SYNONYMS
abhisandhāya-
desiring;
tu-
but;
phalam-
the result;
dambha-
pride;
artham-
material benefits;
api-
also;
ca-
and;
eva-
certainly;
yat
-that which;
ijyate-
worship;
bharata-śreṣṭha
-O chief of the Bhāratas;
tam-
that;
yajñam
-sacrifice;
viddhi-
know;
rājasam
-in the mode of passion.
TRANSLATION
But that sacrifice performed for some material end or benefit or performed ostentatiously, out of pride, is of the nature of passion, O chief of the Bhāratas.
PURPORT
Sometimes sacrifices and rituals are performed for elevation to the heavenly kingdom or for some material benefits in this world. Such sacrifices or ritualistic performances are considered to be in the mode of passion.
Bg 17.13
TEXT 13
TEXT
vidhi-hīnam asṛṣṭānnaṁ
mantra-hīnam adakṣiṇam
śraddhā-virahitaṁ yajñaṁ
tāmasaṁ paricakṣate
SYNONYMS
vidhi-hīnam-
without scriptural direction;
asṛṣṭa-annam
-without distribution of
prasādam; mantra-hīnam
-with no chanting of the Vedic hymns;
adakṣiṇam-
with no remunerations to the priests;
śraddhā-
faith;
virahitam
-without;
yajñam
-sacrifice;
tāmasam
-in the mode of ignorance;
paricakṣate-
is to be considered.
TRANSLATION
And that sacrifice performed in defiance of scriptural injunctions, in which no spiritual food is distributed, no hymns are chanted and no remunerations are made to the priests, and which is faithless-that sacrifice is of the nature of ignorance.
PURPORT
Faith in the mode of darkness or ignorance is actually faithlessness. Sometimes people worship some demigod just to make money and then spend the money for recreation, ignoring the scriptural injunctions. Such ceremonial shows of religiosity are not accepted as genuine. They are all in the mode of darkness; they produce a demoniac mentality and do not benefit human society.
Bg 17.14
TEXT 14
TEXT
deva-dvija-guru-prājña-
pūjanaṁ śaucam ārjavam
brahmacaryam ahiṁsā ca
śārīraṁ tapa ucyate
SYNONYMS
deva-
the Supreme Lord;
dvija-
the
brāhmaṇa; guru-
the spiritual master;
prājña-
worshipable personalities;
pūjanam
-worship;
śaucam
-cleanliness;
ārjavam
-simplicity;
brahma-caryam
-celibacy;
ahiṁsā-
nonviolence;
ca-
also;
śārīram
-pertaining to the body;
tapaḥ
-austerity;
ucyate
-is said to be.
TRANSLATION
The austerity of the body consists in this: worship of the Supreme Lord, the brāhmaṇas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother. Cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence are also austerities of the body.
PURPORT
The Supreme Godhead here explains the different kinds of austerity and penance. First He explains the austerities and penances practiced by the body. One should offer, or learn to offer, respect to God or to the demigods, the perfect, qualified
brāhmaṇas
and the spiritual master and superiors like father, mother or any person who is conversant with Vedic knowledge. These should be given proper respect. One should practice cleansing oneself externally and internally, and he should learn to become simple in behavior. He should not do anything which is not sanctioned by the scriptural injunction. He should not indulge in sex outside of married life, for sex is sanctioned in the scripture only in marriage, not otherwise. This is called celibacy. These are penances and austerities as far as the body is concerned.
Bg 17.15
TEXT 15
TEXT
anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ
satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat
svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva
vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate
SYNONYMS
anudvega-
not agitating;
karam-
producing;
vākyam-
words;
satyam-
truthful;
priya-
dear;
hitam
-beneficial;
ca-
also;
yat
-which;
svādhyāya-
Vedic study;
abhyasanam-
practice;
ca-
also;
eva-
certainly;
vāṅmayaṁ-
of the voice;
tapaḥ-
austerity;
ucyate-
is said to be.
TRANSLATION
Austerity of speech consists in speaking truthfully and beneficially and in avoiding speech that offends. One should also recite the Vedas regularly.
PURPORT
One should not speak in such a way as to agitate the minds of others. Of course, when a teacher speaks, he can speak the truth for the instruction of his students, but such a teacher should not speak to others who are not his students if he will agitate their minds. This is penance as far as talking is concerned. Besides that, one should not talk nonsense. When speaking in spiritual circles, one's statements must be upheld by the scriptures. One should at once quote from scriptural authority to back up what he is saying. At the same time, such talk should be very pleasurable to the ear. By such discussions, one may derive the highest benefit and elevate human society. There is a limitless stock of Vedic literature, and one should study this. This is called penance of speech.
Bg 17.16
TEXT 16
TEXT
manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ
maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ
bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat
tapo mānasam ucyate
SYNONYMS
manaḥ-prasādaḥ-
satisfaction of the mind;
saumyatvam-
without duplicity towards others;
maunam-
gravity;
ātma-
self;
vinigrahaḥ-
control;
bhāva-
nature;
saṁśuddhiḥ-
purification;
iti-
thus;
etat-
that is;
tapaḥ-
austerity;
mānasam-
of the mind;
ucyate-
is said to be.
TRANSLATION
And serenity, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purity of thought are the austerities of the mind.
PURPORT
To make the mind austere is to detach it from sense gratification. It should be so trained that it can be always thinking of doing good for others
.
