सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् |
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् || 18||
satkāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ tapo dambhena chaiva yat
kriyate tad iha proktaṁ rājasaṁ chalam adhruvam
sat-kāra—respect; māna—honor; pūjā—adoration; artham—for the sake of; tapaḥ—austerity; dambhena—with ostentation; cha—also; eva—certainly; yat—which; kriyate—is performed; tat—that; iha—in this world; proktam—is said; rājasam—in the mode of passion; chalam—flickering; adhruvam—temporary
Translation:
The austerity that is practised in order to gain respect, honour, and reverence, and for ostentation, is said to be of the nature of rajas. Its result is uncertain and transitory.
Commentary:
This is spiritual pretension which does not yield any good fruit at all, because the performer does it insincerely for show and for gaining good name and reverence in society. It is hypocrisy and cheating the world. Such men are not truthful to themselves, and so their austerity is unstable and of short duration. The true aspirant has nothing to gain from name and fame in the world. His worship is sincere and deeply felt as an act of self-fulfilment.
Question: What is Rajasic austerity?
Answer: Austerity performed for the sake of gaining good reputation, honour and reverence in society, and which is performed for show is called Rajasic.
Question: What is its effect?
Answer: It is unsatable (i.e) it is given up when the performer thinks that no worldly distinction is gained by it.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 17 🔻 (28 Verses)
