BG 9.32
स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim
Word-for-word meanings
pārtha — O son of Pṛthā; ye api — even those; syuḥ — who are; pāpa-yonayaḥ — of sinful birth; striyaḥ — women; vaiśyāḥ — merchants and farmers; tathā — and; śūdrāḥ — the laborer class; te api — they also; vyapāśritya — taking refuge; mām — of Me; hi — certainly; yānti — attain; parām — the supreme; gatim — destination.
Translation
O Pārtha, even those of sinful birth*, women, merchants and farmers (vaiśyas), and also the laborer class (śūdras), by taking refuge in Me certainly attain the supreme destination.
Notes
* This verse is spoken in context of Pūrva-mīmāṁsā (a theological school followed within the varṇāśrama system), which was prevalent when the Gītā was spoken. In this system, a brāhmaṇa was considered pious because of his dedication to the study of the Vedas and due to leading a life of austerity and contentment. Only a brāhmaṇa was considered eligible to enter the fourth stage of life, called sannyāsa, and become qualified for liberation, mokṣa. Women, merchants, farmers, and the labor class were barred from taking to the life of sannyāsa. They would attain a more evolved status in their next life and be born as brāhmaṇas ultimately. Hence, these births were considered as inferior only from the relativistic and hence limited point of view that adjudged such births as an impediment to liberation in this very life. Sinful birth refers to birth in a family that lives by committing violence, such as fishing or butchering.