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Chapter 2, Verse 43

कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम्। क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति।।2.43।।

kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā janmakarmaphalapradām। kriyāviśeṣabahulāṃ bhogaiśvaryagatiṃ prati॥2.43॥

Word by word

कामात्मानः (kāma-ātmānaḥ)
those whose inner nature/self is consumed by desire (nom. pl., describing the unwise speakers of v.42)
स्वर्गपराः (svarga-parāḥ)
for whom heaven is the supreme goal
जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् (janma-karma-phala-pradām)
(that flowery speech, from v.42) which grants rebirth as the fruit of ritual action (acc. fem. sing., modifying vācam)
क्रियाविशेषबहुलाम् (kriyā-viśeṣa-bahulām)
abounding in numerous specific rites/ritual particulars
भोगैश्वर्यगतिम् (bhoga-aiśvarya-gatim)
leading to (the goal of) enjoyment and worldly power/lordship
प्रति (prati)
toward, aimed at (governing 'gatim')

Commentary

No conviction of a resolute nature is formed in the mind of those who are attached to pleasures and power, and whose minds are drawn away by that flowery speech which the unwise -- enamoured of Vedic utterances, declaring there is nothing else, full of desire, having svarga as their goal -- utter, (a speech) which promises birth as the reward of actions and which abounds in specific acts for the attainment of pleasure and power, O son of Pritha. They are unwise; they are wanting in discrimination. They are enamoured of the Vedic passages composed of many a praise (to gods) and unfolding various ends and means. They say that there is nothing else besides words which are the means of attaining svarga, cattle, and other such objects of desire. They are full of desires and are ever in pursuit of them. Their chief and final goal is svarga. They talk words, fine like a flowery tree, very pleasant to hear. Their speech holds out birth as the reward of works and treats of specific acts wherewith to secure svarga, cattle, progeny and the like, and wherewith to attain pleasures and power. Thus talking, these foolish people wander in the samsara. They regard pleasure and power as necessary; they are in love with them and have identified themselves with them. Their intelligence and wisdom are blinded (as it were) by this speech abounding in specific acts. In their mind -- samadhi, the buddhi, the antah-karana, in which are gathered together all objects of enjoyment for the purusha, the individual soul -- no conviction of a resolute nature, no wisdom concerning Sankhya or Yoga will arise.

Source: Alladi Mahadeva Sastri, The Bhagavad-Gita with the Commentary of Sri Shankaracharya (1897), public domain (verses 42-44 discussed as one combined teaching in the source)

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Tap each meaning in order to match its Sanskrit word.

Sanskrit (in order)

  1. कामात्मानः (kāma-ātmānaḥ)
  2. स्वर्गपराः (svarga-parāḥ)
  3. जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् (janma-karma-phala-pradām)
  4. क्रियाविशेषबहुलाम् (kriyā-viśeṣa-bahulām)
  5. भोगैश्वर्यगतिम् (bhoga-aiśvarya-gatim)
  6. प्रति (prati)

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