Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 Verse 23
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 16 श्लोक 23

यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः।
न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्।।16.23।।



English Translation - Swami Gambirananda
16.23 Ignoring the precept of the scriptures, he who acts under the impulsion of passion,-he does not attain perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme Goal.


English Translation - Swami Sivananda
16.23 He who, having cast aside the ordinances of the scriptures, acts under the impulse of desire, attains not perfection, nor happiness nor the Supreme Goal.


English Translation - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
16.23. He, who neglects the injunction of the scriptures, and acts according to his own will-he attains neither the success, nor happiness nor the highest goal (emancipation).


English Commentary  - Swami Sivananda
16.23 यः who? शास्त्रविधिम् the ordinance of the scriptures? उत्सृज्य having cast aside? वर्तते acts? कामकारतः under the impulse of desire? न not? सः he? सिद्धिम् perfection? अवाप्नोति attains? न not? सुखम् happiness? न not? पराम् Supreme? गतिम् Goal.Commentary He who does not care for the Self? who gives free rein to these three sins? is a traitor to the Self. He who has renounced the authority of the Vedas which? like a mother? is eally disposed and kind to all? and which? like a beaconlight? points out what is good and what is evil? does not attain perfection nor happiness nor the Supreme Goal. He who pays no attention to prescribed actions and follows the promptings of desire awakened by the senses? does not obtain God.


English Translation of Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya's
16.23 Utsrjiya, ignoring, setting aside; sastra-vidhim, the precept of the scriptures, which is th source of the knoweldge of what is duty and what is not-called injunction and prohibition; yah, he who; vartate, acts; kama-karatah, under the impulsion of passion; sah, he; na, does not; avapnoti, attain; siddhim, perfection, fitness for Liberation; nor even sukham, happiness in this world; nor even the param, supreme best; gatim, Goal-heaven or Liberation.


English Translation of Commentary  - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
16.23 See Coment under 16.24


English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary
16.23 Here Sastra means Vedas. Vidhi stands for injunction. He who abandons My injunction called Vedas and acts under the influence of desire, viz., takes the path according to his own wishes, does not attain perfection, He does not reach any Siddhi in the next world, nor does he find the slighest happiness in this world, let alone the attainment of the supreme state. It is not possible for him to do so. Such is the meaning.


Commentary  - Chakravarthi Ji
In this verse the Lord expresses that it is beneficial for a person to follow the scriptures. He speaks of the person who does not follow scripture, and does whatever he wants (kama karatah).


Rudra Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary

It is 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.


Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary



Shri Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary


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


Kumara Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary
The word sastra refers exclusively to the Vedic scriptures. Vidhi means  the
injunctions and  ordinances  within  them.  The  Vedic  scriptures  are  the
Supreme  Lord  Krishnas  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.


Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 16.23Yah shaastravidhimutsrijya vartate kaamakaaratah;
Na sa siddhimavaapnoti na sukham na paraam gatim.


Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 16.23yaḥ—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