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Chapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized · 72 verses

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Duty & actionChapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized
2.412.43

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 2.42

Working with resolute intelligence

यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः ।

वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः ॥ ४२ ॥

कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् ।

क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥ ४३ ॥

yām imāṁ puṣpitāṁ vācaṁ

pravadanty avipaścitaḥ

veda-vāda-ratāḥ pārtha

nānyad astīti vādinaḥ

kāmātmānaḥ svarga-parā

janma-karma-phala-pradām

kriyā-viśeṣa-bahulāṁ

bhogaiśvarya-gatiṁ prati

Translation

Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words of the Vedas, which recommend various fruitive activities for elevation to heavenly planets, resultant good birth, power, and so forth. Being desirous of sense gratification and opulent life, they say that there is nothing more than this.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Beyond Heavenly Pleasures

  1. 1People with little knowledge cling to the Vedas’ flowery promises of heaven, good birth, power, and pleasure, thinking there is nothing more.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that they mistake sacrifices for heavenly enjoyment as the whole purpose of Vedic wisdom.
  3. 3Attachment to these temporary pleasures makes it hard to act with determination in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 2, Contents of the Gītā Summarized: working with resolute intelligence.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Act dutifully without attachment to fruits.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 2.42 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?

Practice

Do one task today purely because it is right.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 2 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 2.39Working with resolute intelligenceBG 2.40Working with resolute intelligenceBG 3.21Leadership by example

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.