In Bhagavad Gita 2.43, Krishna says that such people, full of desires and aiming at heaven, praise many rituals that lead to rebirth, enjoyment and power.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा
जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम्
क्रियाविशेषबहुलां
भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥ २-४३ ॥
kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā
janmakarmaphalapradām
kriyāviśeṣabahulāṃ
bhogaiśvaryagatiṃ prati
English transliteration kaamaatmaanah svargaparaa
janmakarmaphalapradaam
kriyaavisheshabahulaam
bhogaishvaryagatim prati ॥ 2.43 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Full of desires, they hold heaven as the highest goal and speak of many special rites that bring rebirth as the fruit of action and aim at enjoyment and power.
Verses 2.42–2.44 form one sentence.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| कामात्मानः kāmātmānaḥ | full of desires kāma (desire) + ātmānaḥ (natured) |
| स्वर्गपराः svargaparāḥ | holding heaven as the highest goal svarga (heaven) + parāḥ (devoted to) |
| जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् janmakarmaphalapradām | giving birth as the fruit of action janma (birth) + karma (action) + phala (fruit) + pradām (giving) |
| क्रियाविशेषबहुलाम् kriyāviśeṣabahulām | abounding in special rites kriyā (rites) + viśeṣa (special) + bahulām (abounding) |
| भोगैश्वर्यगतिम् bhogaiśvaryagatim | the attainment of enjoyment and power bhoga (enjoyment) + aiśvarya (power) + gatim (attainment) |
| प्रति prati | toward |
Word-wise Chanting
- kā–māt–mā–naḥ svar–ga–pa–rā 8 syllables kaa-maat-maa-nah svar-ga-pa-raa
- jan–ma–kar–ma–pha–lap–ra–dām | 8 syllables jan-ma-kar-ma-pha-lap-ra-daam
- kri–yā–vi–śe–ṣa–ba–hu–lāṃ 8 syllables kri-yaa-vi-she-sha-ba-hu-laam
- bho–gaiś–var–ya–ga–tiṃ pra–ti || 2-43 8 syllables bho-gaish-var-ya-ga-tim pra-ti
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 2 Verse 43
Context
The description of the desire-driven mind continues from 2.42.
Meaning
Krishna describes the psychology of those who use religion for gain. Their nature is kāma, desire; their highest aim is svarga, heaven, imagined as a place of greater enjoyment. They perform many elaborate rituals for bhoga and aiśvarya, pleasure and power. The result is janma, further birth: the wheel of desire keeps turning.
The verse is a gentle warning against spiritual materialism. Even heaven, if desired as a reward, keeps us bound to the cycle of wanting and getting. The Gita points beyond all rewards to freedom itself. Real spiritual life is not a transaction but a transformation.
In Practice
Notice one area where you secretly expect a reward for being good. Practise doing the right thing there for its own sake.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga (The Yoga of Knowledge). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.