Chapter 16 · Divine and demonic natures
Bhagavad Gita 16.24
Let scripture be your guide to what should be done.
Shri Bhagavan
तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ ।
ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि ॥
tasmācchāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te kāryākāryavyavasthitau / jñātvā śāstravidhānoktaṁ karma kartumihārhasi
So let the scriptures be your measure in settling what should be done and what should not. Know what the scriptures lay down, and do your work here accordingly.
हिंदी · इसलिए क्या करना चाहिए और क्या नहीं, यह तय करने में शास्त्र को ही अपना प्रमाण मानो। शास्त्र का विधान जानकर तुम्हें यहाँ अपना कर्म करना चाहिए।
What it means
Let scripture be your guide to what should be done.
Let the scriptures be your authority in deciding what should and should not be done. Knowing what they lay down, act accordingly.
This is the Trust’s own reading, written for this site. The verse above it is the text.
Where this verse stands
Three gates and scriptural discernment
Chapter 1616.21–24
Desire, anger and greed are named as destructive gates; shastra becomes a standard for action.
This verse closes the movement and prepares the next turn.
THE HUMAN QUESTION
What do my faith, habits and motives reveal?
Hansi Gita Bhawan Trust · The Gita for Life
Common questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 16.24 mean?
Let scripture be your guide to what should be done. Let the scriptures be your authority in deciding what should and should not be done. Knowing what they lay down, act accordingly.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 16.24?
Shri Bhagavan. The speaker is taken from the text’s own उवाच line as transcribed, not inferred from the verse number.