Bhagavad Gita BG 16.23
Chapter 16, Verse 23 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः । न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ॥
yah shastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah na sa siddhim avapnoti na sukham na param gatim
Meaning
One who, having abandoned the injunctions of scripture, acts under the impulse of desire — he does not attain perfection, happiness, nor the supreme goal.
Understanding
The closing principle of Ch16: yah shastra-vidhim utsrjya (one who, having abandoned the injunctions/rules of scripture — shastra-vidhi = scriptural guideline, utsrjya = having abandoned). Vartate kama-karatah (acts under the impulsion of desire — kama-karah = one who acts from kama/desire's impulse, the doer-of-desire). The triple deprivation: na siddhim avapnoti (does not attain siddhi/perfection or success in this life), na sukham (no genuine happiness), na param gatim (no supreme destination/liberation). Scripture (shastra) here represents the accumulated wisdom of the tradition — the dharmic guidelines evolved to support the spiritual journey. Abandoning shastra and acting from kama alone removes all three goods: success in the world (siddhi), happiness (sukha), and liberation (param gati). This verse is the distillation of Ch16's entire teaching: the demonic abandon dharma and act from desire — and thereby lose all three goods.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| शास्त्रविधिम् | shastra-vidhim | scriptural injunction/guideline (shastra = scripture, vidhi = rule) |
| उत्सृज्य | utsrjya | having abandoned, having cast away (gerund) |
| कामकारतः | kama-karatah | from the impulse of desire, acting as desire directs |
| सिद्धिम् | siddhim | perfection, success, accomplishment (in this and the next life) |
| परां गतिम् | param gatim | the supreme goal, highest destination (liberation) |
| यः | yaḥ | one who |
| शास्त्र-विधिम् | śāstra-vidhim | the injunction of scripture |
| उत्सृज्य | utsṛjya | having abandoned |
| वर्तते | vartate | acts, lives |
| काम-कारतः | kāma-kārataḥ | prompted by desire |
| न | na saḥ | that person does not |
| अवाप्नोति | avāpnoti | obtain |
| न | na sukham | nor happiness |
| न | na param gatim | nor the supreme goal |
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