The best training for the mind is gravity in thought. One should not deviate from Kṛṣṇa consciousness and must always avoid sense gratification. To purify one's nature is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Satisfaction of the mind can be obtained only by taking the mind away from thoughts of sense enjoyment. The more we think of sense enjoyment, the more the mind becomes dissatisfied. In the present age we unnecessarily engage the mind in so many different ways for sense gratification, and so there is no possibility of the mind's becoming satisfied. The best course is to divert the mind to the Vedic literature, which is full of satisfying stories, as in the
Purāṇas
and the
Mahābhārata
. One can take advantage of this knowledge and thus become purified. The mind should be devoid of duplicity, and one should think of the welfare of all. Silence means that one is always thinking of self-realization. The person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness observes perfect silence in this sense. Control of the mind means detaching the mind from sense enjoyment. One should be straightforward in his dealing and thereby purify his existence. All these qualities together constitute austerity in mental activities.
Bg 17.17
TEXT 17
TEXT
śraddhayā parayā taptaṁ
tapas tat tri-vidhaṁ naraiḥ
aphalākāṅkṣibhir yuktaiḥ
sāttvikaṁ paricakṣate
SYNONYMS
śraddhayā
-with faith;
parayā
-transcendental;
taptam
-executed;
tapaḥ
-austerity;
tat
-that;
tri-vidham
-three kinds;
naraiḥ
-by men;
aphala-ākāṅkṣibhiḥ
-without desires for fruits;
yuktaiḥ
-engaged;
sāttvikam
-in the mode of goodness;
pari-cakṣate
-is called.
TRANSLATION
This threefold austerity, practiced by men whose aim is not to benefit themselves materially but to please the Supreme, is of the nature of goodness.
Bg 17.18
TEXT 18
TEXT
satkāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ
tapo dambhena caiva yat
kriyate tad iha proktaṁ
rājasaṁ calam adhruvam
SYNONYMS
satkāra-
respect;
māna-
honor;
pūjā-artham
-for worship;
tapaḥ
-austerity;
dambhena-
with pride;
ca-
also;
eva-
certainly;
yat
-which is;
kriyate
-performed;
tat
-that;
iha-
in this world;
proktam
-is said;
rājasam
-in the mode of passion;
calam-
flickering;
adhruvam-
temporary.
TRANSLATION
Those ostentatious penances and austerities which are performed in order to gain respect, honor and reverence are said to be in the mode of passion. They are neither stable nor permanent.
PURPORT
Sometimes penance and austerity are executed to attract people and receive honor, respect and worship from others. Persons in the mode of passion arrange to be worshiped by subordinates and let them wash their feet and offer riches. Such arrangements artificially made by the performance of penances are considered to be in the mode of passion. The results are temporary; they can be continued for some time, but they are not permanent.
Bg 17.19
TEXT 19
TEXT
mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat
pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ
parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam
SYNONYMS
mūḍha-
foolish;
grāheṇa-
with endeavor;
ātmanaḥ-
of one's own self;
yat
-which;
pīḍayā
-by torture;
kriyate
-is performed;
tapaḥ-
penance;
parasya-
to others;
utsādanārtham-
causing annihilation;
vā
-or;
tat-
that;
tāmasam-
in the mode of darkness;
udāhṛtam-
is said to be.
TRANSLATION
And those penances and austerities which are performed foolishly by means of obstinant self-torture, or to destroy or injure others, are said to be in the mode of ignorance.
PURPORT
There are instances of foolish penance undertaken by demons like Hiraṇyakaśipu, who performed austere penances to become immortal and kill the demigods. He prayed to Brahmā for such things, but ultimately he was killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To undergo penances for something which is impossible is certainly in the mode of ignorance.
Bg 17.20
TEXT 20
TEXT
dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ
dīyate 'nupakāriṇe
deśe kāle ca pātre ca
tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam
SYNONYMS
dātavyam-
worth giving;
iti-
thus;
yat-
that which;
dānam-
charity;
dīyate-
given;
anupakāriṇe-
to any person irrespective of doing good;
dese-
in place;
kāle-
in time;
ca-
also;
pātre-
suitable person;
ca-
and;
tat-
that;
dānam-
charity;
sāttvikam-
in the mode of goodness;
smṛtam-
consider.
TRANSLATION
That gift which is given out of duty, at the proper time and place, to a worthy person, and without expectation of return, is considered to be charity in the mode of goodness.
PURPORT
In the Vedic literature, charity given to a person engaged in spiritual activities is recommended. There is no recommendation for giving charity indiscriminately. Spiritual perfection is always a consideration. Therefore charity is recommended to be given at a place of pilgrimage and at lunar or solar eclipses or at the end of the month or to a qualified
brāhmaṇa
or a Vaiṣṇava (devotee) or in temples. Such charities should be given without any consideration of return. Charity to the poor is sometimes given out of compassion, but if a poor man is not worth giving charity to, then there is no spiritual advancement. In other words, indiscriminate charity is not recommended in the Vedic literature.
Bg 17.21
TEXT 21
TEXT
yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ
phalam uddiśya vā punaḥ
dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ
tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam
SYNONYMS
yat-
that which;
tu-
but;
prati-upakāra-artham-
for the sake of getting some return;
phalam-
result;
uddiśya-
desiring;
vā
-or;
punaḥ-
again;
dīyate-
is given in charity;
ca-
also;
parikliṣṭam-
grudgingly;
tat-
that;
dānam-
charity;
rājasam-
in the mode of passion;
smṛtam-
is understood to be.