Category:According to One's Own Whims
Theme Analysis
The path of spiritual realization is strictly scientific and requires adherence to authorized instructions. The quotes in this category highlight the severe danger of acting or interpreting scripture according to one's own whims. Such mental speculation is described as offensive and destructive, leading to the distortion of the Vedic message. To be successful, one must discard personal whims and strictly follow the orders of the spiritual master and the scriptural injunctions.
- The Destruction of Knowledge: When scripture is interpreted according to personal whims, the message is lost. Such commentaries are considered offensive and are characteristic of demoniac persons who mislead others.
- The Loss of Spiritual Standing: Acting whimsically by ignoring scriptural rules is compared to a "mad elephant" offense that uproots the creeper of devotional service. It results in the loss of all spiritual progress.
- No Happiness or Perfection: Citing the Bhagavad-gītā (BG 16.23), it is confirmed that those who discard scriptural authority to act on their own whims achieve neither happiness, perfection, nor the supreme destination.
- The Qualification of Authority: A bona fide spiritual master or leader never acts on their own whims but moves solely on the order of the Supreme Lord. Whimsical behavior disqualifies one from being a representative of the truth.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Danger of Interpreting Scripture According to One's Own Whims.
Pages in category "According to One's Own Whims"
The following 28 pages are in this category, out of 28 total.
1
A
- As soon as there is some personal interpretation (in the carried message of authority), the message is lost and the instructions become offensive. A person who interprets the scriptures according to his own whims should be immediately rejected
- Asuras, instead of accepting these instructions (of Bhagavad-gita) directly, make commentaries according to their own whimsical ways and mislead everyone, without profit even for themselves
- Asuras, instead of accepting these instructions directly, make commentaries according to their own whimsical ways and mislead everyone, without profit even for themselves. One should therefore be very careful of demoniac, godless persons
- At the present moment Bhagavad-gita is being interpreted by anyone and everyone according to his whims. That is not permissible. That is not Bhagavad-gita
H
- He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection nor happiness nor the supreme destination
- He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination
- He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination. BG 16.23 - 1972
- He who discards scriptural injunctions& acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination. One who does not strictly follow the terms of the Vedic injunctions never attains success in life or happiness
I
- If we study Bhagavad-gita as it is, our life will be perfect, undoubtedly. But unfortunately, we also misinterpret Bhagavad-gita according to our own whims, and therefore we are misguiding
- If we want to take a particular medicine, then we have to follow the directions written on the label. We cannot take the medicine according to our own whim or the direction of a friend. BG 1972 Introduction
- In one case we are acting according to our own whims, & in the other we are acting under the direction of the government. Similarly, when we act under direction of Krsna, our actions performed are called akarma, for that kind of activity has no reaction
- Interpreting the verses of Vedanta-sutra according to one's own whim is the greatest disservice to the self-evident Vedas
- It is not that one accepts a portion of Bhagavad-gita according to his own whimsical interpretations and then rejects another portion. This is not sraddha. Sraddha means accepting the instructions of Bhagavad-gita in their totality
S
- Scholars may give their own interpretation of Bhagavad-gita, analyzing it according to their own whims, but that is not Bhagavad-gita. This is the point that Sri Krsna is stressing, and a student of Bhagavad-gita should note it
- Sometimes the sahajiyas imitate advanced devotees and live in their own whimsical way, avoiding the principles set down in the revealed scriptures
- Srila Locana dasa Thakura has sung, apana karama, bhunjaye samana, kahaye locana dasa. Instead of taking good instructions from the sages and the sastras, godless nondevotees act whimsically, according to their own plans
- Sruti-sastra-nindanam, and to decry the Vedic literature. And third, to interpret the holy name in different way according to our own whims. This is also offense
T
- The demoniac person may not agree to accept the supremacy of the Lord, and it is a fact that he may act according to his own whims, but his next birth will depend upon the decision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and not on himself. BG 1972 purports
- They (the demoniac) do everything whimsically, according to their own desire, and they do not recognize any authority. BG 1972 purports