Who is a Sadhu?
Commentaries on Bhagavad-Gita 9.30 give us some idea of the exalted qualities of a true devotee:
api cet su-duräcäro bhajate mäm ananya-bhäk
sädhur eva sa mantavyaù samyag vyavasito hi saù
“Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.”
The following is an assortment of commentaries by various äcäryas on this verse.
Srila Sridhar Swami (Subodhiné):
By using the words “api cet” (even if), the Lord points out, “Just see the inconceivable influence and power of my devotional service! Even if an extremely abominable wretch pinpointedly worships me, the Supreme Lord, and does not offer separate worship to the demigods, considering them to be my parts and parcels, then such a personality should be considered as the foremost sädhu. Such a person is said to be samyag-vyavasita, a properly situated person, since he is fixed in thinking, ‘I will achieve complete fulfillment and satisfaction simply by one-pointed devotional service to the Supreme Lord.’”
Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakura(Särärtha-varñiëé Öékä):
The Lord says, “My loving attachment towards my devotee is certainly my inherent nature. It
doesn’t leave me even in the case of a devotee addicted to sinful life, for I elevate such devotees in spiritual life too. If a wicked person addicted to committing violence on others or to stealing others wives or property worships me in a way that is onepointed and free from worship of other demigods, and if such worship is also free from desires for the processes of karma and jïäna or any similar extraneous desires, then such a person is a sädhu.” A question may be asked here, “Having seen his sinful behavior, how can he be called a sädhu?”The Lord says, “He should be called so because of the above-mentioned saintly qualities that he possesses. Understand this as a compulsory injunction from me. Breaking this injunction will be contrary to your spiritual life. It is an injunction in the form of my order.” Another question: “Does it mean that such a person is a partial devotee (when he acts righteously) anda partial non-devotee (when he acts sinfully by stealing other’s wives, property, etc.)?”The Lord replies, “No! Such a person should still be considered a devotee in his entirety. It means that no one should see any defects in such a person. One should see that he is a person firmly fixed in his resolve. Such a person is fixed in the glorious conclusion that, ‘By my sinful desires, I may attain hell or lower species of life, but I shall never give up this path of kåñëa-bhajana.’”
Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushan (Gétä-bhüñaëa):
The Lord says, “My nature of being controlled by pure devotion is almost impossible to give up for me.” By using the words ‘api cet’, he indicates that the devotional service of even those devotees engaged in sinful acts attracts him. He says, “If my devotee is engaged in extremely sinful acts, yet is one-pointedly devoted to me by activities such as performing kértana or sevä, then he should be considered to be a sädhu. The reason for calling him an ananya-bhakta, one-pointed devotee, is that he does not worship or take shelter of any other gods besides me and understands me only to be the supreme destination and the supreme master. In any case, such a devotee is worshipable because of his saintly qualities. Thisshould be taken as my order, and not following it will lead to an opposite result in spiritual life.” The reason for the Lord calling the devotee a sädhu in any case is specified by him here, “Such a devotee is properly situated (samyag-vyavasita), because he has made the best resolve to be fixed only on me.” In the same context, the Nåsimha-Puräëa also states:
bhagavati ca haräv ananya-cetä
bhåça malino ’pi viräjate manuñyaù
na hi çaça-kaluña-cchaviù kadäcit
timira-paräbhavatäm upaiti candraù
One who is possessed of one-pointed devotional service towards the Lord is exalted even though he may be possessed of serious contaminations, just as the moon, although covered by various dark spots resembling a rabbit, is never to be considered as being defeated by darkness.
Sripad Adi Shankaracharya (Bhäñya):
By using the words “api cet”, the Lord says, “Even though someone is a sinful wretch of theworst degree, if he worships me with devotion in a one-pointed way, then such a person should be understood to be a sädhu. He is situated properly, and his resolution is fixed.”
Sri Madhusudan Saraswati (Güòhärtha-dépikä):
By using the words “api cet”, the Lord says, “Just listen! Such are the glories of my devotional service that it harmonizes all opposing situations. Even if an extremely sinful person worships me in a onepointed way, similar to the mood of Ajamila, or by some good fortune serves me, then such a person should be considered as a sädhu, although he may have exhibited the behavior of an asädhu. He is certainly a sage fixed in proper resolution.”
