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Chapter 2 · Verse 43 · Sankhya Yoga

Bhagavad Gita 2.43

philosophical Karma & Action Attachment & Letting Go Moksha & Liberation

Sanskrit

कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम्। क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति।।2.43।।

Transliteration

kāmātmānaḥ svarga-parā janma-karma-phala-pradām kriyā-viśeṣa-bahulāṁ bhogaiśvarya-gatiṁ prati

हिंदी अर्थ

जो लोग केवल सुख और स्वर्ग की चाहना करते हैं, वे विभिन्न कर्मों के द्वारा भोग और ऐश्वर्य पाने के लिए प्रेरित होते हैं। इस तरह की इच्छाएं मनुष्य को बार-बार जन्म और मृत्यु के चक्र में फंसाती हैं।

Word by Word

kāmaātmānaḥ desirous of sense gratification
svarga-parāḥ aiming to achieve heavenly planets
janma-karma-phala-pradām resulting in fruitive action, good birth, etc.
kriyā-viśeṣa pompous ceremonies
bahulām various
bhoga sense enjoyment
aiśvarya opulence
gatim progress
prati towards.
Simplified Perspective

Krishna here unveils the trap of desire-driven living—the endless cycle where we perform rituals and good deeds, hoping to reach heaven, only to find ourselves reborn into the same wheel of wanting and acquiring. The Vedanta teaches us that this path, while not wrong, keeps consciousness bound to the fruits of action rather than to the Eternal Self.

When we recognize that heavenly pleasures and earthly opulence are temporary stations, not destinations, we begin to question what we truly seek—and that questioning itself becomes the gateway to freedom. In our modern lives, this verse asks: Are you working to build a meaningful life, or are you endlessly chasing the next promotion, possession, or validation that promises fulfillment but never quite delivers?

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Bhagavad Gita 2.43 — BG 2.43

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Sanskrit text from the Bhagavad Gita (public domain). Commentary © Mahakatha.

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