B.G 2.42 and 43
यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः। वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः ॥२-४२॥
yāmimāṃ puṣpitāṃ vācaṃ pravadantyavipaścitaḥ। vedavādaratāḥ pārtha nānyadastīti vādinaḥ ॥2-42॥
[याम् (yām) - which; इमां (imāṃ) - this; पुष्पितां (puṣpitāṃ) - flowery; वाचं (vācaṃ) - speech; प्रवदन्ति (pravadanti) - utter; अविपश्चितः (avipaścitaḥ) - unwise; वेद (veda) - Vedic; वादरताः (vādaratāḥ) - engaged in argument; पार्थ (pārtha) - O son of Pritha; न (na) - not; अन्यत् (anyat) - anything else; अस्ति (asti) - exists; इति (iti) - thus; वादिनः (vādinaḥ) - speakers;]
(O son of Pritha, the unwise, engaged in the argument of the Vedas, utter this flowery speech, claiming that nothing else exists.)
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम्। क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥२-४३॥
kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā janmakarmaphalapradām। kriyāviśeṣabahulāṃ bhogaiśvaryagatiṃ prati ॥2-43॥
[कामात्मानः (kāmātmānaḥ) - those whose minds are full of desires; स्वर्गपरा (svargaparā) - intent on heaven; जन्म (janma) - birth; कर्म (karma) - action; फल (phala) - fruit; प्रदाम् (pradām) - bestowing; क्रिया (kriyā) - rituals; विशेष (viśeṣa) - various; बहुलां (bahulāṃ) - abundant; भोग (bhoga) - enjoyment; ऐश्वर्य (aiśvarya) - power; गतिं (gatiṃ) - path; प्रति (prati) - towards;]
(Those who are driven by desires and are focused on heaven, believe in rituals that yield the fruits of birth and actions, and are inclined towards the path of enjoyment and power.)
O Pārtha, those who are attracted to the flowery language of Vedas with an inaccurate perception of reality, promote Vedic ritualism and claim that nothing else exists. Driven by sensual pleasures, they proclaim heaven as the ultimate reward for the actions performed after birth. They recommend various specialised actions directed towards material enjoyment and wealth as the end goal.
Gīta Bhāshya 2.42 and 43
Those who focus on the literal meaning of the Vēdas cannot grasp its true essence and suggest ritualism for wordly gains. Vēdas describe the supreme God indirectly.
स्युरवैदिकानि मतानि अव्यवसायात्मकानि। नतु वैदिकानि। तेपि हि केचित् कर्माणि स्वर्गादिफलान्येवाहुः इत्यत आह– 'यामिमामिति'।
syuravaidakāni matāni avyavasāyātmakāni। natu vaidikāni। tepi hi kecit karmāṇi svargādiphalānyevāhuḥ ityata āha– 'yāmimāmiti'।
[स्युः (syuḥ) - would be; अवैदिकानि (avaidakāni) - non-Vedic; मतानि (matāni) - opinions; अव्यवसायात्मकानि (avyavasāyātmakāni) - of uncertain nature; न (na) - not; तु (tu) - but; वैदिकानि (vaidikāni) - Vedic; ते (te) - they; अपि (api) - also; हि (hi) - indeed; केचित् (kecit) - some; कर्माणि (karmāṇi) - actions; स्वर्गादिफलानि (svargādiphalāni) - heavenly results; एव (eva) - only; आहुः (āhuḥ) - say; इत्यत (ityata) - thus; आह (āha) - said; याम् (yām) - which; इमाम् (imām) - this; इति (iti) - thus;]
(The opinions are considered non-Vedic and uncertain in nature, not aligning with Vedic principles. Some assert that these actions lead only to heavenly rewards. Thus, it is stated, 'which this thus'.)
