Word meanings
- yām imām
- all these
- puṣpitām
- flowery
- vācam
- words
- pravadanti
- speak
- avipaścitaḥ
- those with limited understanding
- veda-vāda-ratāḥ
- attached to the flowery words of the Vedas
- pārtha
- Arjun, the son of Pritha
- na anyat
- no other
- asti
- is
- iti
- thus
- vādinaḥ
- advocate
- kāma-ātmānaḥ
- desirous of sensual pleasure
- swarga-parāḥ
- aiming to achieve the heavenly planets
- janma-karma-phala
- high birth and fruitive results
- pradāṃ
- awarding
- kriyā-viśeṣa
- pompous ritualistic ceremonies
- bahulām
- various
- bhoga
- gratification
- aiśwarya
- luxury
- gatim
- progress
- prati
- toward
Translations
The unwise, taking pleasure in the eulogizing words of the Vedas, utter flowery speech, saying, "There is nothing else," O Arjuna.
Only the ignorant speak in figurative language; it is they who extol the letter of the scriptures, saying, "There is nothing deeper than this."
O son of Prtha, those undiscerning people who utter this flowery talk, which promises birth as a result of rites and duties, and is full of various special rites meant for the attainment of enjoyment and affluence, remain engrossed in the utterances of the Vedas and declare that nothing else exists; their minds are full of desires and they have heaven as their goal.
।।2.42 -- 2.43।। हे पृथानन्दन ! जो कामनाओंमें तन्मय हो रहे हैं, स्वर्गको ही श्रेष्ठ माननेवाले हैं, वेदोंमें कहे हुए सकाम कर्मोंमें प्रीति रखनेवाले हैं, भोगोंके सिवाय और कुछ है ही नहीं - ऐसा कहनेवाले हैं, वे अविवेकी मनुष्य इस प्रकारकी जिस पुष्पित (दिखाऊ शोभायुक्त) वाणीको कहा करते हैं, जो कि जन्मरूपी कर्मफलको देनेवाली है तथा भोग और ऐश्वर्यकी प्राप्तिके लिये बहुतसी क्रियाओंका वर्णन करनेवाली है।Commentary
Unwise people who are lacking in discrimination lay great stress upon the Karma Kanda or the ritualistic portion of the Vedas, which lays down specific rules for specific actions for, the attainment of specific fruits and ectol these actions and rewards unduly. They are highly enamoured of such Vedic passages which prescribe ways for the attainment of heavenly enjoyments. They say that there is nothing else beyond the sensual enjoyments in Svarga (heaven) which can be obtained by performing the rites of the Karma Kanda of the Vedas.
There are two main divisions of the Vedas -- Karma Kanda (the section dealing with action) and Jnana Kanda (the section dealing with knowledge). The Karma Kanda comprises the Brahmanas and the Samhitas. This is the authority for the Purvamimamsa school founded by Jaimini. The followers of this school deal with rituals and prescribe many of them for attaining enjoyments and power here and happiness in heaven. They regard this as the ultimate object of human existence. Ordinary people are attracted by their panegyrics.
The Jnana Kanda comprises the Aranyakas and the Upanishads which deal with the nature of Brahman or the Supreme Self. Life in heaven is also transitory. After the fruits of the good actions are exhausted, one has to come back to this earthplane. Liberatio or Moksha can only be attained by knowledge of the Self but not by performing a thousand and one sacrifices. Lord Krishna assigns a comparatively inferior position to the doctrine of the Mimamsakas of performing Vedic sacrifices for obtaining heaven, power and lordship in this world as they cannot give us final liberation.