yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim
"One who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to personal desire attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme goal."
What This Means:
One who rejects scriptural guidance and acts purely on personal whims achieves neither success, nor happiness, nor liberation. Following your desires alone doesn't lead to fulfillment.
Going Deeper:
'Śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya'—having discarded scriptural injunctions. 'Vartate kāma-kārataḥ'—acts according to personal desire/whim. The result: 'na siddhim'—not perfection, 'na sukham'—not happiness, 'na parām gatim'—not the supreme goal. All three are missed by following mere desire. Scripture here means wisdom guidance, not arbitrary rules.
How To Apply This:
Following personal whims alone leads nowhere good. We need guidance from wisdom traditions—not blind obedience, but recognition that others have walked this path before and left directions. Don't reinvent the wheel.
Key Sanskrit Terms: