Bhagavad Gita 9.32

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya

ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ

striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās

te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim

 

Those who come to me seeking grace,

Born in any circumstance, time or place—

Women, merchants, workers, all who strive,

Reach the supreme abode, with me to forever live.

 

My dear Lord, you open your doors to everyone by overlooking the hierarchies that arise from social conventions. Such conventions may have their rationale—based on people’s functional abilities in different areas of life, their innate propensities, or ritual notions of purity. Because of these hierarchies, some people may be considered less qualified or even unqualified for certain roles.

But for becoming your devotee, O supremely accessible Lord, you declare that no one is ever disqualified by factors beyond their control, such as caste or gender. You focus primarily on spiritual intention. By that focus, you make the path open for anyone who earnestly desires to come to you, whatever their social standing.

In approaching you, O Lord of the heart, you ensure that the path is, above all, the path of the heart. Just as you don’t let any other consideration override the heart’s aspiration, let me not be distracted or discouraged by any other consideration. Let me not waste my energy resenting the absence of qualifications valued by social convention, or in protesting the very existence of those conventions. By valuing what you value—the sincerity and fervor of my spiritual intention—I can tolerate and transcend such conventions, and ultimately transcend the entire material world to unite with you eternally and ecstatically.

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09.32 O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth – women, vaiśyas [merchants] and śūdras [workers] – can attain the supreme destination.