kṣhipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śhaśhvach-chhāntiṁ nigachchhati
kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśhyati
kṣhipram — quickly;
bhavati — become;
dharma-ātmā — virtuous;
śhaśhvat-śhāntim — lasting peace;
nigachchhati — attain;
kaunteya — Arjun, the son of Kunti;
pratijānīhi — declare;
na — never;
me — my;
bhaktaḥ — devotee;
praṇaśhyati — perishes
This verse is essentially saying that a person who sincerely dedicates themselves to God can quickly turn their life around for the better. When someone commits to being devout, they not only become a good person but also find deep, lasting peace in their life. Krishna, the Supreme Lord, is reassuring Arjuna that anyone who truly follows this path will never be lost or forgotten.
To understand this better, consider someone who might have made mistakes in their life—say they’ve made poor choices or acted carelessly. The important thing here is that they can still choose to become devoted to God. This doesn’t mean they should ignore their misdeeds, but rather, by focusing on their devotion, they can work on becoming a better person. Krishna is clear that someone who consistently remembers and thinks about Him will be purified from all their wrongdoings.
Sometimes, people might wonder how someone who has done wrong can truly be devoted. Krishna addresses this clearly. In the past, He mentioned that people who act selfishly or who do not engage in loving service to Him cannot really be seen as true devotees. These miscreants lack true virtues. However, when someone sincerely turns towards God, even if they have made mistakes before, they can cleanse themselves through that devotion.
Krishna emphasizes that the way to purify oneself is by continuously thinking of Him. When you focus on God—through prayer, chant, or reflection—you are naturally washing away negative traits and sinful actions. It’s like cleaning a dirty room; the more you focus on cleaning, the more progress you make. The main practice for this devotion is chanting the holy names of God, which keeps you connected to Him and helps prevent future mistakes.
Additionally, the verse reassures that there are no specific rituals needed to be fully recovered from past misdeeds once someone has embraced devotion. It’s the ongoing remembrance of God in the heart that acts as a purifier. So, the act of chanting names like "Hare Krishna" becomes a safe guard. As long as you keep practicing this devotion, you won't fall back into bad habits. Thus, Krishna is sharing a message of hope that anyone can find peace and righteousness through genuine devotion, regardless of their past.