Srimad Bhagavad-Gita : Chapter-16, Daiva-asura-sampad-vibhaga-yogam, Slokam-23.

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Wednesday, June 30, 2021. 7 : 47. PM.
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita
Chapter-16.  Daiva-asura-sampad-vibhaga-yogam.
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Slokam-23 :

"yah  sastra-vidhim-utsrjya   vartate  kamakaratah.

na  sah  siddhimavapnoti   na  sukham  na  param  gatim."

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Translation -1.

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.

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Translation-2.

yah  sastra  vidhim  utsrjya       =  anyone  giving up / not  following / not  respecting  the rules  and  regulations of the scriptures;

kama  karatah  vartate              =  remains  acting whimsically in lust  /  leading  indisciplined  life;

sah  siddhim  na  avapnoti        =  he  never  achieves  perfection;

sukham  na  param  gatim   na   =  and  ( he )  never  enjoys  happiness  and  never  attains  athe  Supreme  abode.

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Tatvam (Essence ) :

BG 16.23: "Those who act under the impulse of desire, discarding the injunctions of the scriptures, attain neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme goal in life."

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Commentary :

In order to conclusively establish the evidence and justification for abandoning all demoniac vices and evils by permanently avoiding lust, greed and anger which so forcefully takes one directly to hell; Lord Krishna irrevocably reveals the reason. 

Any jiva or embodied being in a physical body or subtle body, who whimsically ignores the ordinances of the Vedic scriptures or who foolishly disregards the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures and instead transgresses the prohibitions prescribed therein that are for the welfare and benefit of all creation; can never achieve any good for themselves or any good for others. 

Such foolish miscreants obstruct all possibilities for their own best interests and ostracize all their opportunities for spiritual advancement. Those who transgress the Vedic scriptures and are slaves to their senses, controlled by the base urges of the physical body, and who indiscriminately follow every desire of the mind; will never achieve perfection, happiness or the ultimate goal of existence even if one strives for that for millions of lifetimes. 

The use of the relative pronoun yah meaning he who symbolises the jivas in general who are qualifed enough for this to apply to. The word sastra applies exclusively to the Vedic scriptures and is explained etymologically as eternal and universal instructions for the benefit of all creation. 

This includes the four Vedas, Vedanta Sutra, Srimad Bhagavatam, the Puranas, the Upanisads, the Itithasas along with their auxiliaries and Mahabharata, Ramayana, Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, etc. which are all under the pantheon of the Vedic scriptures

The word sastra refers exclusively to the Vedic scriptures. Vidhi means the injunctions and ordinances within them. The Vedic scriptures are the Supreme Lord Krishna's mandates. 

Whosoever foolishly abandons these instructions and utsrjya or transgresses the injunctions and ordinances to drift whimsically wherever their desires aimlessly take them will never achieve siddhi or perfection beyond mundane conceptions, never achieve sukham or happiness of any longevity or param gatim the supreme goal of human existence.

Itis not possible to renounce lust without performing authorised spiritual activities. 

Lord Krishna declares that that those who whimsically ignore or spitefully disregard the ordinances and injunctions prescribed in the Vedic scriptures expressly for the benefit of all beings and contrarily act frivolously impelled by the impulses of desire will achieve neither knowledge of truth, perfection nor moksa or liberation from material existence. 

Such offenders who ignorantly or purposely transgresses the eternal prohibitions of the Vedic scriptures will never be able to maintain any permanent happiness and tranquillity.

The injunctions of the Vedic scriptures are in the form of: One should perform this. The prohibitions of the Vedic scriptures is in the form of: One should not perform that. 

An example of an injunction is that: One should perform ahimsa which is not causing harm to any living being by thought, word or action. 

An example of a prohibition is that: One should not eat grains on Ekadasi the 11th day of the waxing and waning moon. 

An example of an injunction and a prohibition is that: Cows are inviolable and should never be killed. 

The inference of the word should is derived from the usage of the verb in the potential mood.

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Conclusion :

Scriptures are the guide maps given to humans on the journey toward enlightenment. They provide us with knowledge and understanding. They also give us instructions on what to do and what not to do. These instructions are of two kinds—vidhi and niṣhedh. The directives to perform certain activities are called vidhi. The directives not to perform certain activities are called niṣhedh. By faithfully following both these kinds of injunctions, human beings can proceed toward perfection. But the ways of the demoniac are the reverse of the teachings of the scriptures. They engage in prohibited acts and refrain from recommended ones. Referring to such people, Shree Krishna declares that those who renounce the authorized path and act according to their whims, impelled by the impulses of their desires, achieve neither true knowledge, nor the perfection of happiness, nor liberation from material bondage.

To be continued  ....

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