Ritualists adhering to the literal meaning of Vedas do not methodically strive themselves towards 'ātman'. Hence, they are opposed to the essence of Vedas. They recommend various rituals with only heaven as the end result. Therefore, it is said – 'yāmimām'
यामाहुः तया इत्यन्वयः। मोक्षफलम् अपेक्ष्य स्वर्गादिपुष्पयुक्तां वाचं प्रवदन्ति। वेदवादरताः कर्मादिवाचकवेदवादरताः । वेदैः यन्मुखतः उच्यते तत्रैव रताः। नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः।
yāmāhuḥ tayā ityanvayaḥ। mokṣaphalam apekṣya svargādipuṣpayuktāṃ vācaṃ pravadanti। vedavādaratāḥ karmādivācakavedavādaratāḥ। vedaiḥ yanmukhataḥ ucyate tatraiva ratāḥ। nānyadastīti vādinaḥ।
[यामाहुः (yāmāhuḥ) - which they say; तया (tayā) - by that; इति (iti) - thus; अन्वयः (anvayaḥ) - connection; मोक्षफलम् (mokṣaphalam) - liberation fruit; अपेक्ष्य (apekṣya) - expecting; स्वर्गादिपुष्पयुक्तां (svargādipuṣpayuktāṃ) - heavenly flower adorned; वाचं (vācaṃ) - speech; प्रवदन्ति (pravadanti) - they speak; वेदवादरताः (vedavādaratāḥ) - attached to Vedic words; कर्मादिवाचकवेदवादरताः (karmādivācakavedavādaratāḥ) - attached to Vedic words describing rituals, etc.; वेदैः (vedaiḥ) - by the Vedas; यन्मुखतः (yanmukhataḥ) - from the mouth of which; उच्यते (ucyate) - is said; तत्रैव (tatraiva) - there itself; रताः (ratāḥ) - engaged; न (na) - not; अन्यद् (anyad) - other; अस्ति (asti) - exists; इति (iti) - thus; वादिनः (vādinaḥ) - speakers.;]
(They say that the connection is through that; expecting the fruit of liberation, they speak words adorned with heavenly flowers. They are attached to the words of the Vedas, particularly those describing rituals. They are engaged in what is said by the Vedas, believing that nothing else exists.)
"You say the consequence (of Vedic knowledge) as liberation, while the literal meaning promises heaven" -is the doubt. 'vēdavādaratāḥ' - are those who recommend actions oriented towards Vedic rituals. They are focussed on the literal meaning of the Vedas only. They proclaim there is no other meaning.
'परोक्षविषया वेदाः', 'परोक्षप्रिया इव हि देवाः', 'मां विधत्ते- भिधत्ते मां'
'parokṣaviṣayā vedāḥ', 'parokṣapriyā iva hi devāḥ', 'māṃ vidhatte- bhidhatte māṃ'
[परोक्ष (parokṣa) - indirect; विषया (viṣayā) - subject; वेदाः (vedāḥ) - Vedas; परोक्षप्रिया (parokṣapriyā) - fond of the unseen; इव (iva) - like; हि (hi) - indeed; देवाः (devāḥ) - gods; मां (māṃ) - me; विधत्ते (vidhatte) - creates; भिधत्ते (bhidhatte) - destroys; मां (māṃ) - me;]
(The Vedas deal with indirect subjects, as the gods are indeed fond of the unseen. They create and destroy me.)
"The Vedas convey the topics indirectly", "The Vedic dieties certanly love topics conveyed indirectly", "I am only coveyed through Vedic rules. They render me only"
इत्यादिभिः पारोक्ष्येण प्रायो भगवन्तं वदन्ति।
ityādibhiḥ pārokṣyeṇa prāyo bhagavantaṃ vadanti।
[इत्यादिभिः (ityādibhiḥ) - by such means; पारोक्ष्येण (pārokṣyeṇa) - indirectly; प्रायः (prāyaḥ) - generally; भगवन्तं (bhagavantaṃ) - the Lord; वदन्ति (vadanti) - they speak;]
(By such means, indirectly, generally, they speak of the Lord.)
- all these statements speak to an indirect way of conveying the supreme God.
