Ashamed

Even if you are the very worst of all wrongdoers, you cross over. The Sanskrit is emphatic — pāpa-kṛit-tamaḥ, the most sinful of all — and it is a deliberate closing off of the exit where you decide you are the exception.

अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः
सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि

Even if you were the very worst of all who do wrong, you would cross the whole of it on the boat of knowledge.

Even someone of thoroughly bad conduct, turning toward this wholly, is to be considered good. The verse is often softened in translation; it does not need softening.

अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक्
साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः

Even one of thoroughly bad conduct, who worships me and turns nowhere else, is to be reckoned good — for that person has resolved rightly.

On this path no effort is wasted and no step is lost. Shame insists that everything before the failure was voided. This says otherwise.

नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते
स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात्

On this path no effort is wasted and no step is lost. Even a little of it saves you from great fear.

Abandon all of it, take refuge, and — the clause that matters here — do not grieve. Permission, stated outright, rather than earned.

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज
अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः

Let go of every duty and take refuge in me alone. I will free you from all wrongdoing. Do not grieve.