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, Bhagavan Krishna addresses the fundamental tension between the ego's capricious desires and the objective wisdom codified in the Shastras. The Shastras are not merely restrictive laws; they are an ontological roadmap—the accumulated wisdom of sages who have realized the Truth. When a seeker discards these guidelines to act purely on the impulses of kama (desire), they are essentially declaring the ego as the supreme authority, which isolates the individual from the divine order of the universe. By cutting oneself off from the guiding principles of dharma, the individual remains tethered to the fluctuating landscape of sensory gratification, which is inherently ephemeral and incomplete. Krishna’s critique is compassionate rather than judgmental. He explains that without a structured foundation of discipline (shastra), the soul cannot reach 'siddhi'—the perfection of yoga, nor 'sukham'—the enduring bliss of the self. Instead, one remains trapped in the cycle of repetitive, unfulfilling action. By emphasizing that such a person fails to attain the 'parām gatim' (supreme destination), Krishna invites the seeker to recognize that true freedom is not the license to follow every whim, but the ability to align the individual will with the cosmic Will. This alignment is the prerequisite for the final liberation, as it purifies the consciousness and prepares it to reflect the light of the Divine.
True spiritual perfection and enduring happiness are found not in the license of the ego, but in the conscious alignment of one's actions with the wisdom of divine law.
Connected Verses
Explores the condition of those who act outside of scripture, framing it as a matter of faith and character.
Confirms that without adherence to dharma, the world becomes a place of suffering rather than a path to peace.
Highlights the necessity of living in harmony with divine order rather than consuming for the sake of the ego.
Directly links the absence of peace to the lack of controlled, focused intelligence in alignment with the self.
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