Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 2 - Shloka (Verse) 43

व्याख्या-- 'कामात्मानः'-- वे कामनाओंमें इतने रचे-पचे रहते हैं कि वे कामनारूप ही बन जाते हैं। उनको अपनेमें और कामनामें भिन्नता ही नहीं दीखती। उनका तो यही भाव होता है कि कामनाके बिना आदमी जी नहीं सकता, कामनाके बिना कोई भी काम नहीं हो सकता, कामनाके बिना आदमी पत्थरकी जड हो जाता है, उसको चेतना भी नहीं रहती। ऐसे भाववाले पुरुष 'कामात्मानः' हैं।
स्वयं तो नित्य-निरन्तर ज्यों-का-त्यों रहता है, उसमें कभी घट-बढ़ नहीं होती, पर कामना आती-जाती रहती है और घटती-बढ़ती है। स्वयं परमात्माका अंश है और कामना संसारके अंशको लेकर है। अतः स्वयं और कामना--ये दोनों सर्वथा अलग-अलग हैं। परन्तु कामनामें रचे-पचे लोगोंको अपने स्वरूपका अलग भान ही नहीं होता।
'स्वर्गपराः'-- स्वर्गमें बढ़िया-से-बढ़िया दिव्य भोग मिलते हैं, इसलिये उनके लक्ष्यमें स्वर्ग ही सर्वश्रेष्ठ होता है और वे उसकी प्राप्तिमें ही रात-दिन लगे रहते हैं।
यहाँ 'स्वर्गपराः' पदसे उन मनुष्योंकी बात कही गयी है, जो वेदोंमें, शास्त्रोंमें वर्णित स्वर्गादि लोकोंमें आस्था रखनेवाले हैं।
'वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः'-- वे वेदोंमें कहे हुए सकाम कर्मोंमें प्रीति रखनेवाले हैं अर्थात् वेदोंका तात्पर्य वे केवल भोगोंमें और स्वर्गकी प्राप्तिमें मानते हैं ,इसलिये वे 'वेदवादरताः' हैं। उनकी मान्यतामें यहाँके और स्वर्गके भोगोंके सिवाय और कुछ है ही नहीं अर्थात् उनकी दृष्टिमें भोगोंके सिवाय परमात्मा, तत्त्वज्ञान, मुक्ति, भगवत्प्रेम आदि कोई चीज है ही नहीं। अतः वे भोगोंमें ही रचे-पचे रहते हैं। भोग भोगना उनका मुख्य लक्ष्य रहता है।
'यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः'-- जिनमें सत्-असत्, नित्य-अनित्य, अविनाशी-विनाशीका विवेक नहीं है,ऐसे अविवेकी मनुष्य वेदोंकी जिस वाणीमें संसार और भोगोंका वर्णन है, उस पुष्पित वाणीको कहा करते हैं।
यहाँ 'पुष्पिताम्' कहनेका तात्पर्य है कि भोग और ऐश्वर्यकी प्राप्तिका वर्णन करनेवाली वाणी केवल फूल-पत्ती ही है, फल नहीं है। तृप्ति फलसे ही होती है, फूल-पत्तीकी शोभासे नहीं। वह वाणी स्थायी फल देनेवाली नहीं है। उस वाणीका जो फल--स्वर्गादिका भोग है, वह केवल देखनेमें ही सुन्दर दीखता है, उसमें स्थायीपना नहीं है।

तथा वे कामात्माजिन्होंने भोगकामनाको ही अपना स्वभाव बना लिया है ऐसे भोगपरायण और स्वर्गको प्रधान माननेवाले यानी स्वर्ग ही जिनका परम पुरुषार्थ है ऐसे पुरुष जन्मरूप कर्मफलको देनेवाली ही बातें किया करते हैं। कर्मके फलका नाम कर्मफल है जन्मरूप कर्मफल जन्मकर्मफल कहलाता है उसको देनेवाली वाणी जन्मकर्मफलप्रदा कही जाती है। ऐसी वाणी कहा करते हैं। इस प्रकार भोग और ऐश्वर्यकी प्राप्तिके लिये जो क्रियाओंके भेद हैं वे जिस वाणीमें बहुत हों अर्थात् स्वर्ग पशु पुत्र आदि अनेक पदार्थ जिस वाणीद्वारा अधिकतासे बतलाये जाते हों ऐसी बहुतसे क्रियाभेदोंको बतलानेवाली वाणीको बोलनेवाले वे मूढ़ बारंबार संसारचक्रमें भ्रमण करते हैं यह अभिप्राय है।

To establish the impossibility of the aforementioned speakers—the non-discriminating ones—possessing the resolute intellect, he distinguishes them in another way by 'Te ca'. To demonstrate their revolving in Samsara, he qualifies the very speech under discussion with 'Janma'. 'Objection: It is improper for men to be of the nature of desire, because for a sentient being possessing will, identity with that is not reasonable.' To this he says 'Kamaparah' (Intent on desire). Being intent on that means turning away from knowledge preceded by renunciation of action, due to being engaged only in actions which are means to those [fruits], by desiring those various fruits. 'Objection: Even for those devoted to action, there occurs an inclination towards knowledge, the means to liberation, in view of the supreme human goal?' He says no with 'Svarga'. Being intent on that means possessing the certainty of the absence of any human goal other than that, due to attachment to that alone. Acceptance of the varieties of high, low, and middle bodies is 'birth'; fearing that the speech bestowing the mentioned fruit is unauthoritative, he states its reasonableness through performance [of rites] with 'Kriya'. Specifics of actions—of performances like sacrifice, charity, etc.—employed according to place, time, and eligibility, characterized by sessions of seven days, many days, etc.; they indeed appear in abundance in this speech; this is the meaning. 'How do specific rites exist in abundance in the mentioned speech?' Raising this doubt, and clarifying it in terms of being revealed [by the speech], he says 'Svarga'. 'Still, since they can be means to liberation, will those devoted to them have an inclination towards liberation?' He says no with 'Bhoga'. He shows the conclusion of those speaking the mentioned speech with 'Tadbahulam'.

Since: those whose 'Atma'—internal organ—is set on desire; therefore: those for whom heaven alone is the 'Para'—supreme human goal; they. 'Giving birth itself as the fruit of action'—thus [he describes] that [speech]. Engagement in action is through Vedic speech; attainment of birth is through action; but Vedic speech does not have independent agency in bestowing birth etc.; intending this, it was not explained by the Acharyas as 'It gives birth and therein action and its fruit.' Since enjoyment and power—towards the 'Gati'—attainment—of these two; in which [speech] the specifics of actions are abundant; [they] utter that speech—this is the connection.

"Bhogaisvaryamatim"—towards the attainment of that. The meaning is: they say that the Vedas have only the attainment of that as their fruit.

Similarly, enjoyment and power; their 'Gati' is attainment; towards that; meaning 'for the sake of that'. 'Kamatmanah'—minds seized by desire. Therefore 'Svargaparah'. What kind of attainment of enjoyment and power? 'Giving birth as the fruit of action'. For a man who has obtained enjoyment and power, perfumed by the impression of that, obtains birth again for the attainment of enjoyment and power, and performs actions for that purpose, and obtains the fruit—enjoyment etc.—therefrom; thus the cycle revolves incessantly. By that, he falls from the steadfast state; this is the meaning. Moreover, 'abundant with specific rites'—as the expenditure of wealth and effort etc. increases, so the attainment of enjoyment and power increases; this is the meaning. By this it is stated that they become attached even to actions accomplishable with extreme effort due to greed for the fruit. In the Bhashya, it is explained as 'Speech abounding in specific rites like Agnihotra which are means towards the attainment of enjoyment and power' and 'Speech giving the fruit of action which is of the nature of birth'.

"Yam imam"—this flowery—having fruit only as flowers, pleasing at first sight—speech; the "Avipaschitah"—of little knowledge—speak of [it as] existing for the attainment of enjoyment and power. "Delighting in the Veda-vada"—attached to those discussions in the Vedas regarding fruits like heaven. "Saying there is nothing else"—saying there is no other fruit greater than heaven etc., due to excessive attachment to that. "Kamatmanah"—minds inclined towards desire; "Svargaparah"—intent on heaven; giving the fruit known as "birth and action" again at the end of the fruit of heaven etc.; "abounding in specific rites"—abundant in specific rites due to being devoid of true knowledge; the connection is: those who speak this speech which exists towards the attainment of their enjoyment and power.

Therefore "Kamatmanah". "Kamatmanah"—minds agitated by desire. Therefore, those for whom heaven alone is the supreme human goal. It gives birth, and therein actions, and their fruits; thus [he describes] that [speech]. "Specific rites" which are means towards the "Gati"—attainment—of enjoyment and power are "abundant" in which [speech]; [they] utter that [speech]—this is the connection.

And thus "Yam imam" etc. Those who are desirous of objects, they themselves speak this Vedic speech which is "flowery"—pervaded by the future fruit of heaven. Therefore, those who desire action alone as the fruit of birth are the "unwise". And they, having their minds stolen by that very Vedic speech imagined by themselves, even though possessing resolute intellect [regarding rituals], are not fit for Samadhi, due to certainty regarding the fruit there. This is the purport of the three verses.

Since the meaning of the word "Gati" might also be understood as "Avagati" (knowledge), he says "Bhoga" etc. Otherwise, there would be the contingency of stating something incorrect; this is the purport. "How is this also censure?" To this he says "Tatprapti" (attainment of that). The meaning is that [they] do not consider liberation to be the fruit of the Veda.

