The unwise speak flowery words. They delight in the ritual sections of the Vedas and say nothing else exists.
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 2.42
Hindi · हिन्दी
हे पृथानन्दन जो कामनाओंमें तन्मय हो रहे हैं, स्वर्गको ही श्रेष्ठ माननेवाले हैं, वेदोंमें कहे हुए सकाम कर्मोंमें प्रीति रखनेवाले हैं, भोगोंके सिवाय और कुछ है ही नहीं ऐसा कहनेवाले हैं, वे अविवेकी मनुष्य इस प्रकारकी जिस पुष्पित दिखाऊ शोभायुक्त वाणीको कहा करते हैं, जो कि जन्मरूपी कर्मफलको देनेवाली है तथा भोग और ऐश्वर्यकी प्राप्तिके लिये बहुतसी क्रियाओंका वर्णन करनेवाली है ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
याम्whichइमाम्thisपुष्पिताम्flowery, ornamentedवाचम्speechप्रवदन्तिthey speakअविपश्चितःthe unwiseवेदवादरताःdelighting in Vedic discourseपार्थO Parthaनnotअन्यत्anything elseअस्तिthere isइतिthusवादिनःthose who say
Read literallywhich · this · flowery, ornamented · speech · they speak · the unwise · delighting in Vedic discourse · O Partha · not · anything else · there is · thus · those who say
Understanding the verse
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Flowery talk that dresses up craving in sacred words should make you suspicious, says Krishna.
Ignorant people speak in attractive, polished language that promises pleasure and reward. They get stuck in ritual talk and claim there is nothing beyond it.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
Arjuna has lowered his bow and Krishna begins stripping away confusion. After warning him about shallow understanding, Krishna points to people who dress desire in sacred language and treat reward-seeking as the whole of life.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
A polished video ad tells you that one purchase will fix your emptiness. Krishna would call that flowered speech: attractive, persuasive, and built to keep desire spinning.
The takeaway
“Not every beautiful promise is wisdom; some words are designed to seduce, not free you.”
Explore related themes: kama(23 verses), delusion(19 verses)
Common questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 2.42 mean?
Ignorant people speak in attractive, polished language that promises pleasure and reward. They get stuck in ritual talk and claim there is nothing beyond it.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 2.42?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Sankhya Yoga" (The Yoga of Knowledge).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 2.42?
Verse 42 sits in Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita — Sankhya Yoga, "The Yoga of Knowledge". The chapter has 72 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 2.42 matter today?
A polished video ad tells you that one purchase will fix your emptiness. Krishna would call that flowered speech: attractive, persuasive, and built to keep desire spinning.
Flowery talk that dresses up craving in sacred words should make you suspicious, says Krishna.
What this verse means
Ignorant people speak in attractive, polished language that promises pleasure and reward. They get stuck in ritual talk and claim there is nothing beyond it.
Context & commentary
Arjuna has lowered his bow and Krishna begins stripping away confusion. After warning him about shallow understanding, Krishna points to people who dress desire in sacred language and treat reward-seeking as the whole of life.
What it looks like today
A polished video ad tells you that one purchase will fix your emptiness. Krishna would call that flowered speech: attractive, persuasive, and built to keep desire spinning.
“Not every beautiful promise is wisdom; some words are designed to seduce, not free you.”
Explore related themes: kama (23 verses), delusion (19 verses)