Shrimad Bhagavad-gita

by Narayana Gosvami | 2013 | 327,105 words

The Bhagavad-gita Verse 2.42, English translation, including the Vaishnava commentaries Sarartha-varsini-tika, Prakashika-vritti and Rasika-ranjana (excerpts). This is verse 42 from the chapter 2 called “Sankhya-yoga (Yoga through distinguishing the Soul from the Body)”

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.42:

याम् इमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्य् अविपश्चितः ।
वेद-वाद-रताः पार्थ नान्यद् अस्तीति वादिनः ॥ ४२ ॥

yām imāṃ puṣpitāṃ vācaṃ pravadanty avipaścitaḥ |
veda-vāda-ratāḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ || 42 ||

yām imām–all these; puṣpitām–flowery; vācam–statements; pravadanti–proclaim; avipaścitaḥ–the foolish; veda-vāda-ratāḥ–attached to the statements of the Vedas; pārtha–O Pārtha; na anyat–no other (superior principle); asti–there is; iti–thus; vādinaḥ–they say.

O Pārtha, those who are foolish reject the real meanings of the Vedas out of attachment to ornamental statements that glorify the pursuit of celestial pleasures but which yield only poisonous effects. There is no higher truth, they say, than these proclamations.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Irresolute persons with material desires are extremely dull-witted. To explain this, Śrī Bhagavān speaks this verse beginning with yām imām. The phrase puṣpitāṃ vācaḥ implies that these statements of the Vedas are only temporarily pleasing, just like flowery creepers that are poisonous. Pravadanti refers to those who accept such Vedic statements as the summum bonum. Those whose hearts have been captivated by such statements have no resolute intelligence. This verse is in natural sequence with Gītā 2.44 (bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām). It is impossible for such people to have resolute intelligence, so this instruction is not given for them. What to speak of being devoid of resolute intelligence, Śrī Bhagavān even says that they are fools (avipaścitaḥ). This is because they accept as the ultimate objective of the Vedas the declaration of flowery statements such as, “By performing the cāturmāsya-vrata (a four month period of austerities) one will attain imperishable results” or “After drinking celestial nectar (soma-rasa) one becomes immortal.” They also speculate that beyond this there is no such thing as a Supreme Controller.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

The prime objective estab-lished in the Vedas is the original Supreme Person, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and prema-bhakti to Him. If one does not understand this, one’s intelligence will be inappropriately placed in the exterior meanings of the Vedas, which initially appear very attractive and sweet to the ear but which ultimately deliver a fearsome result. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has further clarified this later in the Gītā (2.45) by stating that the Vedas deal mostly with materialistic topics, traiguṇya-viṣayā vedāḥ.

Also in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.29.47) one is warned to be careful of the assertions of the Vedas:

tasmāt karmasu barhiṣmann ajñānād artha-kāśiṣu
mārtha-dṛṣṭiṃ kṛthāḥ śrotra sparśiṣv aspṛṣṭa-vastuṣu

O King Prācīnabarhiṣat, only out of ignorance do the ritualistic activities mentioned in the Vedas appear as the ultimate objective. Though their accounts are alluring to the ear, in fact they are devoid of any connection with the Absolute Truth. Therefore, disregard them.

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