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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 16.23
य: शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारत: ।
न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ॥ २३ ॥
yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya
vartate kāma-kārataḥ
na sa siddhim avāpnoti
na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim
He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Those who reject scriptural rules and act on their own whims gain neither perfection, happiness, nor the supreme destination.
Prabhupāda explains that rules and knowledge must lead to understanding and serving the Supreme Lord. Highest perfection requires Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service.
Apply scriptural guidance in daily life, rather than following lust and greed, and gradually develop devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.
These notes cover verses 16.23–24
These two verses establish the importance of sastric injunctions
Need to follow sastras (16.24) – To control and regulate these demoniac qualities one must follow scriptural injunctions
For the purpose of gradual elevation
Result of not following sastras (16.23) – If one disregards scriptural injunction and acts according to his own whims, there is neither perfection nor happiness nor supreme destination
What does sastra-viddhi refer to — It refers to ‘direction of sastras’ as follows:
Injunctions prescribed for different castes and orders for gradual spiritual elevation
Everyone is expected to follow these
Purpose of scriptural rules — Rules are meant for gradual elevation to higher perfectional stage of devotional service
Apply the knowledge – One may theoretically know all these things, but if one does not apply them then he is known as the lowest of mankind
Know the tattva of the Lord – Even if one follows the rules and regulations but does not come to the understanding of Supreme Lord then all his knowledge is spoiled
Serve the Lord – Even if he accepts the existence of God, if he does not engage himself in the service of the Lord, his attempts are spoiled
Meaning of ‘Kama-kartah’ — defines “acting whimsically”
One who knowingly violates the rule, acts in lust
Destination of “whimsical acts”
Condemned by the Supreme Lord
Cannot have the perfection which is meant for the human life
Importance of rules in Human Life – Rules and regulations are meant to purify one’s existence and attain the real stage of happiness FOCUS OF LEARNING: PURPORT 16.24
Highest perfection of Vedic knowledge — knowing Krishna (Ref. 15.15) and engaging in devotional service
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on how to achieve the highest perfection very easily
Simply chant Hare Krishna and engage in Devotional service
Eat the remnants of the Lord
What status one achieves by the above process of devotional service
One is understood to have studied all Vedic literature and has come to the conclusion perfectly
How to purify those not engaged in devotional service
Decide their prescribed duties according to Vedic injunctions – Do’s and Don’t
How to follow scriptures – follow without arguments and alterations
Standard of Vedic Scriptures which make them unquestionable
Free from four defects of conditioned soul
Therefore rules are accepted without alteration by all great saints, acaryas, great souls
Aversion to the principles of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the greatest offense of human life
Cause of all falldowns in human society
Cause of Maya giving us miseries
Principles of scriptures are a must to achieve perfectional stage
Both Impersonalists and personalists lead lives according to Vedic principles
Who is fortunate – one who actually understands the purport of the sastras
Some of defects of human society which cause demoniac life
Those in passion and ignorance deride the scriptures, holy man and proper understanding of Supreme Personality of Godhead
Inspite of hearing the glories of devotional service, they are not attracted, but they manufacture their own way of elevation
How to elevate and why to elevate
One has to rise at least to the mode of goodness before the path to understanding the Supreme Lord can be opened
One can elevate to a higher stage by the guidance of proper and bona-fide spiritual master
End of chapter 16
Bhagavad Gita Notes 1 Chapter 16 Appendix CHAPTER 16 Appendix Selected Texts extracted from “Surrender unto Me”
Texts 16.22 & 16.23
Krishna will describe how one can avoid being controlled by these tendencies — ‘through acting on injunctions of sastras’ – rather than one’s conditioned impulses
Three gates leading to soul’s degradation and entanglement in demoniac mentality –
Lust, Anger and Greed
Every sane man should give these up, act for purification and attain the supreme destination
Instead of acting under the control of these, one should act according to sastra
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: daivī-sampat, dharma.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 16.23 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to character & ethics?
Choose one virtue to practice consciously today.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.