17.17 श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्ित्रविधं नरैः।अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते
śraddhayā parayā taptaṃ tapas
Word meanings
śhraddhayā—with faith;parayā—transcendental;taptam—practiced;tapaḥ—austerity;tat—that;tri-vidham—three-fold;naraiḥ—by persons;aphala-ākāṅkṣhibhiḥ—without yearning for material rewards;yuktaiḥ—steadfast;sāttvikam—in the mode of goodness;parichakṣhate—are designated
Verse audio
Divine Verses of the Bhagavad Gita • Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Translation stream
This three-fold austerity, observed with best faith, by men who are masters of Yoga and have no desire for its fruits—they call it to be of the Sattva.
These threefold austerities performed with faith, and without thought of reward, may truly be accounted Pure.
The threefold austerity, practised with supreme faith by men who desire no fruit and are devoted - they call it austerity of Sattva.
When that threefold austerity is undertaken with supreme faith by people who do not hanker after results and are self-controlled, they speak of it as born of sattva.
This threefold austerity practised by steadfast men with the utmost faith, desiring no reward, they call Sattwic.
17.19 मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्
mūḍha
Word meanings
mūḍha—those with confused notions;grāheṇa—with endeavor;ātmanaḥ—one’s own self;yat—which;pīḍayā—torturing;kriyate—is performed;tapaḥ—austerity;parasya—of others;utsādana-artham—for harming;vā—or;tat—that;tāmasam—in the mode of ignorance;udāhṛitam—is described to be
Verse audio
Divine Verses of the Bhagavad Gita • Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Translation stream
What austerity is practised with foolish obstinacy and self-torture only in order to destroy others—that is declared to be of the Tamas.
Austerity done under delusion, and accompanied with sorcery or torture to oneself or another, may be assumed to spring from Ignorance.
That austerity which is practised from deluded notions by means of self-torture or in order to injure another is said to be Tamasika.
That austerity which is undertaken with a foolish intent, by causing pain to oneself, or for the destruction of others-that is said to be born of tamas.
The austerity which is practised out of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the purpose of destroying another, is declared to be Tamasic.
Verse
श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग
Chapter 17: Tell Apart the Three Kinds of Faith
śraddhātrayavibhāgayoga
Chapters
Verses
17.18 सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्
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Word meanings
sat-kāra—respect;māna—honor;pūjā—adoration;artham—for the sake of;tapaḥ—austerity;dambhena—with ostentation;cha—also;eva—certainly;yat—which;kriyate—is performed;tat—that;iha—in this world;proktam—is said;rājasam—in the mode of passion;chalam—flickering;adhruvam—temporary
Verse audio
Divine Verses of the Bhagavad Gita • Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Translation stream
The austerity that is practiced for gaining respect, honor, and reverence, and with sheer show—that is called here [austerity] of the Rajas, and it is unstable and impermanent.
Austerity coupled with hypocrisy or performed for the sake of self-glorification, popularity or vanity, comes from Passion, and its result is always doubtful and temporary.
That austerity, practised with ostentation for the sake of gaining respect, praise and reverence, is here said to be Rajasa. It is unsteady and impermanent.
That austerity which is undertaken for earning a name, being honoured and worshipped, and also ostentatiously,-that is spoken of as born of rajas, belonging to this world, uncertain and transitory.
The austerity which is practised with the object of gaining good reception, honour and worship and with hypocrisy, is here said to be Rajasic, unstable and transitory.