"Why does the resolute intellect not occur even for the irresolute, given the equality of the evidence (means)?" Having raised this doubt, [he] says in three [verses] that it does not occur due to the existence of obstacles. The connection is: For the unwise whose minds are stolen by that speech which they utter—"this [flowery] speech"—the resolute intellect does not exist. "This"—well-known as being acquired through the injunction of study. "Flowery"—pleasing at first sight like a flowering Palasha tree, due to the appearance of the connection between means and end, and due to the absence of unsurpassed fruit. Why is there an absence of unsurpassed fruit? To that, he says "giving birth, action, and fruit". "Birth" characterized by connection with a new body, senses, etc.; and "action" dependent on that, caused by identification with various castes and stages of life; and "fruit" dependent on that, characterized by son, cattle, heaven, etc., which is perishable—[that speech] gives these intensely, without interruption like a water-wheel; thus [it is described]. Why is it so? To this he says "abounding in specific rites towards the attainment of enjoyment and power". Enjoyment dependent on drinking nectar, sporting with Urvashi, fragrance of Parijata, etc.; and power which is the cause of that, [namely] lordship over Devas etc.; towards the attainment of these two; abounding in specific rites like Agnihotra, Darshapurnamasa, Jyotishtoma, etc., which are the means. Meaning: expounding a multitude of rites for attaining enjoyment and power in great abundance. Indeed, it is well known that the Karma-kanda is far more extensive everywhere than the Jnana-kanda. They speak such speech characterized by the Karma-kanda; they accept it as excellent, having heaven etc. as the ultimate fruit. Who? Those who are "unwise"—devoid of the knowledge of the purport generated by inquiry. Therefore "delighting in the Veda-vada". The statements—eulogies (Arthavadas)—that exist in the Veda, such as "The merit of the performer of Chaturmasya sacrifice is indeed imperishable," etc.; delighting only in those; satisfied by false confidence that "this is exactly so" regarding the truth of the Vedic meaning. O Partha, therefore "saying there is nothing else". Those accustomed to saying that there is no Jnana-kanda other than the Karma-kanda because the entire Veda is intent on action, and that there is no unsurpassed fruit of knowledge other than the fruit of action. The meaning is: speakers of meanings contrary to the Jnana-kanda through great elaboration. Why are they haters of liberation? Because they are "full of desire"—consisting of desire due to the mind being agitated by hundreds of desired objects. This being so, why do they not desire liberation too? Because they are "intent on heaven"—those for whom heaven alone, characterized by being with Urvashi etc., is the highest, superior goal. Being deluded that there is no human goal beyond heaven, due to the absence of discrimination and dispassion, they are unable to bear even the talk of liberation; this is the import. And of them—who are attached to the aforementioned enjoyment and power, whose minds are absorbed due to not seeing the defects like perishability etc.; whose minds—discriminative knowledge—are stolen, covered, by that speech abounding in specific rites; for such people, who are unable to know even the well-known fact that Arthavadas are for praise [and that] the validity of the Veda is in the subject of its purport which is uncontradicted by other means of knowledge... the resolute intellect is not formed in the "Samadhi"—in the internal organ (mind). Meaning: it does not occur. Or, the resolute intellect regarding the Samadhi (concentration/Self) does not occur for them. Because the locative case is equal in the sense of location or subject matter. "Vidhiyate" is the verbal ending in the reflexive passive. By the derivation "everything is deposited in this," Samadhi means the internal organ or the Supreme Self; thus there is no assumption of an obscure meaning. However, in the explanation that Samadhi is the state of "I am Brahman" and the resolute intellect is not produced for the sake of that, only the conventional meaning is respected. This is the idea: Although desire-driven Agnihotra etc. are not different from those [performed] for purification, yet due to the defect of desire for fruit, they do not accomplish purity of the heart (ashaya-shuddhim). Purity suitable for enjoyment is indeed not useful for knowledge. To show exactly this, "of those attached to enjoyment and power" is mentioned again. But actions done without desire for fruit generate purity useful for knowledge; thus the difference in fruit between the wise and the unwise is established. And this will be propounded in detail later.

Objection: What is the purpose of their speaking thus? Upon this expectation, he says 'Kamatmanah'—whose forms are pervaded by desire. Objection: How do they engage in desire, in a trivial fruit? Raising this doubt, he says 'Svargaparah'—for whom heaven alone is 'Para'—of the nature of liberation. For the sake of such knowledge of heaven, he qualifies the previously mentioned speech with 'Janmakarmaphalapradam'. Birth in an excellent womb, excellent action there, and excellent fruit; it gives these intensely; that [speech]; similarly 'Bhogaisvaryagatim'—towards the attainment of enjoyment and power; in which specific rites are abundant; that [speech]; thus they speak of [it] as the fruit itself.

'Kamatmanah'—of the nature of desire; meaning intent on desire. 'Svargaparah'—heaven is the 'Para'—supreme human goal—for whom, they are 'Svargaparah'; those for whom heaven is principal. 'Janmakarmaphalapradam'—the fruit of action is 'Karmaphala'; birth itself is the fruit of action—'Janmakarmaphala'; it bestows that, so 'Janmakarmaphalaprada'; that speech. 'Pravadanti' (they utter) is connected [here]. 'Kriyaviseshabahulam'—specifics of actions are 'Kriyaviseshah'; they are abundant in which speech, that [speech]; by which speech objects like heaven, cattle, sons, etc., are revealed in abundance. 'Towards Bhogaisvaryagati'—enjoyment and power are 'Bhogaisvarya'; 'Gati'—attainment—of them is 'Bhogaisvaryagati'; towards that; specific rites which are means [to that]; abounding in those; uttering that speech, the deluded revolve in Samsara; this is the intention. And of them...

