Chapter 16 Shloka 24

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ।

ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि।।२४।।

Scriptures alone are your substantiation

as to what is your duty and what

should not be done. Only those actions

ordained by the Scriptures should be performed.

Chapter 16 Shloka 24

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ।

ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि।।२४।।

Bhagwan says, look Arjuna!

Scriptures alone are your substantiation as to what is your duty and what should not be done. Only those actions ordained by the Scriptures should be performed.

Little one,

1. This is the Lord’s command.

2. The Lord is enjoining us to obey Him.

3. The Lord is coaxing us thus.

4. He is explaining to us.

5. He is elucidating the Truth along with its proof.

6. He is explaining with total clarity of thought and word.

7. He is showing us what is true and what is not true.

Revealing both the demonic and divine wealth to us, He Himself is warning Arjuna, “Follow the code of conduct described in the Scriptures.”

In other words:

1. You must engage in all worthwhile actions.

2. The actions prescribed in the Scriptures constitute your duty.

3. Make the vision of the Scriptures your own and witness yourself through the eyes of the Scriptures.

4. Colour your point of view with the hues of the Scriptures.

5. Perform all actions that conform with the Scriptures.

6. The flow of your life must be in accordance with the Scriptures.

­­–  The Scriptures are another name for life itself.

­­–  The Gita is not mere knowledge – it is life.

The Bible, Guru Granth Sahib, Quran, Vedas and Puranas etc. are not mere theoretical knowledge – they are life itself. Let them enter and colour your life, and become the embodiment of their teaching.

This is what the Lord is specifying, this indeed is your duty.

The duty of man

If the Gita is the measuring scale for the actions of man, and if the Gita is the judge of man’s actions, then what is the duty of the individual?

To mould his life in accordance with the Scriptures is man’s sole duty. If his life does not measure up with the Scriptures, his life can be considered contrary to dharma. A life contrary to dharma is a life devoid of duty.

What is man’s duty as expounded in the Gita? What is its foundation? Try to understand what are the pre-requisites for fulfilling one’s duty as described in the Gita, what should be one’s basic perspective, attributes and intellect.

Try to gauge all this through what one has read so far. In order to do one’s duty one must follow each word of the Gita in practice. Let us once more review all that the Gita has said so far.

The Gita in essence

The Lord says:

1. Make every endeavour to become an Atmavaan.

2. Make every effort to unite with the Supreme.

3. Unison with the Lord will yield an attitude of equanimity.

4. Try to attain the state of a Sthit Pragya.

5. Perform actions imbued with the spirit of yagya or selfless offering.

6. Act, but renounce the fruits of action.

7. Relinquish attachment and become devoid of desire.

8. Witness all with impartiality.

9. Renounce anger, greed and hatred.

10. Renounce all resolves and resolutions.

11. Retain equanimity in the face of acclaim and insult, happiness and sorrow.

12. Become impartial towards both friend and foe and learn how to perform selfless deeds.

13. The devotee of wisdom is the highest category of mankind – you too, should become like such a gyani bhakta.

14. Learn how to live eternally in the refuge of the Lord.

15. Make the Lord your witness in all that you do and remember Him always.

16. Make that Ancient Supreme State your life’s goal.

17. That One can be attained through exclusive devotion. Therefore become such a single-minded devotee of the Supreme.

18. Make every endeavour to fix your mind only on the Lord.

19. Practice the divine qualities and learn to live for the Lord.

20. Make endeavours to be devoid of enmity towards all beings.

21. Be devoid of ‘I’, ‘mine’, ego, and imbibe the attitude of forgiveness.

22. Be ever content.

23. The Lord describes the divine qualities, time and again; practice their inculcation.

24. Do not try to establish your rights over the other – give freedom to all.

25. Do not try to break the concepts and convictions of another.

26. Engage yourself in the welfare of all beings and know that all that happens, happens due to the interaction of qualities.

27. Do not allow your intellect to be affected by the qualities of others or even your own qualities.

28. Renounce moha and strengthen your faith in Truth.

29. Attain the nature of the Supreme One and practice that attitude in life.

Little one, seeker of the essence of duty!

a) This is the duty of every man.

b) This is the measure of man.

c) This is the Lord’s essence and His manifest form.

d) This is the law of Brahm that must be translated into life.

e) It is the only goal worthy of attainment in life – and only this knowledge is worth knowing.

f) This verily is Adhyatam.

All else is ignorance and devoid of the essence of duty. One cannot even conceive one’s duty without these essential pre-requisites. Duty is always for the other. The Lord’s life is duty incarnated. Duty means service and love. Indeed, all the Scriptures primarily focus on one’s duty in life.