Commentaries on Bhagavad-Gita 9.30 give us some idea of the exalted qualities of a true devotee:
api cet su-duräcäro bhajate mäm ananya-bhäk
sädhur eva sa mantavyaù samyag vyavasito hi saù
“Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.”
The following is an assortment of commentaries by various äcäryas on this verse.
Srila Sridhar Swami (Subodhiné):
By using the words “api cet” (even if), the Lord points out, “Just see the inconceivable influence and power of my devotional service! Even if an extremely abominable wretch pinpointedly worships me, the Supreme Lord, and does not offer separate worship to the demigods, considering them to be my parts and parcels, then such a personality should be considered as the foremost sädhu. Such a person is said to be samyag-vyavasita, a properly situated person, since he is fixed in thinking, ‘I will achieve complete fulfillment and satisfaction simply by one-pointed devotional service to the Supreme Lord.’”
Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakura(Särärtha-varñiëé Öékä):
The Lord says, “My loving attachment towards my devotee is certainly my inherent nature. It
doesn’t leave me even in the case of a devotee addicted to sinful life, for I elevate such devotees in spiritual life too. If a wicked person addicted to committing violence on others or to stealing others wives or property worships me in a way that is onepointed and free from worship of other demigods, and if such worship is also free from desires for the processes of karma and jïäna or any similar extraneous desires, then such a person is a sädhu.” A question may be asked here, “Having seen his sinful behavior, how can he be called a sädhu?”The Lord says, “He should be called so because of the above-mentioned saintly qualities that he possesses. Understand this as a compulsory injunction from me. Breaking this injunction will be contrary to your spiritual life. It is an injunction in the form of my order.” Another question: “Does it mean that such a person is a partial devotee (when he acts righteously) anda partial non-devotee (when he acts sinfully by stealing other’s wives, property, etc.)?”The Lord replies, “No! Such a person should still be considered a devotee in his entirety. It means that no one should see any defects in such a person. One should see that he is a person firmly fixed in his resolve. Such a person is fixed in the glorious conclusion that, ‘By my sinful desires, I may attain hell or lower species of life, but I shall never give up this path of kåñëa-bhajana.’”
Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushan (Gétä-bhüñaëa):
The Lord says, “My nature of being controlled by pure devotion is almost impossible to give up for me.” By using the words ‘api cet’, he indicates that the devotional service of even those devotees engaged in sinful acts attracts him. He says, “If my devotee is engaged in extremely sinful acts, yet is one-pointedly devoted to me by activities such as performing kértana or sevä, then he should be considered to be a sädhu. The reason for calling him an ananya-bhakta, one-pointed devotee, is that he does not worship or take shelter of any other gods besides me and understands me only to be the supreme destination and the supreme master. In any case, such a devotee is worshipable because of his saintly qualities. Thisshould be taken as my order, and not following it will lead to an opposite result in spiritual life.” The reason for the Lord calling the devotee a sädhu in any case is specified by him here, “Such a devotee is properly situated (samyag-vyavasita), because he has made the best resolve to be fixed only on me.” In the same context, the Nåsimha-Puräëa also states:
bhagavati ca haräv ananya-cetä
bhåça malino ’pi viräjate manuñyaù
na hi çaça-kaluña-cchaviù kadäcit
timira-paräbhavatäm upaiti candraù
One who is possessed of one-pointed devotional service towards the Lord is exalted even though he may be possessed of serious contaminations, just as the moon, although covered by various dark spots resembling a rabbit, is never to be considered as being defeated by darkness.
Sripad Adi Shankaracharya (Bhäñya):
By using the words “api cet”, the Lord says, “Even though someone is a sinful wretch of theworst degree, if he worships me with devotion in a one-pointed way, then such a person should be understood to be a sädhu. He is situated properly, and his resolution is fixed.”
Sri Madhusudan Saraswati (Güòhärtha-dépikä):
By using the words “api cet”, the Lord says, “Just listen! Such are the glories of my devotional service that it harmonizes all opposing situations. Even if an extremely sinful person worships me in a onepointed way, similar to the mood of Ajamila, or by some good fortune serves me, then such a person should be considered as a sädhu, although he may have exhibited the behavior of an asädhu. He is certainly a sage fixed in proper resolution.”