Word meanings
- aśāstra-vihitam
- not enjoined by the scriptures
- ghoram
- stern
- tapyante
- perform
- ye
- who
- tapaḥ
- austerities
- janāḥ
- people
- dambha
- hypocrisy
- ahankāra
- egotism
- sanyuktāḥ
- possessed of
- kāma
- desire
- rāga
- attachment
- bala
- force
- anvitāḥ
- impelled by
Translations
Those men who practice terrific austerities not prescribed by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, driven by the force of lust and attachment.
Those who practice austerities not commanded by scripture, who are enslaved to hypocrisy and egotism, who are carried away by the fury of desire and passion,
Those persons who, given to ostentation and pride, and possessed of passion, attachment, and strength, undertake severe austerities not sanctioned by the scriptures;
जो मनुष्य शास्त्रविधिसे रहित घोर तप करते हैं; जो दम्भ और अहङ्कारसे अच्छी तरह युक्त हैं; जो भोग-पदार्थ, 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।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.