Chapter 9: Raja Vidya Yoga, verse 30
अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक्।
साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः ॥
Say itapi chet su-durāchāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ
Translation
Even if the most sinful worships Me, with devotion to no one else, he should indeed be regarded as righteous, for he has rightly resolved.
Swami Sivananda
Even if a man of very bad conduct worships Me with single-minded devotion, he is to be considered truly good; for he has rightly resolved.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
If even the most sinful man worships Me with undivided devotion, he should be regarded as holy, for he has rightly resolved.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
Even if an incorrigible evil-doer worships Me, not resorting to any other [goal], he should be deemed to be righteous; for, he has properly undertaken his task.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
Even the most sinful, if he worships Me with his whole heart, shall be considered righteous, for he is treading the right path.
Shri Purohit Swami
अगर कोई दुराचारी-से-दुराचारी भी अनन्यभावसे मेरा भजन करता है, तो उसको साधु ही मानना चाहिये। कारण कि उसने निश्चय बहुत अच्छी तरह कर लिया है।
Swami Ramsukhdas
यदि कोई अतिशय दुराचारी भी अनन्यभाव से मेरा भक्त होकर मुझे भजता है, वह साधु ही मानने योग्य है, क्योंकि वह यथार्थ निश्चय वाला है।
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.