Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures
Verse 16.23
यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः।न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्।।16.23।।
yaḥ śhāstra-vidhim utsṛijya vartate kāma-kārataḥ na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim
Word Meanings
yaḥ—who; śhāstra-vidhim—scriptural injunctions; utsṛijya—discarding; vartate—act; kāma-kārataḥ—under the impulse of desire; na—neither; saḥ—they; siddhim—perfection; avāpnoti—attain; na—nor; sukham—happiness; na—nor; parām—the supreme; gatim—goal
Translation · English
He who, having cast aside the ordinances of the scriptures, acts under the impulse of desire, does not attain perfection, nor happiness, nor the Supreme Goal.
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Krishna sternly cautions against the dangerous path of subjectivism, where one discards the wisdom of the shastras to follow the whims of ego-driven desire. The shastras here are not mere cold rules, but the collective, distilled map of humanity's evolution—a blueprint provided by those who have already navigated the terrain of the mind and senses. To ignore this guidance while following the impulses of kāma (desire) is to entrust the steering of one's spiritual ship to the unpredictable currents of the lower nature, which are inherently volatile and deceptive. From the standpoint of Advaita, this verse serves as a crucial boundary marker. The 'perfection' (siddhi), 'happiness' (sukham), and 'supreme goal' (parām gatim) described here are not external rewards, but the natural expression of our true Self when the obstacles of delusion are removed. By acting solely on impulse, the seeker creates more ripples of karma, distancing themselves from the stillness required to perceive the Brahman. Krishna emphasizes that spiritual growth requires the discipline of alignment with higher laws; without this, the intellect remains subservient to the senses, and the seeker continues to circle in the repetitive cycles of samsara, never attaining the stability of the soul.
True liberation cannot be found through the pursuit of ego-driven desires; it requires the humble surrender of personal impulse to the wisdom of universal spiritual laws.
Connected Verses
Directly follows the verse to clarify that the shastras are the ultimate authority for determining right and wrong actions.
Encourages the discipline of being 'aparigraha' or free from expectations, which is the antithesis of the impulsive behavior described.
Warns of the grip of attraction and repulsion, which are the primary forces behind the desire-driven action mentioned in 16.23.
Explains that there is no peace for those who cannot control their senses, echoing the lack of 'sukham' mentioned in 16.23.
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