A Study of BG 16.23

(written on February 29, 2020)

yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya

vartate kāma-kārataḥ

na sa siddhim avāpnoti

na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim

“He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.”

• Shastra-vidhi: direction of the shastras

  • is given to everyone of all castes systems and orders of human society

• Everyone is expected to follow these rules and regulations which come from shastra-vidhi

• If you act whimsically according to:

  • Lust

  • Greed

  • Desires, then you will never be perfect in life

• Those who understand the concept of shastra-vidhi but do not apply it to their lives are deemed the lowest and worst of mankind

• We are expected to follow shastra-vidhi in the human form of life

  • As explained before, if we do not, then we are degrading ourselves

• But even if one follows shastra-vidhi, and they do not come to the ultimate stage of understanding God, then his efforts are useless

  • The person’s knowledge becomes spoiled

• But even if one passes the stage of understanding God, if they do not engage themselves in the service of the Lord, his attempts are spoiled

• Key takeaway: one should gradually raise themselves to the stages of Krishna consciousness and pure devotional service

  • Only then can one attain the the highest stage of perfection

• Kama-karatah: acting whimsically in lust

  • Acting whimsically means knowing what is right but still doing the wrong thing

  • Doing the forbidden things and not doing the prescribed duties

• It is said that those who are kama-karatah are to be condemned by the Lord

  • And they can never attain highest perfection

• The human life is meant for attaining highest perfection

  • By acting whimsically we are destroying the entire point of the human life, and thus degrading ourselves

DOs to Attaining the Highest Perfectional Stage:

• Follow shastra-vidhi (directions from the shastras)

• Understand God

• Engage in service of the Lord

DON’Ts to Attain the Highest Perfection:

• Don’t act whimsically

• Don't get overcome by lust

• Don't get overcome by greed

• Don't get overcome by desires