ajñaśh chāśhraddadhānaśh cha sanśhayātmā vinaśhyati
nāyaṁ loko ’sti na paro na sukhaṁ sanśhayātmanaḥ
ajñaḥ — the ignorant;
cha — and;
aśhraddadhānaḥ — without faith;
cha — and;
sanśhaya — skeptical;
ātmā — a person;
vinaśhyati — falls down;
na — never;
ayam — in this;
lokaḥ — world;
asti — is;
na — not;
paraḥ — in the next;
na — not;
sukham — happiness;
sanśhaya-ātmanaḥ — for the skeptical soul
This verse is saying that if someone is ignorant and doesn't have faith, especially about important teachings or scriptures, they will miss out on understanding God. People who constantly doubt what is written in sacred texts, like the Bhagavad Gita, will not find true happiness in this life or in whatever comes after.
Think of it this way: when people act like they don't believe in the wisdom of the scriptures, it’s like they are living without a map in a new city. They might know some streets, but without trusting and following a reliable source of directions, they would probably get lost. Similarly, those who aren’t willing to accept or believe in the teachings of the scriptures won’t be able to reach their true potential or find peace.
Some might know how to quote lines from these texts or have heard them being discussed, but that doesn't mean they actually believe in those ideas. For example, someone might say they respect the Bhagavad Gita, but if they don’t sincerely try to understand or live by its teachings, they won’t get the benefits it offers. These teachings are not just meant to be recited or memorized; they must be believed in and acted upon.
In addition to this, there are people who might have faith in these scriptures but still don’t believe in God, or in this case, Sri Krishna, who is the central figure in the Gita. If one doesn’t recognize and show devotion to God, despite studying the texts, they cannot truly connect with the spiritual insights they read about.
The verse stresses that among all these different types of people, those who constantly doubt are at a greater loss. They aren’t just missing out on happiness in this life; they are also missing happiness in any future life. It’s as if they are stuck in a kind of darkness where they can’t see or find joy.
So, the key message here is to have faith and trust in what the scriptures teach. When one does so, they can begin to understand deeper spiritual truths. Trusting those teachings is a crucial part of growth and reaching a better spiritual state. In simpler terms, to find true joy and purpose in life, it’s important to believe in and follow the wise teachings of great spiritual teachers and texts.