Chapter 2 · Verse 42

Transcendental Knowledge

यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः। वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः

yāmimāṁ puṣhpitāṁ vāchaṁ pravadanty-avipaśhchitaḥ veda-vāda-ratāḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ kāmātmānaḥ swarga-parā janma-karma-phala-pradām kriyā-viśheṣha-bahulāṁ bhogaiśhwarya-gatiṁ prati

Word Meanings

yām imām puṣhpitām vācham pravadanti avipaśhchitaḥ veda-vāda-ratāḥ pārtha na anyat asti iti vādinaḥ kāma-ātmānaḥ swarga-parāḥ janma-karma-phala pradāṁ kriyā-viśheṣha bahulām bhoga aiśhwarya gatim prati

Translation

The undiscerning, who delight in the letter of the Vedas and declare "there is nothing else," speak flowery words, O Arjuna — full of desire, seeking heaven, promising rebirth as the fruit of rituals, and prescribing elaborate rites for the attainment of pleasure and power.

Commentary

याम which? इमाम् this? पुष्पिताम् flowery? वाचम् speech? प्रवदन्ति utter? अविपश्चितः the unwise? वेदवादरताः takign pleasure in the eulogising words of the Vedas? पार्थ O Partha? न not? अन्यत् other? अस्ति is? इति thus? वादिनः saying.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.