February8 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 2; Verses 2.42-2.44 (Day 39) Sankhya Yoga
Worldly Minded
Lesson
2.5 (Verse 42-46)
February 8 – Day 39
Verse 2.42-2.44
यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः ।
वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः ॥ २-४२॥
yāmimāṁ puṣhpitāṁ vāchaṁ pravadanty-avipaśhchitaḥ
vedavāda-ratāḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ
(2.42)
யாமிமாம் பு1ஷ்பி1தா1ம் வாச1ம்
ப்1ரவத3ன்த்1யவிப1ஶ்சி1த1:
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வேத3வாத3ரதா1: பா1ர்த2 நான்யத3ஸ்தீ1தி1 வாதி3ன:
||42||
42. Flowery speech is uttered by the unwise, who take pleasure in the eulogising words of the Vedas, O Arjuna, saying: “There is nothing else!”
Commentary: Unwise people who
lack discrimination place great stress upon the Karma Kanda or ritualistic
portion of the Vedas which lays down specific rules for specific actions
for the attainment of specific fruit. They extol these actions and rewards
unduly.
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् ।
क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥ २-४३॥
kāmātmānaḥ swarga-parā
janma-karma-phala-pradām
kriyā-viśheṣha-bahulāṁ bhogaiśhwarya-gatiṁ prati (2.43)
கா1மாத்1மான: ஸ்வர்க3ப1ரா ஜன்மக1ர்மப2லப்1ரதா3ம்
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க்1ரியாவிஶேஷப3ஹுலாம் போ4கை3ஶ்வர்யக3தி1ம்
ப்1ரதி1 ||43||
43. Full of desires, having heaven as their goal, they utter speech which promises birth as the reward of one’s actions, and prescribe various specific actions for the attainment of pleasure and power.
भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम् ।
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ॥ २-४४॥
bhogaiśwarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛita-chetasām
vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate (2.44)
போ4கை3ஶ்வர்யப்1ரஸக்1தா1னாம்
த1யாப1ஹ்ருத1சே1த1ஸாம் |
வ்யவஸாயாத்1மிகா1 பு3த்3தி4:
ஸமாதௌ4 ந விதீ4யதே1 ||44||
44. For those who are much attached to pleasure and to
power, whose minds are drawn away by such teaching, that determinate faculty is
not manifest that is steadily bent on meditation and Samadhi (the state of
Superconsciousness).
Commentary: Those who cling to pleasure and power cannot have steadiness of mind. They cannot concentrate or meditate. They are ever busy in planning projects for
the acquisition of wealth and power.
Their minds are ever restless.
They have no poised understanding.
**
Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda (verses 42-45): ‘Veda’ means
‘knowledge’. The vedā prescribe certain actions calculated to lead us to
heaven. In modern parlance, even ‘science’ can be included here. Does not
science promise to bring heaven on to earth? All these may be noble
professions. But an element of our personality which neither science nor
ritualistic religion is able to keep in check, destroys what they build. That
is desire which is the cause of sorrow. We do not want to bring heaven to earth
nor do we want to go to a heaven from here. We should liberate ourselves from
sorrow inherent in birth and death.
Kṛṣṇa has given a clear psychological picture of our life here. We are all goaded in our activity only by these two: lust for pleasure and lust for power. Everyone wants to become Īśvara or God (as the word aiśvaryaprasakta in verse forty-four implies), even with powers to create (e.g., the scientist who wants to create the living cell), to protect (every father feels he is protecting the family) and to destroy. Though it is not openly admitted for fear of blasphemy, such desire is there in our hearts. Man has intelligence and also free-will. If the former is overwhelmed by desire, he is left with mere free-will goaded by base instincts. When lust usurps the throne and dethrones wisdom, free-will follows. Yoga is beyond the reach of such a one.
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