Chapter 4: Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga, verse 36
अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः।
सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि ॥
Say itapi ched asi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛit-tamaḥ
sarvaṁ jñāna-plavenaiva vṛijinaṁ santariṣhyasi
Translation
Even if thou art the most sinful of all sinners, yet thou shalt surely cross over all sins by the raft of knowledge.
Swami Sivananda
Even if you are the worst sinner among all sinners, you can still cross over all wickedness with the raft of Knowledge alone.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
Even if you are the most sinful of all sinners, you can cross over all sins by the boat of knowledge alone.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
Even if you are the highest sinner among all sinners, you can cross over the ocean of all sins by the boat of knowledge.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
Even if you are the greatest of sinners, you will cross over all sin by the ferryboat of wisdom.
Shri Purohit Swami
अगर तू सब पापियोंसे भी अधिक पापी है, तो भी तू ज्ञानरूपी नौकाके द्वारा निःसन्देह सम्पूर्ण पापसमुद्रसे अच्छी तरह तर जायगा।
Swami Ramsukhdas
यदि तुम सब पापियों से भी अधिक पाप करने वाले हो, तो भी ज्ञानरूपी नौका द्वारा, निश्चय ही सम्पूर्ण पापों का तुम संतरण कर जाओगे।
Swami Tejomayananda
Classical commentariesFor deeper study. Most are in the original Sanskrit.
Advaita
Non-dual: the self and the absolute are one.
Vishishtadvaita
Qualified non-dual: souls are real parts of the divine.
Dvaita
Dual: the soul and God are eternally distinct.
Shuddhadvaita
Pure non-dual, centred on grace and devotion.
Kashmir Shaivism
The Gita read through Trika Shaiva philosophy.
Modern teachers
20th-century teachers writing for today's readers.