
Krishna concludes Chapter 16 with the final instruction: 'tasmāc chāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te'—therefore, let the scriptures be your authority. 'Kāryākārya-vyavasthitau'—in determining what should be done and what should not be done. The scriptures provide the framework for right action. They're not arbitrary rules—they're wisdom about what leads to liberation and what leads to bondage. 'Jñātvā śāstra-vidhānoktaṁ karma kartum ihārhasi'—having understood the scriptural injunctions, you should perform your actions accordingly. This doesn't mean blind obedience—it means understanding the wisdom, then acting accordingly. The scriptures teach you what to cultivate (divine qualities) and what to avoid (demonic qualities). They teach you the three gates to hell (desire, anger, greed) and how to avoid them. They teach you the path to liberation. Understanding this wisdom, you act accordingly—not from blind obedience, but from understanding. This is how you avoid the demonic path and follow the divine path. This is how you attain liberation.
See how this wisdom applies to different life situations