Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 42

यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः । वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः

yāmimāṃ puṣpitāṃ vācaṃ pravadantyavipaścitaḥ | vedavādaratāḥ pārtha nānyadastīti vādinaḥ

Translation

No conviction of a resolute nature is formed in the mind of those who are attached to pleasures and power, and whose minds are drawn away by that flowery speech which the unwise — enamoured of Vedic utterances, declaring there is nothing else, full of desire, having svarga as their goal — utter, (a speech) which promises birth as the reward of actions and which abounds in specific acts for the attainment of pleasure and power, O son of Pṛthā.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

yām

which

imām

this

puṣpitām

flowery

vācam

speech

pravadanti

utter

avipaścitaḥ

the un-wise

vedavādaratāḥ

of the Veda, in the word, rejoicing

pārtha

O Pārtha

na

not

anyat

other

asti

is

iti

thus

vādinaḥ

saying

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

Those whose minds are wedded to enjoyment and lordship cannot form the unitary, resolute conviction that leads to mokṣa. The unwise (avipaścit), enamoured of the ritualistic portion of the Vedas, hold that there is nothing higher than svarga and other rewards; their speech is flowery (puṣpita) — pleasing to the ear but hollow within — and promises rebirth (janma-karma-phala) as the reward of action. Such speech, abounding in specific rites for the attainment of heaven, lordship, and pleasure, draws the mind away from the one resolute conviction.