Bhagavad Gita · Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga YogaChapter 16, Shloka 23 (16.23)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः
न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्
॥ 16.23 ॥
yaḥ śāstravidhimutsṛjya vartate kāmakārataḥ
na sa siddhimavāpnoti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim
Translation
"One who sets aside the injunctions of scripture and acts on his own whim attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme goal."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. kartavyākartavyajñānakāraṇaṃ vidhipratiṣedhākhyam — the injunctions of scripture = the source of knowing what to do and what not to do; kāmaprayuktaḥ san.
Ramanujacharya. vedākhyaṃ madanuśāsanam utsṛjya — setting aside my teaching in the form of the Vedas; svacchandānuguṇamārgeṇa.
Shridhara Swami. kāmādityāgaś ca svadharmācaraṇaṃ vinā na bhavati — giving up desire and the rest does not happen without fulfilling one's own duty.
Madhusudana Saraswati. Scripture = śiṣyate 'nuśiṣyate 'pūrvo 'rtho bodhyate 'neneti śāstraṃ vedas tadupajīvismṛtipurāṇādi ca — that by which a meaning not otherwise known (new) is taught — the Vedas and the smritis and puranas based on them; and the word "injunction" indicates that vidhiniṣedhātiriktam api brahmapratipādakaṃ śāstram asti — there is also scripture that reveals Brahman, beyond injunction and prohibition.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.