Bhagavad Gita BG 17.5
Chapter 17, Verse 5 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः । दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥
ashastra-vihitam ghoram tapyante ye tapo janah dambha-ahankara-samyuktah kama-raga-balanvitah
Meaning
Those people who perform dreadful austerities not prescribed by scripture, possessed by hypocrisy and egotism, endowed with the force of desire and passion —
Understanding
After the three kinds of faith, Krishna warns about austerity (tapas) practised without scriptural guidance. The people described are driven by dambha (display), ahankara (ego), kama (craving) and raga (passion), so their harsh practices serve the ego rather than the Self. The effect on the body and on the Self within is told in 17.6.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अशास्त्रविहितम् | ashastra-vihitam | not prescribed by scripture |
| घोरम् | ghoram | dreadful, severe |
| तप्यन्ते | tapyante | perform, undergo |
| ये | ye | who |
| तपः | tapah | austerity |
| जनाः | janah | people |
| दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः | dambha-ahankara-samyuktah | possessed by hypocrisy and egotism |
| कामरागबलान्विताः | kama-raga-balanvitah | endowed with the force of desire and passion |