Chapter 2, Verse 44 (Bhagavad Gita 2.44)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम्। व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते
Transliteration
bhogaiśwvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛita-chetasām vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate
Word Meanings
bhoga—gratification; aiśhwarya—luxury; prasaktānām—whose minds are deeply attached; tayā—by that; apahṛita-chetasām—bewildered in intellect; vyavasāya-ātmikā—resolute; buddhiḥ—intellect; samādhau—fulfilment; na—never; vidhīyate—occurs
Translation
For those who are deeply attached to worldly pleasures and opulence, and whose discriminative faculty is stolen away by flowery words, they cannot attain the resolute, unwavering consciousness necessary for deep meditation and spiritual absorption.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse highlights the psychological barrier created by sensory craving; when the mind is obsessed with external gain, it loses its ability to focus on the eternal. True spiritual progress requires a 'resolute intellect' (vyavasayatmika buddhi) that prioritizes inner peace over fleeting satisfaction. Without this single-pointed determination, the practitioner remains distracted by the noise of material desires, unable to reach the depths of samadhi. Ultimately, it teaches that the liberation of the soul depends on one’s willingness to detach from the illusions of power and pleasure.