THEREFORE — Because of the line of argument given in the last three stanzas, the seeker of an ampler life must necessarily follow the authority of the Scriptures in planning his way-of-life. The right conduct in life can be determined only when the individual has correct knowledge of WHAT IS TO BE PURSUED AND WHAT IS TO BE AVOIDED. The grand road to Truth is the same for all. It cannot be determined by each pilgrim according to his own whims and fancies. Shastras are declared by those, who had travelled the road many a time. And when the Rishis supply us with a map of the road-to-Perfection, we, the humble pedestrians, must pursue the path faithfully and come to bless ourselves. HAVING KNOWN — Therefore, before setting out on a pilgrimage to that Goal, every seeker is required to study intelligently the Scriptures, which are the reports left for our guidance by those who successfully walked the ‘Path’ earlier. A correct knowledge and a clear intellectual vision of the Goal and of the direction in which It lies, and perhaps, of the possible difficulties en route — are the unavoidable pre-requisites for a seeker.
YOU SHOULD ACT HERE — Ninety per cent of the seekers, perhaps, ‘know’ the Shastra exhaustively, in all detail as explained above, but alas, how few of them discover in themselves the courage to live, the will to pursue, and the patience to wait till the Supreme is realised within themselves. Naturally, Lord Krishna closes the chapter with the injunction that man should act, without desire, anger, or greed. This is the right way of action as exhaustively discussed in the third chapter on Karma yoga).

Tasmat, therefore; sastram, the scripure; is te, your; pramanam, authority, the means of knowledge; karya-akarya-vyavasthitau, as regards the determination of what is to be done and what is not to be done. Therefore, jnatva, after understanding; that which is your own karma, duty; sastra-vidhana-uktam, as presented by scriptural injunction-vidhana is the same as vidhi, precept, in the form, ‘you should do’, ‘you should not do’; as presented by that; arhasi, you ought; kartum, to perform; it iha, here. ‘Here’ is used for pointing out the sphere in which one is intitled to perform his duties. F:gitadataR.K.GitaCHAPTER16.doc Page 1 of 1