Chapter 17 · Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga - The Yoga of the Division of Threefold FaithKrishna
Verse 18
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता अध्याय 17, श्लोक 18
Sanskrit Shloka (श्लोक)
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्॥
Transliteration
Satkara-mana-puja-artham tapo dambhena chaiva yat
Kriyate tad-iha proktam rajasam chalam-adhruvam
Word-by-Word Meaning (अन्वय)
सत्कारमानपूजार्थम्satkara-mana-puja-arthamfor respect, honor and worship
तपःtapahausterity
दम्भेनdambhenawith hypocrisy
क्रियतेkriyateis performed
तत्tatthat
इहihahere
प्रोक्तम्proktamis said to be
राजसम्rajasamrajasic
चलम्chalamunstable
अध्रुवम्adhruvamtemporary
Hindi Translation (हिन्दी अर्थ)
जो तप सत्कार, मान और पूजा के लिए तथा दम्भ से किया जाता है, वह अस्थिर और अनिश्चित फल देने वाला राजसिक तप कहलाता है।
English Translation
Austerity performed with hypocrisy, for the sake of gaining respect, honor, and worship, is said to be rajasic — it is unstable and impermanent.
Commentary (टीका)
When austerity becomes a means to earn social prestige, it loses its spiritual power. The results of such practice are unstable because they depend on external validation rather than inner transformation. True tapas must be motivated by self-purification, not public recognition.