maam hi paartha vyapaashritya ye’pi syuh paapayonayah
    striyo vaishyaastathaa shoodraaste'pi yaanti paraam gatim // 9.32 //

For, taking refuge in Me, they  also O Partha, who might be of inferior birth - Women, Vaishyas and Sudras -  attain the supreme goal.

This verse requires a little  careful understanding. The words `persons of inferior birth- women, vaishyas  and sudras- should not be regarded as justifying the customs prevailing then debarring  these segments of the society  from Vedic  Study. Hinduism does not restrict salvation to any one group or section of the  community nor does it regard any class of people as inferior by birth.  More so, when the Gita , the Universal  Scripture, is addressed to the humanity in general without distinction of race,  gender or caste. This verse merely refers to the view prevalent in those  historical times and does not attribute any sanction or mandate to the social  practices then prevailing. These terms are to be understood as indicating some unique  and varying qualities of the human mind and intellect obtained in different  individuals at different points of time in history and not as denoting any  caste or gender.

This verse says that through  constant remembrance of The Lord and meditation upon the Divine Self with  single pointed mind and devotion not only men of evil ways are redeemed but  even those who cannot attune themselves to spirituality due to some impediments  in them can also achieve progress. Sri Krishna means that when the peculiar shortcomings  are removed such people also attain the Supreme Goal.

kim punarbraahmanaah punyaa bhaktaa raajarshayastathaa
    anityamasukham lokamimam praapya bhajaswa maam // 9.33 //

How much more easily then the  holy Brahmanas and devoted Royal Saints attain the goal; having come to this transitory  and joyless world, you do worship Me.

As compared to those who were referred  to in the previous verse, Sri Krishna says how much easier and natural it would  be for the Rajarishis (kings who have attained saintliness even while continuing  to discharge their duties as kings) and holy Brahmanas who are bestowed with  purity of mind to achieve Self-Realization.

The world is described by The  Lord here as transient and joyless. The most characteristic feature of the  world of experiences is that no experience is permanent at any period of time  or place. Again no experience can be entirely satisfactory to any one. The  world is lived by men in a field consisting of objects, instruments of  perception and mental moods. As all these three factors are always in a state  of variableness, the joys that come to us through these variable entities must also  be transient. When the joys are broken, it becomes a joyless world and not  merely a world of sorrows. Hence Sri Krishna advises Arjuna that he must engage  himself constantly in the worship of the Self, having taken birth in this world  which is anityam and asukham. This path alone can bring about  imperishable happiness. The Gitacharya shows us the way out of this world of  transitoriness and the curse of joylessness by asking us to take refuge in Him,  the Divine.

manmanaa bhava madbhakto madyaajee maam namaskuru
    maamevaishyasi yuktwaivamaatmaanam matparaayanah  // 9.34 //

Fix your mind on Me ; be  devoted to Me ; sacrifice to Me ; bow down to Me. Having thus disciplined yourself  and regarding Me as the Supreme goal, you shall come to Me.

This verse summarizes the ideas  enunciated in the entire Chapter. The technique for self-development and  self-perfection through right knowledge and meditation is `contemplation on  That, talking on That, discussing That, and to live on the bliss-concept of the  Reality'. This is called the pursuit of Brahman or Brahma Vidya. This thought  is expounded here by Sri Krishna .The Lord says `with the mind ever filled with  Me, My devotee makes all sacrifices and offers all salutations to Me at all  times in whatever activity he is engaged in'.

“It is not the personal Krishna  to whom we have to give ourselves up utterly but the Unborn, Beginningless,  Eternal who speaks through Krishna. The way to rise out of our ego-centered  consciousness to the divine plane is through the focusing of all our energies,  intellectual, emotional and volitional, on God. Then our whole being is  transformed and lifted up into the unity and universality of spirit. Knowledge,  love and power get fused in a supreme unification. Joy and peace are the result  of self-oblivion, of utter abandonment, of absolute acceptance”.  Dr.S.Radhakrishnan.

Sri Krishna promises Arjuna  `taking Me as the supreme goal you shall come to Me'. When one surrenders to  The Lord without reservation, his whole life undergoes a wonderful  transformation. His mind becomes one with the Divine Consciousness. Such a sage  gets rid of ignorance and all limiting adjuncts through direct realization of  the Self and becomes one with the Para Brahman. He attains Jivanmukti or  liberation in this very life.

om tat sat iti srimadbhagavad  geetaasu upanishatsu brahma vidyaayaam yogashaastre sri krishnaarjuna samvaade  raajavidyaa raajaguhyayogo naama navamodhyaayah
  Thus in the Upanishads of the  glorious Bhagavad Gita, the science of the Eternal, the scripture of Yoga, the  dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the  ninth discourse entitled : The Yoga of Royal  Knowledge and Royal Secret.

Concepts and Issues
  The following concepts are dealt  with in this section.
 
•Non-worshippers are caught in the wheel of birth  & death 
•Worshipping of other gods 
•Devotion and its effects 
•Why at all the lord requires offering from a  seeker? 
•Result  of such dedication of activities

The Lord says that who ever offer  Him with love and devotion even water, a leaf, a flower or a fruit He accepts  it. He is not concerned with the quality of the article offered to Him by the  devotees, for He watches only their motive and devotion. Even if the worst  sinners worship Him with exclusive devotion, they will be regarded as  righteous, for they have taken a right step.

“To these men who worship Me  alone, thinking of no other, to those ever self-controlled, I secure which is  not already possessed (Yoga) and preserve what they already possess (Kshema).”  This assurance contained in the Verse 9.22 is the focus of the Lord’s advice.

Sri Krishna assures Arjuna thus:  `My devotee, who has sincerely offered his soul to Me, will never perish.  Whatever action you do in your daily life, like eating, drinking, reading practice  of austerity, offerings in sacrifice etc. do it as an offering to Me and not  with a selfish motive. Those who take refuge in Me will attain the Supreme Goal  even though they may have some impediments. So, Arjuna, fix your mind on Me, be  devoted to Me, sacrifice unto Me, bow down to Me, having thus united yourself  with Me, taking Me as the Supreme Goal, you shall come to Me'.

Live as the Gita Teaches You to Live
  In this discourse The Lord  reveals the secret that nothing can exist apart from Him. He is both the  manifested and Unmanifested Reality of the Universe. He who is aware of this  secret of Reality and Existence will surely reach Him. For this the guidance is  given by the Lord in Verses 9.22, 9.27, 9.30, 9.31 & 9.34 suggesting a plan  of action for the devotees and seekers.

Points to Ponder
  1. How even the worst sinner can  reform himself to become a noble natured person?
  2. What is the Plan of Action  suggested by the Lord to reach Him?

Next time we will take up Chapter 10

Harih Om