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Bhagavad Gita · 16.24 · Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures·24 of 24

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि

tasmāch chhāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te

kāryākārya-vyavasthitau jñātvā śhāstra-vidhānoktaṁ karma kartum ihārhasi

Sanskrit recitation

Choose a guide wiser than impulse · 16.17–16.24 · Teaching

Translation

Therefore, let the scripture be thy authority in determining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done. Having known what is said in the ordinance of the scriptures, thou shouldst act in this world.

Meaning

He who desires the welfare of the Self should not disregard the ,nds of the scriptures. A man who is anxious to obtain eternal bliss should respect the Vedas and the Smritis which lay down the code of right conduct. He should readily renounce whatever the scriptures teach him to abandon and accept whatever he is directed to accept.He who is thus entirely devoted to the Vedas cannot meet with misfortune, grief or delusion. No mother is more kind than the scriptures for they restrain us from doing evil and bestow on us the greatest good (liberation or Moksha). Therefore treat the scriptures with great respect. Renounce all that the scriptures prohibit. Whatever is worthy of being done, that thou shouldst do thoroughly with all thy heart and all thy strength.

After Swami Sivananda

Choose a guide wiser than impulse· 16.17–16.24

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

Word-by-word
te
your
iha
in this world
karma
actions
uktam
as revealed
arhasi
you should
kartum
perform
kārya
duty
akārya
forbidden action
tasmāt
therefore
vidhāna
injunctions
jñātvā
having understood
śhāstra
scriptures
śhāstram
scriptures
pramāṇam
authority
vyavasthitau
in determining

Related verses

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