Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 71

English Translation

Any man who, being reverential and free from cavilling, might even hear (this), he too, becoming free, shall attain the blessed worlds of those who perform virtuous deeds.

Detailed Commentary

।।18.71।। Commentary — *Shraddhavan* and *Anasuyah*: One who listens to the teachings of the Gita with an open heart and accepts them is called *Shraddhavan*, and one who sees no fault or deficiency in them is called *Anasuyah*. Such a person, even if he merely *listens* to the Gita, becomes liberated from all sins and attains the realms of those who perform meritorious deeds (*punya karma*). Here, "even if he merely listens" implies that while one who propagates and studies the Gita is indeed superior, even one who simply listens to it is freed from sins and attains auspicious realms (*shubha lokas*). Human speech often contains errors, negligence, greed, and impurity; therefore, human speech can never be entirely flawless (*nirdosha*). However, the speech of Bhagavan (the Lord) is without any fault, because Bhagavan is utterly flawless. Therefore, if a listener of the Gita does not comprehend something, they should understand it as a deficiency in their own intellect. By strengthening this attitude, doubt or *asuya* (criticism) is eliminated. With deep *shraddha* (faith) and trust in Bhagavan, *asuya* does not remain. A devotee of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who made errors while reciting the Gita, yet when he told Mahaprabhu that he directly perceived the dialogue between Arjuna and Bhagavan, Mahaprabhu expressed great joy upon seeing his devotion (*bhakti*). A person endowed with such *shraddha-bhakti* (faith-devotion), by merely listening to the Gita, becomes liberated and attains the auspicious realms (*shubha lokas*) of meritorious deeds (*punya karmas*). Here, the term '*punyakarmaṇam*' should not be understood as referring to those who perform *yajna* (sacrifices) and *anushthana* (rituals) with a desire for fruits (*sakam bhava*), because Bhagavan has not considered them high; rather, He has stated that they repeatedly experience rebirth (*avagamana*). Here, it should refer to those devotees who attain the love and vision (*darshan*) of Bhagavan. A person endowed with *shraddha*, by merely listening to the Gita, attains those divine realms. Connection — In the previous *shloka*, the significance of listening to the Gita was described; now, Bhagavan, even while knowing Arjuna's state, poses a question to him to further reveal the significance of listening to the Bhagavad Gita.