भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम्।
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते।।2.44।।
2.44 One-pointed conviction does not become established in the minds of those who delight in enjoyment and affluence, and whose intellects are carried away by that (speech).
2.44 For those who are attached to pleasure and power, whose minds are drawn away by such teaching, ï1thatï1 determinate reason is not formed which is steadily bent on meditation and Samadhi (superconscious state).
2.44. Those, who are very much attached to the ownership of enjoyable objects and whose minds have been carried away by that (flowery speech)-their knowledge, in the form of determination is not prescribed for concentration.
2.44 भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानाम् of the people deeply attached to pleasure and lordship? तया by that? अपहृतचेतसाम् whose minds are drawn away? व्यवसायात्मिका determinate? बुद्धिः reason? समाधौ in Samadhi? न not? विधीयते is fixed.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 acisition of wealth and power. Their minds are ever restless. They have no poised understanding.
2.44 And vyavasayatmika, one-pointed; buddhih, conviction, with regard to Knowledge or Yoga; na vidhiyate, does not become established, i.e. does not arise; samadhau, in the minds the word samadhi being derived in the sese of that into which everthing is gathered together for the enjoyment of a person ; bhoga-aisvarya-prasaktanam, of those who delight in enjoyment and wealth, of those who have the hankering that only enjoyment as also wealth is to be sought for, of those who identify themselves with these; and apahrta-cetasam, of those whose intellects are carried away, whose discriminating judgement becomes covered; taya, by that speech which is full of various special rites.
2.42-44 Yam imam etc., upto na vidhiyate. Those, who crave for objects of desire, speak, on their own accord, of this flowery Vedic speech which is pervaded by the fruits i.e., the heaven in the future; and who, hence, desire the action itself as the fruit of their birth - these are men without insight. further, having their mind carried away by the same Vedic sentence imagined by themselves, these persons, eventhough they are endowed with the determinate knowledge, are not fit for concentration, because they do not decide this (concentration) as a fruit [of their action]. This is the purport of the traid of these verses.
2.42 - 2.44 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.
Those whose minds are attracted by the flowery words, who are attached to power and enjoyment, do not have the determined intelligence fixed firmly on one point (samadhau), on only the Supreme Lord. The form of the verb na vidhiyate is reflexive passive (karma kartari), meaning in this case “is not attained.” This commentary is Sridhara Swami’s version.
The spiritual understanding which leads to a fixed determination is not achieved by those whose minds are carried away by flowery euphemisms which are temporarily so appealing to the mind of those of limited understanding. Those euphemisms which refer to heavenly pleasures and heavenly delights are constituted by them as the highest goal of human existence.. Regarding conceptions of heaven as the highest goal they foolishly endeavour to attain it by the purview of their limited understanding believing that once there they can fully enjoy themselves to their hearts content eternally. Therefore those who are enslaved to wealth, enjoyment and power for their own sake never are able to receive the spiritual intelligence which leads to fixed determination in regard to surrendering all ones actions for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord.
The opinions of those who are not resolute are contrary to the Vedic scriptures; but the summations of those who are resolute possessing spiritual intelligence are never contrary to the Vedic scriptures. Arjuna may query why the Supreme Lord speaks about things providing pleasures of heaven, this is clarified by the Supreme Lord in this verse. In verse 42 beginning yam to the word taya in verse forty-four it can be ascertained that if salvation is the fruit then any heavenly pleasures are merely the flowers. Those who revel only in the words of the Vedas are known as Vedavad ratah. They speak only of revelling in the pleasures derived from actions. Those who speak about the Vedas in expectation of fruits are said to revel therein and thus they are motivated by desire. The essence and the objective of the Vedic scriptures is knowledge of the Ultimate, which is the Supreme Lord, who is very pleased by those who are devoted to Him. The instructions and injunctions within the Vedic scriptures should be known to be applicable solely to the Supreme Lord and no other. It is the knowledge of the Supreme Lord that is to be sought and understood. This is what is to be achieved by all living entities to make their life in the material existence successful. In reference to those pursuing the goals of opulence and pleasure and in reference to the means of acquiring those fruits thereof, these vedavad ratahs declare that this is knowledge of Vedanta. For these persons spiritual intelligence and comprehensive discrimination does not manifest itself in the form of an equinanimous intellect. Only those in whom spiritual intelligence has awakened have comprehensive knowledge of the Supreme Lord and the total satisfaction of mind and senses that accompanies it. Verily this is the means for salvation. It is also specifically mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam known also as the Bhagavat Purana. Not for these vedavad ratahs is the realisation of the Ultimate Truth spoken of in the Vedas in all their entirety. For whom realisation does not dawn that the empirical world is similar to the perception of the world seen in the dream state? In whom then does exist this irresolute intelligence? In those who listen to the words of those without spiritual intelligence? When ones consciousness is abducted by speculative schemes stemming from fruitive desires it is not possible for satisfaction of the mind to manifest. Factually as things are, similar is the spiritual intelligence. Knowledge which is distorted, similarly is that satisfaction derived from such knowledge distorted. Spiritual conceptions do not arise in minds which are influenced by distorted knowledge. In these minds only a material conception of heaven and heavenly pleasures can be somewhat envisioned; but not the understanding that the Supreme Lord is actually the controller of all the worlds and the bequeather of all blessings and that only by serving Him, by His grace and only by His grace can all living entities attain salvation. Those living entities who adhere to the Vedic scriptures for the purpose of enjoying material pleasures and acquiring wealth and opulence, perform repeated acts of ritualistic sacrifice which while bestowing their material rewards in future lifetimes become the cause of an endless repetition of birth and death in the material existence. When the minds of those living entities not prescribed to the Vedic culture become deluded by the words of evil minded living entities who speak words contrary to the Vedic scriptures it becomes impossible for them to receive any spiritual knowledge which would be beneficial for their spiritual development. In the Atharvana scripture it is stated: The living entities who being are influenced by such words, doctrines and philosophies which are contrary to the Vedic scriptures, consider that the pursuance and fulfilment of desired objects is the purpose of life and nothing else is superior to this, are most certainly deluded. Enjoying whatever pleasures they have managed to manipulate for themselves they are repeatedly born again and again cast down into the material existence or depending upon the method of how they acquired their material opulence even hurled down to be born in animal species or in the hellish worlds. One should therefore not become a victim and become prey to those being heretic or devious, who think and act contrary to the spiritual knowledge of the Vedic scriptures which are revealed in the best interest and highest good of every living entities in all of material existence. Those living entities who are unable to understand the reality of the Supreme Lord Krishnas unimpeachable position and thus unaware cannot have the realisation of Him as the Supreme Ultimate controller of all the worlds both spiritual and material. Even if they be sincere, receptive, qualified and noble beings; without receiving bonafide instruction from the Vedic scriptures from one in the authorised process of disciplic succession one is devoid of spiritual intelligence returning endlessly again and again into a physical form in the material existence. But for those living entities who are able to understand the reality of the Supreme Lord Krishnas unparalleled position and realise that He is the ultimate controller of all the worlds both spiritual and material they are never put into jeopardy and even if they accrued some demerits and had to accept some karma which are reactions to previous actions, this karma would definitely all be nullified within the lifetime as these living entities of spiritual intelligence receive the special blessings of the Lord. Those living entities who perform comprehensive sacrificial activities prescribed by one in the authorised line of disciplic succession for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord Krishna; but who are in reality opposed to His supremacy; even if they have not acquired any demerits, even if they have satisfied their preceptor with gifts, even if they have manipulated themselves to attain some fleeting pleasures in the heavenly realms; still when whatever merit they have acquired is exhausted they will sink back down into worlds of darkness. Others who remain inimical to the Supreme Lord Krishna and who are inimical to the spiritual knowledge revealed in the Vedic scriptures go directly to the worlds of darkness at the death of their physical body without enjoying any of the heavenly realms.
Ramanuja. Bhagavad-Gita: chapter 2, verse 45 Here we see the word traigunya indicating the three qualities of material nature being goodness, passion and ignorance. This term refers to the three groups of living entities characterised under the influence of these three aforementioned qualities. If the Vedic scriptures did not address these three classes according to their predilections by prescribing the appropriate method for attainment of the heavenly spheres, then those living entities under the influence of passion and ignorance would be adverse to goodness unwittingly hindering their own progress. Also they would be in the dark as to how to advance themselves from their present position and being lost compounded by being full of desires they would fall into degradation falsely fancying it to lead the way to their goal; and in vain they would be ruined. Hence the Vedic scriptures contain all that the three classification of living entities possessing different qualities could desire. But ideally one should free themselves from passion and ignorance and devote oneself to increasing the quality of goodness fully. This increase should be pure without any dilution of passion and ignorance all intermixture should be fully purged. The word nirdvandvah means free from duality, devoid of any influence of material nature. Nitya-sattva- sthah is one who is ever wedded to increasing goodness without any trace of passion and ignorance. How is this to be accomplished? By being nir-yoga- ksema meaning one is completely unconcerned about acquiring any other advantage apart from the realisation of the soul and the means to effect that end. By this method one becomes atmavan or established in the soul. If one conducts oneself in this manner and remains fixed, the influence of passion and ignorance will cease and goodness will become predominant.
Ramanuja. Bhagavad-Gita: chapter 2, verse 45 Here we see the word traigunya indicating the three qualities of material nature being goodness, passion and ignorance. This term refers to the three groups of living entities characterised under the influence of these three aforementioned qualities. If the Vedic scriptures did not address these three classes according to their predilections by prescribing the appropriate method for attainment of the heavenly spheres, then those living entities under the influence of passion and ignorance would be adverse to goodness unwittingly hindering their own progress. Also they would be in the dark as to how to advance themselves from their present position and being lost compounded by being full of desires they would fall into degradation falsely fancying it to lead the way to their goal; and in vain they would be ruined. Hence the Vedic scriptures contain all that the three classification of living entities possessing different qualities could desire. But ideally one should free themselves from passion and ignorance and devote oneself to increasing the quality of goodness fully. This increase should be pure without any dilution of passion and ignorance all intermixture should be fully purged. The word nirdvandvah means free from duality, devoid of any influence of material nature. Nitya-sattva- sthah is one who is ever wedded to increasing goodness without any trace of passion and ignorance. How is this to be accomplished? By being nir-yoga- ksema meaning one is completely unconcerned about acquiring any other advantage apart from the realisation of the soul and the means to effect that end. By this method one becomes atmavan or established in the soul. If one conducts oneself in this manner and remains fixed, the influence of passion and ignorance will cease and goodness will become predominant.
Bhogaishwarya prasaktaanaam tayaapahritachetasaam; Vyavasaayaatmikaa buddhih samaadhau na vidheeyate.
bhoga—gratification; aiśhwarya—luxury; prasaktānām—whose minds are deeply attached; tayā—by that; apahṛita-chetasām—bewildered in intellect; vyavasāya-ātmikā—resolute; buddhiḥ—intellect; samādhau—fulfilment; na—never; vidhīyate—occurs
