16.24 thasmAch chAsthram pramANam thE

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Chapter 16

<< Chapter 16 Verse 23

SlOkam – Original

thasmAch chAsthram pramANam thE kAryAkAryavyavasthithau |
gyAthvA SAsthravidhAnOktham karma karthum ihArhasi ||

word-by-word meaning

thasmAth – Thus
thE – for you
kArya akArya vyavasthithau – to determine what is to be pursued and what is to be discarded
SAsthram – vEdham is the only
pramANam – authority (due to its being the cause for wisdom);

(Thus)
SAsthra vidhAnOktham – the principle (of supreme lord) which is explained in SAsthram and the means to attain him
gyAthvA – knowing truly
iha – here, in this karma bhUmi
karma – ordained activities (and the wisdom)
karthum arhasi – you are qualified to pursue.

Simple Translation

Thus, vEdham is the only authority (due to its being the cause for wisdom) for you to determine what is to be pursued and what is to be discarded. Thus, knowing truly the principle (of supreme lord) which is explained in SAsthram and the means to attain him, you are qualified to pursue the ordained activities (and the wisdom) here, in this karma bhUmi [ordained place for carrying out one’s deeds] .

Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam

‘Hence your Authority is Śāstra, to judge what is duty and not. Knowing what Śāstra’s canons teach and do enjoin, it is now for you to act.’

Śāstra alone is your Supreme Authority deciding for you what is worthy for you to adopt and what is worthy to reject.

What Śāstra-canons teach and enjoin are what the Vedas and their exegetic Codes, viz., Dharma-Śāstra (= Moral social Institutes), Itihāsas and Purāṇas (=legendary lore of men and Gods) etc, teach as regards (1) the Highest Truth of Purushottama, and enjoin (2) works or services which are pleasing to Him, and constituting Means to reaching Him. Knowing both these, (1) Truth and (2) Works, —neither more nor less,— it is meet for you now to act in accordance therewith.

OM TAT SAT

Thus closes the Sixteenth Discourse,

Named, Daiv-Āsura-Sampad-Vibhāga-Yoga,

or

The Book of the Division of the Divine and the Undivine,

With Śri Rāmānuja’s Commentary thereon,

In the colloquy between Śri Kṛishṇa and Arjuna,

In the Science of Yoga,

In the Theosophy (Divine knowledge) of the Upanishads,

Or the Chants of Śrī Bhagavān,

The Bhagavad Gītā.

>> Chapter 17 Introduction

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