Verse 2.43
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम्। क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kāmātmānaḥ svarga-parā janma-karma-phala-pradām kriyā-viśeṣa-bahulāṁ bhogaiśvarya-gatiṁ prati
Word-by-Word Meanings
kāma-ātmānaḥ-full of desires
svarga-parāḥ-aiming at heaven
janma-karma-phala-rebirth as fruit of action
bhoga-enjoyment
aiśvarya-power/wealth
Translation
Full of desires, with heaven as their goal, they prescribe various rituals for the attainment of pleasure and power, which lead to rebirth as the fruit of actions.
Commentary
Krishna describes how desire-driven ritualism leads to an endless cycle of rebirth. Those who perform rituals solely for material rewards remain bound to samsara. True spiritual practice aims at liberation, not at accumulating karmic merit for heavenly enjoyment.
Themes
karmamoksha