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Bhagavad-gītā 2.44

भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम् । व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ॥ ४४ ॥
bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ
[bhogaishvarya-prasaktaanaam]
tayāpahṛta-cetasām
[tayaapahrita-chetasaam]
vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ
[vyavasaayaatmikaa buddhih]
samādhau na vidhīyate
[samaadhau na vidheeyate]
Word-for-word
bhoga — to material enjoyment aiśvarya — and opulence prasaktānām — for those who are attached tayā — by such things apahṛta - cetasām — bewildered in mind vyavasāya - ātmikā — fixed in determination buddhiḥ — devotional service to the Lord samādhau — in the controlled mind na — never vidhīyate — does take place .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ
bhoga
to material enjoyment
aiśvarya
and opulence
prasaktānām
for those who are attached
tayāpahṛta-cetasām
tayā
by such things
apahṛta - cetasām
bewildered in mind
vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ
vyavasāya - ātmikā
fixed in determination
buddhiḥ
devotional service to the Lord
samādhau na vidhīyate
samādhau
in the controlled mind
na
never
vidhīyate
does take place .
Important Words
  • bhoga - aiśvarya - prasaktānām — of those attached to enjoyment and opulence
    Genitive plural — *of those attached*. Prasaktānām (from pra-√sañj) is stronger than mere liking — *deeply attached*, *glued*. The buddhi cannot rise because the heart is glued down.
  • apahṛta - cetasām — whose minds are stolen away
    Compound — *whose consciousness is carried off*. Apa-√hṛ — to steal. The flowery words of the Vedas (verse 42-43) have *stolen* the mind. The mind is not lost — it is taken.
  • vyavasāya - ātmikā — resolute
    Repeated from 2.41. The same buddhi that the wise have is *not produced* (na vidhīyate) in the attached. The verse closes the circuit: attachment blocks the very intelligence yoga requires.
  • samādhau — in trance, in fixed contemplation
    Locative of samādhi. The state of being fully placed-together, mind settled in one. The attached mind cannot enter samādhi because its center of gravity is elsewhere.
  • vidhīyate — is established
    Present passive of vi-√dhā — to place, to determine. The verb is the very root of vidhi (Vedic injunction); the verse is grimly punning: in those bound by Vedic vidhi for results, the higher vidhi of samādhi does *not* get laid down (na vidhīyate).
In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination for devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
When the mind is hijacked by the promise of enjoyment and dominion, samādhi becomes structurally impossible. Resolute one-pointed intelligence cannot crystallize in a mind dispersed across multiple cravings.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
This is the first occurrence in the Gītā of samādhi as a technical term, foreshadowing its more extended treatment in Chapter 6. Vidhīyate ('is established/ordained') carries a faint ritual register: the resolute buddhi cannot be 'ordained' or 'set in place' in such a mind. The whole 2.42-2.44 triad spells out one full mode of avyavasāyitva (irresolution).
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
भोग-ऐश्वर्य-प्रसक्तानाम् तया अपहृत-चेतसाम् (पुरुषाणाम्) व्यवसाय-आत्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ।
bhoga-aiśvarya-prasaktānām tayā apahṛta-cetasām (puruṣāṇām) vyavasāya-ātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate |
For those attached to enjoyment and lordship, whose minds are stolen away by that (flowery speech), the resolute intelligence is not established in samādhi.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
भोग-ऐश्वर्य-प्रसक्तानाम् तया अपहृत-चेतसाम् । व्यवसाय-आत्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ॥
bhoga-aiśvarya-prasaktānām tayā apahṛta-cetasām | vyavasāya-ātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
भोग-ऐश्वर्य-प्रसक्तानाम् bhoga-aiśvarya-prasaktānām भोग (m.) + ऐश्वर्य (n.) + प्रसक्त (p.p.p. (past passive participle)) gen.pl. (genitive plural)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) of those attached to enjoyment and lordship
तया tayā तद् (pron. (pronoun)) ins.sg. (instrumental singular)f., 'by that (speech)' by that
अपहृत-चेतसाम् apahṛta-cetasām अप+√हृ p.p.p. (past passive participle) + चेतस् (n.) gen.pl. (genitive plural)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound), 'whose minds are carried off' whose minds are stolen
व्यवसाय-आत्मिका vyavasāya-ātmikā व्यवसाय (m.) + आत्मक (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)f. resolute (in its nature)
बुद्धिः buddhiḥ बुद्धि (f.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) intelligence
समाधौ samādhau समाधि (m.) loc.sg. (locative singular), 'in concentration' in samādhi
न विधीयते na vidhīyate वि+√धा pass. (passive) pres. (present) 3sg., with न is not established
Purport

