Chapter 17 · Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga - The Yoga of the Division of Threefold FaithKrishna
Verse 5
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता अध्याय 17, श्लोक 5
Sanskrit Shloka (श्लोक)
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।
दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः॥
Transliteration
Ashastra-vihitam ghoram tapyante ye tapo janah
Dambha-ahankara-samyuktah kama-raga-bala-anvitah
Word-by-Word Meaning (अन्वय)
अशास्त्रविहितम्ashastra-vihitamnot enjoined by scriptures
घोरम्ghoramterrible
तप्यन्तेtapyanteperform
येyethose who
तपःtapahausterity
जनाःjanahpeople
दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताःdambha-ahankara-samyuktahfull of hypocrisy and egotism
कामरागबलान्विताःkama-raga-bala-anvitahdriven by desire, attachment and force
Hindi Translation (हिन्दी अर्थ)
जो लोग शास्त्रविधि के विरुद्ध घोर तपस्या करते हैं, दम्भ और अहंकार से युक्त, काम, राग और बल से प्रेरित —
English Translation
Those who perform terrible austerities not enjoined by scripture, full of hypocrisy and egotism, driven by desire, attachment, and force —
Commentary (टीका)
This verse begins a two-verse warning about misguided austerity. Extreme self-mortification done without scriptural basis and driven by ego is not true tapas. The motivation behind austerity matters as much as the practice itself.