Shloka 18.71
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
श्रद्धावाननसूयश्च शृणुयादपि यो नरः |सोऽपि मुक्तः शुभाँल्लोकान्प्राप्नुयात्पुण्यकर्मणाम् ||१८-७१||
śraddhāvānanasūyaśca śṛṇuyādapi yo naraḥ . so.api muktaḥ śubhā.Nllokānprāpnuyātpuṇyakarmaṇām ||18-71||
Meaning
Yea, he who listens to it with faith and without doubt, even he, freed from evil, shalt rise to the worlds which the virtuous attain through righteous deeds.
Translation: Shri Purohit Swami, The Geeta: The Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna (1935). Public domain.
Word-by-word meaning
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Explanation
Krishna widens the circle of grace still further. Even the one who merely listens to this teaching — provided he does so shraddhavan (with faith) and anasuya (without malice or cynicism) — is freed and attains the bright worlds of the righteous.
The two conditions are essential: faith and freedom from fault-finding. With these, even simple hearing bears great fruit; without them, even deep study may fail. This reveals that the heart's openness matters more than intellectual mastery.
A receptive, trusting attitude lets the teaching work upon the soul even through the ears alone. The Gita thus extends its blessing generously to all who approach it sincerely, whether as devoted students or as faith-filled listeners.
In daily life
Even hearing sacred truth with faith and without cynicism uplifts and liberates the soul.
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What does ‘शुभान् लोकान् प्राप्नुयात्’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on faith, in other chapters
- Verse 3.31Sincere, faithful practice without cynicism frees anyone — this path is open to all, not just to the spiritually advanced.
- Verse 13.26Even simple, faithful trust in the teachings of the wise can carry a sincere heart beyond death.
- Verse 9.1The highest wisdom reveals itself only to a mind that is open and free of cynicism, and it must be lived, not merely understood.
- Verse 10.1The deepest teachings open up to the one who listens with love and a genuine desire to learn.
Swipe left for 18.72 · A true teacher cares whether understanding has truly dawned, not merely whether the words were spoken.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 18.71
Who says Bhagavad Gita 18.71, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 18.71, in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga (Moksha Sannyas Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 18.71 mean?
Yea, he who listens to it with faith and without doubt, even he, freed from evil, shalt rise to the worlds which the virtuous attain through righteous deeds. (Translation: Shri Purohit Swami, The Geeta: The Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna (1935). Public domain.)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 18.71 for daily life?
Even hearing sacred truth with faith and without cynicism uplifts and liberates the soul.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 18.71 mean?
श्रद्धावान् — full of faith; अनसूयः च — and free from malice; शृणुयात् अपि — even merely hears; यः नरः — whatever person; सः अपि मुक्तः — he too, liberated.
Where does verse 18.71 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 71 of 78 in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga. The next verse is 18.72.