Bhagavad Gita 16.23
Spoken by Krishna · Verse 23 of 24
यः शास्त्रविधिम् उत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः । न स सिद्धिम् अवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ॥
yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ | na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim ||
One who abandons śāstra-vidhi to act from desire's impulse attains neither siddhi, nor sukha, nor the Supreme Goal.
Word by word (3)
- yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya
- — whoever (yaḥ) having abandoned (utsṛjya) the ordinance/prescription of śāstra (śāstra-vidhi) — the deliberate discarding of the dharmic framework
- vartate kāma-kārataḥ
- — acts/moves (vartate) from the impulse of desire (kāma-kārata = propelled by kāma as the motive force) — desire as the sole operational guide
- na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim
- — that person does not attain (na avāpnoti) siddhi (perfection), nor sukha (happiness), nor parāṃ gatim (the Supreme Goal) — triple negation of all three human aspirations
Whoever, setting aside the ordinance of scripture, acts under the impulse of desire — attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the Supreme Goal.
A modern analogy
A ship's navigator who discards the map and navigation system because they trust their 'gut feeling' won't reach the destination — they'll drift, or worse, hit rocks. Scriptural guidance (śāstra-vidhi) is the navigation system. Acting from desire's impulse (kāma-kārata) is 'gut feeling' without a map. This verse gives the consequences: no destination reached.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
He who, neglecting the scriptural ordinance, acts under the impulse of desire, attains not perfection, nor happiness, nor the Supreme Goal. [1]
He who, setting aside the ordinance of the Shastra, acts under the impulse of desire, attains not to perfection, nor happiness, nor the Goal Supreme. [4]
He who abandoning scripture ordinances, acts under the impulse of desire, does not attain perfection, nor happiness, nor the highest goal. [9]
He who abandoning the ordinances of the scriptures, acts only under the impulses of desire, never attains to perfection, nor happiness, nor the highest goal. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Abandon all desires born of mental planning — without remainder — and restrain the senses completely, by the mind alone.
Three gates to hell, destructive of the self: kāma, krodha, lobha. Therefore abandon this triad.
Sannyāsa = abandoning desire-motivated action; tyāga = abandoning fruits of ALL action — say the learned.
Sāttvic tyāga: niyata karma done ONLY because 'this must be done,' having abandoned attachment and fruit.
More daivī qualities: ahiṃsā, satya, akrodha, tyāga, śānti, apaiśuna, dayā, aloluptva, mārdava, hrī, acāpala.
Acting for reward is the lowest form of action. Seek the wisdom that transcends reward-seeking.
Verse 23 of 24 · back to Chapter 16