Samādhi means “fixed mind.” The Vedic dictionary, the Nirukti, says, samyag ādhīyate ’sminn ātma-tattva-yāthātmyam: “When the mind is fixed for understanding the self, it is said to be in samādhi .” Samādhi is never possible for persons interested in material sense enjoyment and bewildered by such temporary things. They are more or less condemned by the process of material energy.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
44. For those people, who are attached to enjoyment and power, whose consciousness has been deluded by that talk, the resolute intelligence, fixed on one point, does not take place.
Commentary

Those whose minds are attracted by the flowery words, who are attached to power and enjoyment, do not have the determined intelligence fixed firmly on one point (samādhau), fixed only on the Supreme Lord. The form of the verb na vidhīyate is reflexive passive (karma-kartari), meaning in this case “is not attained.” This commentary is Śrīdhara Svāmī’s version.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
44. For those people, who are attached to enjoyment and power, whose consciousness has been deluded by that talk, the resolute intelligence does not take place in the mind.
Commentary

For those attached to the power and enjoyment mentioned in the previous verse, for those absorbed in those things because they do not manifest their temporary nature, whose discriminating knowledge (cetasām) is plundered by the attractive but deceptive words (tayā apahṛta), fixed intelligence does not take place in the mind (samādhau). According to the Nirukti, samādhi means the mind—that within which the true nature of ātmā is fully contemplated (samyak adhīyate).

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Those who are attached to sense enjoyement and material opulence they follow the Karma‑kanda Section of the Vedas. And if one is attached to those things this means that he has a lack of knowledge and lack of knowledge is the definition of ‑ bewildered! So, how to become fixed, "vyavasaya‑atmika buddhih"?

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study Key verse
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Buddhi-yoga vs Karma-kanda

PURPOSE OF COMPARISION: To sharpen Arjuna’s intelligence and avoid his attempt to renounce 1. Karma-kanda mentality is condemned as less intelligent path and is compared to “fools getting attached to the poisonous flowers of a tree” (2.42 – 2.43) 2. Material opulence and sense gratification are the two obstacles to Krishna consciousness (2.44) 3. Buddhi-yoga is transcendental to Vedic Karma-kanda rituals (2.45 – 2.46) 4. Sankirtana-yajna or Krishna consciousness fulfills the purpose of the Vedas

Focus of Learning

(a) Definitions of Faith

Strong faith that Krishna consciousness will elevate one to highest perfection of life – This is called as “Vyavasayatmika Intelligence” – Ref. CC: “Sraddha Sabde...”(study purport)
Faith means ‘unflinching trust in something sublime’

(b) Elaborations on ‘Firm faith’ – It implies that one engaged in Krishna consciousness has:

No obligations in material world
No longer endeavors for fruitive activities
Krishna conscious activities on absolute plane – no longer subject to dualities of good/bad

(c) In conclusion firm faith implies:

“Renunciation of material concept of life” – As highest perfection of Krishna consciousness
How to achieve such renunciation – Automatically by progressive Krishna consciousness

(d) Foundation of “Resolute Determination”

Knowledge of soul – Whole process ultimately depends on – perfect knowledge of soul beyond conception of body, not only theoretically but practically, with no chance of sense gratification manifested in fruitive activities
Knowledge of Vasudeva as the cause of all causes and as all in all (Ref. Bg. 7.19 – “bahunam janamanam...”)
Analogy: Watering the root satisfies all the parts

(e) Best practice of service to Krishna – Service to Guru (Supporting Ref. “yasya prasada…”) because:

