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अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः।।17.5।।

aśhāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ dambhāhankāra-sanyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 17, Verse 5
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
Those men who practice terrific austerities not prescribed by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, driven by the force of lust and attachment.

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: those who perform severe austerities not sanctioned by scripture, given to hypocrisy and egotism, impelled by the force of desire and attachment, naming a specific, corrosive version of self-discipline, extreme practice driven by ego rather than genuine purpose.

In life: it's worth distinguishing between self-discipline pursued for genuine growth versus extreme self-discipline pursued mainly to impress others or feed your own ego, the outward intensity can look identical while the underlying motivation differs completely.

Teaching: the next time you're pushing yourself toward an extreme level of discipline or austerity, check honestly whether the underlying motivation is genuine growth or ego and the desire to impress, that distinction matters more than the intensity itself.

aśhāstra-vihitamnot enjoined by the scriptures
ghoramstern
tapyanteperform
yewho
tapaḥausterities
janāḥpeople
dambhahypocrisy
ahankāraegotism
sanyuktāḥpossessed of
kāmadesire
rāgaattachment
balaforce
anvitāḥimpelled by

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
17.5 अशास्त्रविहितम् not enjoined by the scriptures? घोरम् terrific? तप्यन्ते practise? ये who? तपः austerity? जनाः men? दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः given to hypocrisy and egoism? कामरागबलान्विताः by the force of lust and attachment.Commentary There are some who think that the mortification of the body is the proper means to attain the goal of life. They do this in order to attract the people and get money for the gratification of their senses. They stand on one leg with raised hands. This is not real Tapas. This is Tamasic Tapas. Bodily torture will not bring emancipation. These men are not acainted with even the first elements of the scriptures. They mock at the religious practices of the wise? elderly persons and jeer at learned men. They are puffed up with the vanity of their own greatness. They are proud of their wealth. They perform unauthorised austerities. These persons do severe austerities contrary to the scriptures on the strength of desire and attachment.They take even the lives of children to propitiate their deity. Instead of killing their egoism? they kill many innocent animals in the name of sacrifice but in reality they kill them to satisfy their own palate. Most horrible indeed They speak ill of the scriptures and wander about in the forest of delusion and infatuation. They follow the dictates of passion. They inflict pain on themselves and on others. They practise austerities which cause pain to themselves and to other living beings. Pitiable indeed is their lot. They are doomed to destruction.Kamaragabalanvitah may also be interpreted as possessed of lust? attachment and power.Dambha Ostentation The man of Dambha is desirous that all people should take him for a virtuous man and so he expresses to others his righteous nature. In reality he is not virtuous. He pretends to be what he is not.Ahankara Egoism The egoistic man thinks and feels that he is superior to others in the possession of all virtuous alities.Raga Extreme attachment to sensual objects.Bala Great power of enduring severe pain on account of Raga for sensual objects (pain that accrues from exertion in attaining and preserving the objects).Kama Lust Desire for any object.