मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः।
स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम्।।9.32।।
9.32 For, O son of Prtha, even those who are born of sin-women, Vaisyas, as also Sudras [S.s construction of this portion is: women, Vaisyas as also Sudras, and even others who are born of sin (i.e., those who are born low and are of vile deeds, viz Mlecchas, Pukkasas and others). M.S. also takes papa-yonayah (born of sin) as a separate phrase, and classifies women and others only as those darred from Vedic study, etc.-Tr.]-, even they reach the highest Goal by taking shelter under Me.
9.32 For, taking refuge in Me, they also who, O Arjuna, may be of a sinful birth women, Vaisyas as well as Sudras attain the Supreme Goal.
9.32. O son of Prtha, even those who are of sinful birth, [besides] women, men of working class, and the members of the fourth caste-even they, having taken refuge in Me, attain the highest goal.
9.32 माम् Me? हि indeed? पार्थ O Partha? व्यपाश्रित्य taking refuge in? ये who? अपि even? स्युः may be? पापयोनयः of sinful birth? स्त्रियः women? वैश्याः Vaisyas? तथा also? शूद्राः Sudras? ते they? अपि also? यान्ति attain? पराम् the Supreme? गतिम् Goal.Commentary Chandalas or outcastes are of a sinful birth. Women and Sudras are darred by social rules from the study of the Vedas. What is wanted is devotion. There is no need for family traditions. The elephant Gajendra remembered Me with devotion and attained Me in spite of his being an animal. The lowest of the low and the vilest of the vile can attain Me if they have faith and devotion? if they sing and repeat My Name and if they think of Me always and think of no worldy object.Prahlada was a demon and yet by his devotion forced Me to incarnate as Narasimha. Birth is immaterial. Devotion is everything. The Gopis attained Me through their devotion. Kamsa and Ravana attained Me through fear. Sisupala reached Me through hatred. Narada? Dhruva? Akrura? Suka? Sanatkumara and others attined Me through their devotion. Nandan? a man of low caste but a great devotee of Lord Siva? had direct vision of the Lord in Chidambaram in South India. Raidas? a cobbler? was a great devotee. In the spiritual life or in the Adhyatmic sphere all the external distinctions of caste? colour and creed disappear altogether. Shabari? though a Bhilni (a tribe) by birth? was a great devotee of Lord Rama.Hindu scriptures are full of such instances. Hinduism does not restrict salvation to any one group or section of humanity. All can attain God if they have devotion.
9.32 Hi, for; O son of Prtha, ye api, even those; papayonayah syuh, who are born of sin;-as to who they are, the Lord says-striyah, women; vaisyah, Vaisyas, tatha, as also; sudrah, Sudras; te api, even they; yanti, reach, go to; the param, highest; gatim, Goal vyapasritya, by taking shelter; mam, under Me-by accepting Me as their refuge.
9.32 See Comment under 9.34
9.32 - 9.33 Women, Vaisyas and Sudras, and even those who are of sinful birth, can attain the supreme state by taking refuge in Me. How much more then the well-born Brahmanas and royal sages who are devoted to me! Therefore, roayl sage that you are, do worship Me, as you have come to this transient and joyless world stricken by the threefold afflictions. Sri Krsna now describes the nature of Bhakti:
Is it so remarkable that my bhakti does not consider the accidental faults arising by actions of my misbehaving devotee? For my bhakti does not even consider the inherent faults of such a person arising from his birth. Even those of sinful birth (papa yonayah), outcastes or mlecchas, who surrender to me, attain the supreme goal. kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah ye’nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah Kirata, Huna, Andhra, Pulinda, Pulkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana, members of the Khasa races and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, due to His being the supreme power.I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him. SB 2.4.18 aho bata sva-paco ‘to gariyan yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name! Even if born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are wprshipable. Persons who chant the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and fire sacrifices and achieved all the good manners of the Aryans. To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas and fulfilled everything required. SB 3.33.7 What then to speak of women, vaisyas or others with such bad qualities as impurity?
What is there to wonder that bhakti or loving devotion to the Supreme Lord Krishna purifies one of previously abominable behaviour? When it liberates from samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death even low born and unqualified persons. This is being confirmed here that those born sinfully out of wedlock, those born in the poorest and most degraded of families such as mleccha or meat eaters, those who are vaisyas the mercantile class engaged only in business, sudras the menial class, women and all others who are devoid of Vedic knowledge. If any of them are accepted by the bonafide spiritual preceptor in one of the four authorised channels of spiritual knowledge and take complete refuge in the Supreme Lord Krishna worshipping Him or any of His authorised incarnations and expansions, it is assured undoubtedly that they will attain the Supreme destination of eternal association with Him.
Maam hi paartha vyapaashritya ye’pi syuh paapayonayah; Striyo vaishyaastathaa shoodraaste’pi yaanti paraam gatim.
mām—in Me; hi—certainly; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; vyapāśhritya—take refuge; ye—who; api—even; syuḥ—may be; pāpa yonayaḥ—of low birth; striyaḥ—women; vaiśhyāḥ—mercantile people; tathā—and; śhūdrāḥ—manual workers; te api—even they; yānti—go; parām—the supreme; gatim—destination
