Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 2 › Verse 43
Bhagavad Gītā 2.43: Chasing rewards
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् ।
क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥
kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā janmakarmaphalapradām
kriyāviśeṣabahulāṃ bhogaiśvaryagatiṃ prati
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
Full of desires, intent on heaven, they speak words that offer rebirth as the fruit of action, abounding in special rites aimed at enjoyment and power. The middle of the sentence 2.42–2.44 describes action driven entirely by desire for results, which keeps one bound in the cycle of birth.
For children
Krishna says: “Some people only want more and more nice things, even in heaven. They do lots of special things just to get rewards.”
This is the middle verse of a sentence that runs from 2.42 to 2.44.
Word by word
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा — Full of desires, aiming for heaven
- kāmātman: whose nature is desire
- svargapara: intent on heaven
जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् — (speech) that promises rebirth as the fruit of action
- janman: birth
- karmaphala: fruit of action
- prada: giving, promising
क्रियाविशेषबहुलां — full of many special rites
- kriyā: rite, action
- viśeṣa: special, particular
- bahula: abounding in
भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति — aimed at pleasure and power
- bhoga: enjoyment
- aiśvarya: power, lordship
- gati: attainment, goal
Kṛṣṇa speaks this verse. The Sanskrit is checked against four editions; meanings and word notes are simple learning aids written for MahaPrabha Gurukul, awaiting review by a Sanskrit teacher.