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Chapter 2, Verse 44

भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम्। व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते।।2.44।।

bhogaiśvaryaprasaktānāṃ tayāpahṛtacetasām. vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate.2.44.

Word by word

भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानाम् (bhoga-aiśvarya-prasaktānām)
of those who are attached to pleasure and power
तया
by that (flowery speech/desire)
अपहृतचेतसाम्
of those whose minds have been carried away/stolen
व्यवसायात्मिका
characterized by firm resolve/determination
बुद्धिः
intellect/understanding
समाधौ
in concentration/meditative absorption (on the Self)
not
विधीयते
is established/formed

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. भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानाम् (bhoga-aiśvarya-prasaktānām)
  2. तया
  3. अपहृतचेतसाम्
  4. व्यवसायात्मिका
  5. बुद्धिः
  6. समाधौ
  7. विधीयते

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