as declared in the Sruti passages like, ‘One who has not ceased from bad conduct, is not tranil, is not composed and also not calm in mind, cannot obtain Him through intelligence’ (Ka. U., 1.2.24), Sri Krsna replies:
Sri Shankaracharya
9.30 Api cet, even if; su-duracarah, a man of very bad conduct, of extremely vile behaviour, of very condemnable character; bhajate, worships; mam, Me; ananyabhak, with one-pointed devotion, with his mind not given to anybody else; he; mantavyah, is to be considered, deemed; eva, verily; sadhuh, good, as well behaved; hi, for; sah, he; samyakvyavasitah, has resolved rightly, has virtuous intentions.
Swami Adidevananda
9.30 If even the most sinful man worships Me with undivided devotion, he must be regarded as holy, for he has rightly resolved.
Swami Gambirananda
9.30 Even if a man of very bad conduct worships Me with one-pointed devotion, he is to be considered verily good; for he has resolved rightly.
Swami Sivananda
9.30 Even if the most sinful worships Me, with devotion to none else, he too should indeed by regarded as righteous for he has rightly resolved.
Commentaries
Swami Sivananda
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)