कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् ।क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥
kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā janmakarmaphalapradām |kriyāviśeṣabahulāṃ bhogaiśvaryagatiṃ prati ||
- कामात्मानः · kāmātmānaḥ
- full of desire, desire-natured
- स्वर्गपराः · svargaparāḥ
- aiming at heaven as the highest
- जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् · janmakarmaphalapradām
- promising rebirth as the fruit of rites
- क्रियाविशेषबहुलाम् · kriyāviśeṣabahulām
- full of elaborate rites and details
- भोगैश्वर्यगतिम् · bhogaiśvaryagatim
- toward enjoyment and power
- प्रति · prati
- with regard to, leading to
“Full of desire, heaven-bent, their speech promises rebirth as the fruit of rites — elaborate with ritual detail, aimed at enjoyment and power.”
— Original plain-language translation
The portrait completes: religion as transaction — pay rites, receive heaven. Krishna's objection is precise: such practice binds (it buys rebirth) rather than frees. Desire dressed as devotion is still desire.
— Reader's notes (original)