Bg. 7.28 · Bhagavad-gita As It Is

Devanagari

येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम् । ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रता: ॥ २८ ॥

Verse text

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

Synonyms

yeṣām — whose ; tu — but ; anta-gatam — completely eradicated ; pāpam — sin ; janānām — of the persons ; puṇya — pious ; karmaṇām — whose previous activities ; te — they ; dvandva — of duality ; moha — delusion ; nirmuktāḥ — free from ; bhajante — engage in devotional service ; mām — to Me ; dṛḍha-vratāḥ — with determination.

Translation

Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

28. But those whose sins have been destroyed by pious acts, being free of the ignorance arising from duality by worshipping Me, then worship Me with determination.

Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

28. But those whose sins have been destroyed by acts pleasing to the great souls, who are free of the ignorance arising from duality, worship Me with determination.

Purport

Those eligible for elevation to the transcendental position are mentioned in this verse. For those who are sinful, atheistic, foolish and deceitful, it is very difficult to transcend the duality of desire and hate. Only those who have passed their lives in practicing the regulative principles of religion, who have acted piously, and who have conquered sinful reactions can accept devotional service and gradually rise to the pure knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then, gradually, they can meditate in trance on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the process of being situated on the spiritual platform. This elevation is possible in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the association of pure devotees, for in the association of great devotees one can be delivered from delusion. It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.5.2) that if one actually wants to be liberated he must render service to the devotees ( mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ ); but one who associates with materialistic people is on the path leading to the darkest region of existence ( tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam ). All the devotees of the Lord traverse this earth just to recover the conditioned souls from their delusion. The impersonalists do not know that forgetting their constitutional position as subordinate to the Supreme Lord is the greatest violation of God’s law. Unless one is reinstated in his own constitutional position, it is not possible to understand the Supreme Personality or to be fully engaged in His transcendental loving service with determination.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Then who is qualified for bhakti? This verse answers. Those who have puṇya karma, who have destroyed sins partially, develop a predominance of sattva-guṇa and diminished tamo-guṇa. The result of this is a decrease in illusion. Consequently they become less attached. Then they have chance association with My devotees. They then become completely free of sin by practice of worship. Being freed completely of illusion (dvandva-moha-nimuktā), they become steady (dṛḍha-vratāh) in worshipping Me. Thus, one should not consider that puṇya karma is the cause of any type of bhakti. [Note: Association with the devotees is the cause.] For the Lord has said: yaṁ na yogena sāṅkhyena dāna-vrata-tapo-'dhvaraiḥ | vyākhyā-svādhyāya-sannyāsaiḥ prāpnuyād yatnavān api || Even though one engages with great endeavor in the mystic yoga system, philosophical speculation, charity, vows, penances, ritualistic sacrifices, teaching of Vedic mantras to others, personal study of the Vedas, or the renounced order of life, still one cannot achieve Me. SB 11.12.9 In many places, it is stated that puṇya-karmas are dependent on kevalā bhakti, and not its cause.

Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

“It is appears that no one will manifest devotion to You at all, from your statement in the last verse, since every living entity is bewildered.” “Those who have attained destruction of their sins (anta gatam pāpam) through the fortunate merciful glance of the great souls, those who have performed pleasing actions (puṇya karmāṇām) which gained the mercy of the great souls, worship Me. With steadiness (dṛḍha vratā), attained by association with great souls, they, being freed from the illusion of dualities, having attained true knowledge of Me, worship Me. Regarding the role of the great devotees, the smṛti says: viṣṇor bhūtāni bhūtānāṁ pāvanāya caranti hi The servants of Viṣṇu wander about in this world in order to purify the living entities. SB 11.2.28 The word puṇya means “pleasing” according to Amara Kośa.

Surrender Unto Me

By the mercy of the glance of a pure devotee, the sins are removed, faith is established and one can perform devotional service. Srila Prabhupada explains this point: "All the devotees of the Lord traverse this earth just to recover the conditioned souls from their delusion ." Krsna in the next verse will explain the fourth kind of sakama devotee. The first three (artah, artharti and jijnasur) are called 'karma misra' or sakama ‑ their devotional service is mixed with karma or desires. But this fourth kind is a 'yoga misra', or his devotion is mixed with yoga or the desire for liberation. [ 3 . A fourth kind of sakama devotee: Devotees desiring liberation are brahman (spirit) and they know everything about 'adhyatma' (the jiva) and karma (activities) . (29) ]