BG 17.18

SIVANANDA

सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् | क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ||१७-१८||

17.18 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.

satkāramānapūjārthaṃ tapo dambhena caiva yat . kriyate tadiha proktaṃ rājasaṃ calamadhruvam ||17-18||

— BG 17.18, Swami Sivananda

Cite This Verse

BG 17.18 (Swami Sivananda).

"BG 17.18." Swami Sivananda. Web.

BG 17.18, Swami Sivananda.

Commentary

Shankaracharya — Sri Shankaracharya (Adi Shankaracharya)

17.18 Yat, that; tapah, austerity; which is kriyate, undertaken; satkara-mana-pujartham, for earning a name, being honoured and worshipped-for earning a name, (i.e.) for being spoken of thus: 'This Brahmana, who is given to austerity, is pious'; for being honoured by (others') standing up respectfully, salutation, etc.; for being worshipped with washing of feet, adoration, feeding, etc.; for these-; ca eva, and also, (that) austerity which is performed dambhena, ostentatiously; tat, that; proktam, is spoken of; as rajasam, born of rajas; iha, belonging to this world; [i.e. yielding fruits only in this world.] calam, uncertain-its result being unpredictable; and adhruvam, transitory.

Swami Adidevananda — Swami Adidevananda

17.18 That austerity, pracitsed with ostentation for the sake of gaininng respect, praise and reverence, is here said to be Rajasa. It is unsteady and impermanent.

Shri Purohit Swami — Shri Purohit Swami

17.18 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.

Other Translations

PUROHIT Shri Purohit Swami

17.18 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.

SANKARANARAYAN S. Sankaranarayan

17.18. The austerity that is practised for gaining respect, honour and reverence and with sheer showing-that is called here [austerity] of the Rajas and it is unstable and impermanent.

ADIDEVANANDA Swami Adidevananda

17.18 That austerity, pracitsed with ostentation for the sake of gaininng respect, praise and reverence, is here said to be Rajasa. It is unsteady and impermanent.

GAMBIRANANDA Swami Gambirananda

17.18 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.

RAMANUJA Ramanuja

17.18 'Respect' means recognition by others. 'Praise' means verbal adulation. 'Reverence' means corporeal actions such as prostration etc. That austerity, practised with expectation of rewards like respect, etc., mentioned above - it is here said to be Rajasa. It is unsteady and impermanent, because of the temporary nature of its rewards like heaven etc.; 'unsteadiness' is the result of the fear of falling. 'Impermanent' means the tendency to perish.

ABHINAV-GUPTA Abhinavagupta

17.18 See Comment under 17.19

SHANKARACHARYA Shankaracharya

17.18 Yat, that; tapah, austerity; which is kriyate, undertaken; satkara-mana-pujartham, for earning a name, being honoured and worshipped-for earning a name, (i.e.) for being spoken of thus: 'This Brahmana, who is given to austerity, is pious'; for being honoured by (others') standing up respectfully, salutation, etc.; for being worshipped with washing of feet, adoration, feeding, etc.; for these-; ca eva, and also, (that) austerity which is performed dambhena, ostentatiously; tat, that; proktam, is spoken of; as rajasam, born of rajas; iha, belonging to this world; [i.e. yielding fruits only in this world.] calam, uncertain-its result being unpredictable; and adhruvam, transitory.

PRABHUPADA A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Penance performed out of pride and for the sake of gaining respect, honor and worship is said to be in the mode of passion. It is neither stable nor permanent.

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