Verse 16.23

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 16.23:

यः शास्त्र-विधिम् उत्सृज्य वर्त्तते काम-चारतः ।
न स सिद्धिम् अवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ॥ २३ ॥

yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya varttate kāma-cārataḥ |
na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim || 23 ||

yaḥ–who; śāstra-vidhim–the codes of scripture; utsṛjya–puts aside; varttate–behaving; kāma-cārataḥ–by the influence of desire; na–nor; saḥ–he; siddhim–perfection; avāpnoti na–neither attains; sukham–happiness; na–nor; parām–the supreme; gatim–destination.

He who discards the injunctions of scripture and acts according to his whimsical desires, attains neither perfection, happiness, nor the supreme destination.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Theism is most auspicious. For this purpose, Śrī Bhagavān speaks this verse beginning with yaḥ. Kāma-cārataḥ means ‘to act whimsically’ and it leads one to hell. Only those who are theists are sādhus and only they attain the supreme destination. Those who are atheists go to hell. This is the essence of this chapter.

Thus ends the bhāvānuvāda of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura’s
Sārārtha-varṣiṇī-ṭīkā (the commentary that gives pleasure
to the devotees and is accepted by all saintly persons)
on the Sixteenth Chapter of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Unrestrained people who disregard the codes of scripture cannot attain the highest destination.

It is stated in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.101):

śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pañcarātra-vidhiṃ vinā
aikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātāyaiva kalpate

Although engaged in exclusive devotion to Śrī Hari, if one transgresses the regulations mentioned in the Śruti, Smṛti, Purāṇas and Nārada-pañcarātra, great misgivings (anarthas) are produced.