यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः ।न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ॥
yaḥ śāstravidhim utsṛjya vartate kāmakārataḥ |na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim ||
- यः · yaḥ
- who
- शास्त्रविधिम् · śāstravidhim
- the rule of scripture
- उत्सृज्य · utsṛjya
- having cast aside
- वर्तते · vartate
- lives, acts
- कामकारतः · kāmakārataḥ
- as desire dictates
- न · na
- not
- सः · saḥ
- he
- सिद्धिम् · siddhim
- fulfillment, perfection
- अवाप्नोति · avāpnoti
- attains
- सुखम् · sukham
- happiness
- पराम् गतिम् · parām gatim
- the highest goal
“Whoever casts aside the rule of scripture and lives as desire dictates attains neither fulfillment, nor happiness, nor the highest goal.”
— Original plain-language translation
Whim is a poor guru: cutting loose from tested guidance forfeits even worldly happiness, let alone liberation. Shastra here means the accumulated wisdom that checks self-deception. This verse directly prompts Arjuna's next question in 17.1.
— Reader's notes (original)