Of what nature are those 'unwise'? Unaware of the purport of the Veda-vada. 'Towards the attainment of enjoyment and power.' 'Kamatmanah'—those whose self desires. And for whom the world of heaven alone is 'Para'—the fruit to be attained. What kind of speech? 'Janmakarmaphalapradam' (giving birth as the fruit of action). Or it is an adjective of 'Gati' (attainment). They utter the speech which is 'abundant in specific rites' or 'giving birth as the fruit of action'—this is the connection.

Partha, O son of Prtha; those devoid of one-pointed conviction, who pravadanti, utter; imam, this; yam puspitam vacam, flowery talk, which is going to be stated, which is beautiful like a tree in bloom, pleasant to hear, and appears to be (meaningful) sentences [Sentences that can be called really meaningful are only those that reveal the self.-Tr.]; who are they? they are avipascitah, people who are undiscerning, of poor intellect, i.e. non-discriminating; veda-vada-ratah, who remain engrossed in the utterances of the Vedas, in the Vedic sentences which reveal many panegyrics, fruits of action and their means; and vadinah, who declare, are apt tosay; iti, that; na anyat, nothing else [God, Liberation, etc.]; asti, exists, apart from the rites and duties conducive to such results as attainment of heaven etc.
And they are kamatmanah, have their minds full of desires, i.e. they are swayed by desires, they are, by nature, full of desires; (and) svarga-parah, have heaven as the goal. Those who accept heaven (svarga) as the supreme (para) human goal, to whom heaven is the highest, are svarga-parah. They utter that speech ( this is supplied to construct the sentence ) which janma-karma-phala-pradam, promises birth as a result of rites and duties. The result (phala) of rites and duties (karma) is karma-phala. Birth (janma) itself is the karma-phala. That (speech) which promises this is janma-karma-phala-prada. (This speech) is kriya-visesa-bahulam, full of various special rites; bhoga-aisvarya-gatim-prati, for the attainment of enjoyment and affluence. Special (visesa) rites (kriya) are kriya-visesah. The speech that is full (bahula) of these, the speech by which that is full (bahula) of these, the speech by which these, viz objects such as heaven, animals and sons, are revealed plentifully, is kriya-visesa-bahula. Bhoga, enjoyment, and aisvarya, affluence, are bhoga-aisvarya. Their attainment (gatih) is bhoga-aisvarya-gatih. (They utter a speech) that is full of the specialized rites, prati, meant for that (attainment). The fools who utter that speech move in the cycle of transmigration. This is the idea.

The ignorant, whose knowledge is little, and who have as their sole aim the attainment of enjoyment and power, speak the flowery language i.e., having its flowers (show) only as fruits, which look apparently beautiful at first sight. They rejoice in the letter of the Vedas i.e., they are attached to heaven and such other results (promised in the Karma-kanda of the Vedas). They say that there is nothing else, owing to their intense attachment to these results. They say that there is no fruit superior to heaven etc. They are full of worldly desires and their minds are highly attached to secular desires. They hanker for heaven, i.e. think of the enjoyment of the felicities of heaven, after which one can again have rirth which offers again the opportunity to perform varied rites devoid of true knowledge and leads towards the attainment of enjoyments and power once again.
With regard to those who cling to pleasure and power and whose understanding is contaminated by that flowery speech relating to pleasure and lordly powers, the aforesaid mental disposition characterised by resolution, will not arise in their Samadhi. Samadhi here means the mind. The knowledge of the self will not arise in such minds. In the minds of these persons, there cannot arise the mental disposition that looks on all Vedic rituals as means for liberation based on the determined conviction about the real form of the self. Hence, in an aspirant for liberation, there should be no attachment to rituals out of the conviction that they are meant for the acisition of objects of desire only.
It may be estioned why the Vedas, which have more of love for Jivas than thousands of parents, and which are endeavouring to save the Jivas, should prescribe in this way rites whose fruits are infinitesimal and which produce only new births. It can also be asked if it is proper to abandon what is given in the Vedas. Sri Krsna replies to these estions.