Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 16, Verse 23
यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः । न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्
yaḥ śāstravidhimutsṛjya vartate kāmakārataḥ | na sa siddhimavāpnoti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim
Translation
He who, neglecting the scriptural ordinance, acts under the impulse of desire, attains not perfection, nor happiness, nor the Supreme Goal.
— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri
Word meanings
- yaḥ
- who
- śāstravidhim
- of the Shāstras, the rule
- utsṛjya
- having cast away
- vartate
- goes
- kāmakārataḥ
- from the impulsion of desire
- na
- not
- saḥ
- he
- siddhim
- perfection
- avāpnoti
- obtains
- na
- not
- sukham
- pleasure
- na
- not
- parām
- highest
- gatim
- path
Śaṅkarācārya's commentary
Scriptural ordinance: the command of the Veda in the form of injunctions and prohibitions, giving us to know what ought to be done and what ought not to be done. Perfection: fitness for attaining the end of man. Happiness: in this world. Supreme Goal: Svarga or Mokṣa, as the case may be.