He knows the nature of student
Can guide how to act in Krishna consciousness
One should act firmly and take instructions as mission in life
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
2.44 And vyavasayatmika, one-pointed; buddhih, conviction, with regard to Knowledge or Yoga; na vidhiyate, does not become established, i.e. does not arise; samadhau, in the minds the word samadhi being derived in the sese of that into which everthing is gathered together for the enjoyment of a person ; bhoga-aisvarya-prasaktanam, of those who delight in enjoyment and wealth, of those who have the hankering that only enjoyment as also wealth is to be sought for, of those who identify themselves with these; and apahrta-cetasam, of those whose intellects are carried away, whose discriminating judgement becomes covered; taya, by that speech which is full of various special rites.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
2.42 - 2.44 The ignorant, whose knowledge is little, and who have as their sole aim the attainment of enjoyment and power, speak the flowery language i.e., having its flowers (show) only as fruits, which look apparently beautiful at first sight. They rejoice in the letter of the Vedas i.e., they are attached to heaven and such other results (promised in the Karma-kanda of the Vedas). They say that there is nothing else, owing to their intense attachment to these results. They say that there is no fruit superior to heaven etc. They are full of worldly desires and their minds are highly attached to secular desires. They hanker for heaven, i.e. think of the enjoyment of the felicities of heaven, after which one can again have rirth which offers again the opportunity to perform varied rites devoid of true knowledge and leads towards the attainment of enjoyments and power once again. With regard to those who cling to pleasure and power and whose understanding is contaminated by that flowery speech relating to pleasure and lordly powers, the aforesaid mental disposition characterised by resolution, will not arise in their Samadhi. Samadhi here means the mind. The knowledge of the self will not arise in such minds. In the minds of these persons, there cannot arise the mental disposition that looks on all Vedic rituals as means for liberation based on the determined conviction about the real form of the self. Hence, in an aspirant for liberation, there should be no attachment to rituals out of the conviction that they are meant for the acisition of objects of desire only. It may be estioned why the Vedas, which have more of love for Jivas than thousands of parents, and which are endeavouring to save the Jivas, should prescribe in this way rites whose fruits are infinitesimal and which produce only new births. It can also be asked if it is proper to abandon what is given in the Vedas. Sri Krsna replies to these estions.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
2.42-44 Yam imam etc., upto na vidhiyate. Those, who crave for objects of desire, speak, on their own accord, of this flowery Vedic speech which is pervaded by the fruits i.e., the heaven in the future; and who, hence, desire the action itself as the fruit of their birth - these are men without insight. further, having their mind carried away by the same Vedic sentence imagined by themselves, these persons, eventhough they are endowed with the determinate knowledge, are not fit for concentration, because they do not decide this (concentration) as a fruit [of their action]. This is the purport of the traid of these verses.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
2.44 For those who are attached to pleasure and power, whose minds are drawn away by such teaching, ï1thatï1 determinate reason is not formed which is steadily bent on meditation and Samadhi (superconscious state).
Commentary

2.44 भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानाम् of the people deeply attached to pleasure and lordship? तया by that? अपहृतचेतसाम् whose minds are drawn away? व्यवसायात्मिका determinate? बुद्धिः reason? समाधौ in Samadhi? न not? विधीयते is fixed.Commentary Those who cling to pleasure and power cannot have steadiness of mind. They cannot concentrate or meditate. They are ever busy in planning projects for the acisition of wealth and power. Their minds are ever restless. They have no poised understanding.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
2.44 One-pointed conviction does not become established in the minds of those who delight in enjoyment and affluence, and whose intellects are carried away by that (speech).
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
2.44 While their minds are absorbed with ideas of power and personal enjoyment, they cannot concentrate their discrimination on one point.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)
Related verses
BG 2.41 BG 9.13 BG 16.16 SB 1.2.9 SB 5.5.4 SB 7.5.30 CC Madhya 8.258 CC Madhya 19.156 CC Madhya 22.93 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.6BRS 1.2.255
Concepts
Samadhi
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Those captivated by sense pleasure and material opulence cannot fix their intelligence in determined service to the Lord.
Practical Applications
  • Audit which of your daily attentions are quietly forming captivity rather than freedom.
  • Reduce one attachment that you know is keeping you from determined sādhana.
  • Understand that spiritual scattering is often the consequence of sense scattering.
Reflection Questions
  • What enjoyment is keeping my intelligence from being firmly fixed?
  • Where do I want both Krishna and the captivity at the same time?
Analogy

A mind held under by heavy water cannot rise. Attachment to bhoga and aiśvarya is this weight — it pins the buddhi below the level where samādhi could form. Until the weight is removed, no rising. The mind is not at fault; the bricks tied to it are.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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