Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 Verse 5 — Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga
Sanskrit
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः | दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ||१७-५||
Transliteration
aśāstravihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ . dambhāhaṃkārasaṃyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ ||17-5||
Hindi Meaning
।।17.5।। जो लोग शास्त्रविधि से रहित घोर तप करते हैं तथा दम्भ, अहंकार, काम और राग से भी युक्त होते हैं।।
English Meaning
Those who undergo severe austerities and penances not recommended in the scriptures, performing them out of pride, egoism, lust, and attachment, are impelled by passion and are arrogant, and strive for other worldly things.
Commentary
There are persons who manufacture modes of austerity and penance which are not mentioned in the scriptural injunctions. For instance, fasting for some ulterior purpose, such as to promote a purely political end, is not mentioned in the scriptural directions. The scriptures recommend fasting for spiritual advancement, not for some political end or social purpose. Persons who take to such austerities are, according to Bhagavad-gītā , certainly demoniac. Their acts are against the scriptural injunctions and are not beneficial for the people in general. Actually, they act out of pride, false ego, lust and attachment for material enjoyment. By such activities, not only is the combination of material elements of which the body is constructed disturbed, but also the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself living within the body. Such unauthorized fasting or austerities for some political end are certainly very disturbing to others. They are not mentioned in the Vedic literature. A demoniac person may think that he can force his enemy or other parties to comply with his desire by this method, but sometimes one dies by such fasting. These acts are not approved by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He says that those who engage in them are demons. Such demonstrations are insults to the Supreme Personality of Godhead because they are enacted in disobedience to the Vedic scriptural injunctions. The word acetasaḥ is significant in this connection. Persons of normal mental condition must obey the scriptural injunctions. Those who are not in such a position neglect and disobey the scriptures and manufacture their own way of austerities and penances. One should always remember the ultimate end of the demoniac people, as described in the previous chapter. The Lord forces them to take birth in the wombs of demoniac persons. Consequently they will live by demoniac principles life after life without knowing their relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If, however, such persons are fortunate enough to be guided by a spiritual master who can direct them to the path of Vedic wisdom, they can get out of this entanglement and ultimately achieve the supreme goal.
Hinglish Commentary
Kuch log aise hote hain jo apni taraf se tapasya aur penance ke tareeke banate hain jo scriptures mein nahi diye gaye. Jaise ki, agar koi sirf political maqsad ke liye fast kare, toh yeh scriptural directions mein nahi hai. Scriptures hamesha spiritual advancement ke liye fasting ki baat karte hain, na ki kisi political ya social purpose ke liye. Aise log jo aise tapasya karte hain, Bhagavad-gita ke hisaab se, waise log demoniac hote hain. Unke kaam scriptures ke against hote hain aur yeh aam logon ke liye achhe nahi hote. Yeh log ghamand, jhoot, kaam aur material enjoyment ke liye attachment se kaam karte hain. Aise activities se na sirf unka body jo material elements se bana hai, disturb hota hai, balki uss Supreme Personality of Godhead ka bhi jo unke andar hai. Yeh unauthorized fasting ya tapasya dusron ke liye bahut disturbing hoti hai. Vedic literature mein inka koi zikr nahi hai. Ek demoniac vyakti sochta hai ki woh apne dushman ya doosre parties ko apne hisaab se chalane ke liye is tareeke ka istemal kar sakta hai, par kabhi-kabhi aise fasting se insaan mar bhi jaata hai. Yeh kaam Supreme Personality of Godhead ko pasand nahi hain, aur woh kehte hain ki jo log aise kaamon mein lage hain, woh demons hain. Yeh sab demonstrations Supreme Personality of Godhead ke liye ek insult hain kyunki yeh Vedic scriptural injunctions ki disobedience mein kiye jaate hain. "Acetasaḥ" shabd is context mein important hai. Normal mental condition wale logon ko scriptural injunctions ka palan karna chahiye. Jo log aise nahi karte, woh scriptures ko ignore karte hain aur apne hi tarike se tapasya aur penance banate hain. Hamesha yaad rakho ki demoniac logon ka ultimate end kya hota hai, jaise pehle chapter mein bataya gaya tha. Bhagwan unhe demoniac logon ke garb mein janm lene par majboor karte hain. Is tarah se woh janm-janm bhar demoniac principles par jeete hain bina Supreme Personality of Godhead ke saath apne sambandh ko samjhe. Lekin agar aise logon ko kismat se ek spiritual master mil jaaye jo unhe Vedic wisdom ki taraf guide kar sake, toh woh is bandhan se bahar aa sakte hain aur aakhir mein supreme goal ko prapt kar sakte hain.