The Divine Teacher of the Geeta explains that when the ruinous expenditure of vitality, both psychological and intellectual, is stopped and energy is conserved, it has to be applied in the right direction. If again the energy is misused, the chances are that the seeker would dash himself down with a mightier bump to the depths of a miserable life. Ravana and such other mighty Asuras of the Puranas are typical examples of personalities that performed fierce tapashcharya (penance), accumulated inner dynamism, and yet achieved but a thorough self-destruction! So mighty was their strength that they made their own generation rock, crumble and bite the dust. To avoid such a calamity to the individual, as well as to the world around him, a severe warning must necessarily be given; and these two closing stanzas contain such a warning.
HE WHO DISOBEYS THE SHASTRAS AND ACTS UNDER THE IMPULSE OF DESIRE — Such a man stands to gain no benefit at all. Here the term Shastra need not necessarily be understood as a bundle of ritualistic injunctions, strictly followed and sacredly insisted upon by the fanatic orthodox. The text-books discussing the Theory-of-Truth (Brahma-Vidya) and the technique of self-perfection (Yoga) are called Shastras, while other subsidiary books which explain and throw light upon the Shastras are called Prakarana texts; the latter explain the categories in the Science of Vedanta. Since the Geeta is a philosophical poem, exhaustively explaining the theory and practice of God-realisation, IT IS CONSIDERED AS A Shastra.
UNDER THE IMPULSE OF DESIRE — The theme developed in the previous two stanzas is that a seeker of the Higher, should of necessity renounce “desire, anger, and greed.” We have explained earlier that ANGER is a product when desire is throttled, and GREED is a logical consequence when a passionate heart gains some fulfilment of desires. Therefore, desire is the root cause. Naturally, Krishna contrasts the way-of-life advocated in the Geeta with our ordinary way-of-life, wherein the main impulse is desire. The seekers are advised not to disobey the commands given in the Geeta Shastra and live under the impulse of their baser appetites and lower instincts.
ATTAINS NEITHER JOY NOR SUCCESS, NOR GOAL — What exactly would be the harm if one did not implicitly live the way-of-life advocated in the Geeta? The consequences of such an unintelligent and naughty disregard of the right-way-of-life is clearly indicated here. Propelled by desires, coaxed by greed, torn by anger and constantly dancing to the changing tunes of the lusty flesh, an individual comes to live a life of restless agitations and tyrannical passions. Such a man cannot feel any happiness or attain any cultural development.
THEREFORE THE NATURAL CONCLUSION IS:
