kshipram bhavati dharmaatmaa shashvachhaantim nigachhati |
kaunteya pratijaanaahi na me bhaktaha pranashyati || 31 ||
 
He becomes virtuous instantly and attains eternal peace. O Kaunteya, declare that my devotee never perishes.
 
kshipram : instantly
bhavati : he becomes
dharmaatmaa : virtuous
shashvat : eternal
shaantim : peace
nigachhati : attains
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
pratijaanaahi : declare
na : not
me : my
bhaktaha : devotee
pranashyati : perish
 
Earlier we saw that the resolve towards devotion is most important. Shri Krishna further adds to that statement by saying that one who makes such a resolve attains eternal bliss and peace. He also urges Arjuna to make such a resolve towards devotion.
 
Many commentators explain the word “kshipram” by snapping their fingers. In other words, the amount of time it takes to snap your fingers is how long it takes to make a commitment, to make a resolve towards devotion of Ishvara. When this happens, Ishvara ensures that such a person becomes virtuous and attains everlasting happiness and peace.
 
As long as we harbour desires for worldly objects, we will never experience long-lasting happiness. But by performing actions in the worship of Ishvara, our notion of doership and enjoyership is destroyed because we are acting as agents of Ishvara. When doership and enjoyership is removed, desires are automatically eliminated, resulting in everlasting peace and bliss.
 
Now, there could be a situation where we work in the spirit of worship for while, but fall back into our old desire-prompted actions again. Shri Krishna says that as long as we have made a commitment to devotion, Ishvara will ensure that we do not fall, we do not perish. However, Shri Krishna is specific in his statement that the resolve has to come from the devotee, not from Ishvara. Ishvara may break a promise that he has made himself, but he will always stand by a resolve that is made by his devotee.
 
So therefore, a person who has the tendency to commit wrongdoing can also become a devotee. What other types of people can become devotees? We shall see next.