Bhagavad Gita BG 9.32
Chapter 9, Verse 32 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः । स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास् तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥
mam hi partha vyapashritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah stryo vaishyas tatha shudras te 'pi yanti param gatim
Meaning
For those who take refuge in Me, O Partha — even those of sinful birth, women, vaishyas, and shudras — they too reach the supreme goal.
Understanding
The great democratization of liberation. Mam hi vyapashritya (taking complete refuge in Me — vi + apa + ashrita: fully sheltered, wholly taking refuge). Ye api syuh papa-yonayah (even those who may be of sinful birth — those whose karma brought them into difficult or low-status circumstances). Then the list: striyo (women), vaishyas (the third varna — merchants, farmers), shudras (the fourth varna — servants). In the social context of the Gita's time, these were groups with restricted Vedic access. Krishna's declaration: te api yanti param gatim (they TOO reach the supreme goal). The 'api' (also, even) is revolutionary — the highest goal is not the privilege of the twice-born alone. Complete refuge in Krishna (vyapashritya) is the one sufficient condition.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| व्यपाश्रित्य | vyapashritya | having taken complete refuge (vi+apa+ashrita — fully, wholly sheltered in) |
| पापयोनयः | papa-yonayah | of sinful birth, born of difficult/low-status circumstances |
| स्त्रियः | striyah | women |
| वैश्याः | vaishyah | the vaishya varna — farmers, merchants, traders |
| परां गतिम् | param gatim | the supreme destination/goal — the highest |
| माम् | mām | Me |
| हि | hi | indeed |
| पार्थ | pārtha | O Arjuna |
| व्यपाश्रित्य | vyapāśritya | taking refuge in |
| ये | ye | those who |
| अपि | api | even |
| स्युः | syuḥ | they may be |
| पाप-योनयः | pāpa-yonayaḥ | of sinful birth |
| स्त्रियः | striyaḥ | women |
| वैश्याः | vaiśyāḥ | merchants, vaishyas |
| तथा | tathā | as well as |
| शूद्राः | śūdrāḥ | shudras, laborers |
| ते | te | they |
| अपि | api | also |
| यान्ति | yānti | attain |
| परम् | param | supreme |
| गतिम् | gatim | destination |
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