Bhagavad Gita BG 9.31
Chapter 9, Verse 31 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति । कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति ॥
kshipram bhavati dharmatma shashvac-chantim nigacchati kaunteya pratijanIhi na me bhaktah pranashyati
Meaning
Quickly (kshipram) he becomes a dharmatma (a righteous soul) and attains eternal peace. Know with certainty, O Kaunteya — My devotee never perishes.
Understanding
The promise given to the devotee who has stumbled but turned to Krishna (v30's context: even if one of evil conduct turns to Krishna with one-pointed devotion). Kshipram bhavati dharmatma (quickly — kshipram — he becomes a dharmatma, a soul of dharma, a righteous person). The transformation is quick, not slow — bhakti accelerates the inner change. Shashvac-chantim nigacchati (attains eternal peace — shashvat = eternal/permanent, shanti = peace, nigacchati = goes to, attains). Then — pratijanIhi kaunteya (know this as a certainty, O Kaunteya — this is a solemn declaration). Na me bhaktah pranashyati (My devotee never perishes — na pranashyati: does not fall, does not come to destruction). The most absolute promise in all of Chapter 9.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| क्षिप्रम् | kshipram | quickly, swiftly, soon |
| धर्मात्मा | dharmatma | a dharma-soul, a righteous being (dharma + atman) |
| शाश्वच्छान्तिम् | shashvac-chantim | eternal peace (shashvat = eternal, shanti = peace) |
| प्रतिजानीहि | pratijanIhi | know this as a certainty, declare/understand this solemnly |
| प्रणश्यति | pranashyati | perishes, falls, comes to destruction |
| क्षिप्रम् | kṣipram | quickly, soon |
| भवति | bhavati | becomes |
| धर्म-आत्मा | dharma-ātmā | righteous-souled |
| शाश्वत्-शान्तिम् | śāśvat-śāntim | eternal peace |
| निगच्छति | nigacchati | attains, reaches |
| कौन्तेय | kaunteya | O Arjuna |
| प्रतिजानीहि | pratijānīhi | declare, know for certain |
| न | na | not |
| मे | me | My |
| भक्तः | bhaktaḥ | devotee |
| प्रणश्यति | praṇaśyati | perishes, is lost |
📖 Learn "Krishna's Equality, the Devotee's Promise, and the Open Gate" →