अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः ।
दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥
दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
जो मनुष्य शास्त्रविधिसे रहित घोर तप करते हैं जो दम्भ और अहङ्कारसे अच्छी तरह युक्त हैं जो भोगपदार्थ, आसक्ति और हठसे युक्त हैं जो शरीरमें स्थित पाँच भूतोंको अर्थात् पाञ्चभौतिक शरीरको तथा अन्तःकरणमें स्थित मुझ परमात्माको भी कृश करनेवाले हैं उन अज्ञानियोंको तू आसुर निश्चयवाले आसुरी सम्पदावाले समझ ॥
English
People who perform harsh austerities without scriptural guidance, driven by vanity, ego, desire, attachment, and stubbornness, are not purified by them.
What this verse means
Severe self-punishment without right guidance, mixed with pride and craving, does not make a person better.
Context & commentary
On the Kurukshetra battlefield, Arjuna is frozen, and Krishna is explaining the difference between real discipline and distorted effort. Here he describes people who force harsh austerity without guidance, driven by vanity, ego, desire, and stubbornness.
Why this verse still matters
Someone bragging about a brutal detox, sleep deprivation, or punishing routine may look committed, but the hidden motive is still control and self-display.
The takeaway
Not every hard practice is cleansing. Struggle can still feed ego.
Word-by-word translation
अशास्त्रविहितम् (not laid down by scripture) / घोरम् (severe, terrible) / तप्यन्ते (they practice austerity) / ये (who) / तपः (austerity) / जनाः (people) / दम्भ-अहङ्कार-संयुक्ताः (joined with hypocrisy and ego) / काम-राग-बल-अन्विताः (endowed with desire, attachment, and forceful stubbornness)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17: Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga — The Three Kinds of Faith, which contains 28 verses.
Explore related themes: tapas (22 verses), ahankara (10 verses)