Meaning
Supreme God Krishna spoke
By nurturing this virtuous determination, one swiftly transforms into a righteous soul, attaining lasting peace and serenity. O Son of Kunti, understand that my devotee shall never encounter downfall or destruction. (9:31)
Sanskrit
श्रीभगवान् उवाच
क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति ।
कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति॥
Word-by-word
क्षिप्रम् भवति धर्मात्मा, शश्वत् शान्तिम् निगच्छति;
कौन्तेय प्रति-जानीहि, न मे भक्तः प्र-णश्यति।
Commentary
This verse carries two profound messages that should not be overlooked. Firstly, it suggests that true devotion to God is inherently tied to righteousness. In essence, ethical conduct becomes one of the defining characteristics of a genuine devotee. This underscores the integral relationship between ethics and spirituality. There can be ethics without spirituality, but no spirituality without ethics.
Secondly, the verse hints at the difficulty of attaining lasting mental peace and tranquility without righteousness. Mental peace is a crucial component of happiness, and the absence of it can lead to constant tension, mental disturbances, and sleeplessness—reflecting the Sanskrit adage, "अशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम्" (2:66).