Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 17 - Shloka (Verse) 18

व्याख्या -- सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपः क्रियते -- राजस मनुष्य सत्कार? मान और पूजाके लिये ही तप किया करते हैं जैसे -- हम जहाँकहीं जायँगे? वहाँ हमें तपस्वी समझकर लोग हमारी अगवानीके लिये सामने आयेंगे। गाँवभरमें हमारी सवारी निकालेंगे। जगहजगह लोग हमें उत्थान देंगे? हमें बैठनेके लिये आसन देंगे? हमारे नामका जयघोष करेंगे? हमसे मीठा बोलेंगे? हमें अभिनन्दनपत्र देंगे इत्यादि बाह्य क्रियाओंद्वारा हमारा सत्कार करेंगे। लोग हृदयसे हमें श्रेष्ठ मानेंगे कि ये बड़े संयमी? सत्यवादी? अहिंसक सज्जन हैं? वे सामान्य मनुष्योंकी अपेक्षा हमारेमें विशेष भाव रखेंगे इत्यादि हृदयके भावोंसे लोग हमारा मान करेंगे। जीतेजी लोग हमारे चरण धोयेंगे? हमारे मस्तकपर फूल चढ़ायेंगे? हमारे गलेमें माला पहनायेंगे? हमारी आरती उतारेंगे? हमें प्रणाम करेंगे? हमारी चरणरजको सिरपर चढ़ायेंगे और मरनेके बाद हमारी वैकुण्ठी निकालेंगे? हमारा स्मारक बनायेंगे और लोग उसपर श्रद्धाभक्तिसे पत्र? पुष्प? चन्दन? वस्त्र? जल आदि चढ़ायेंगे? हमारे स्मारककी परिक्रमा करेंगे इत्यादि क्रियाओंसे हमारी पूजा करेंगे।दम्भेन चैव यत् -- भीतरसे तपपर श्रद्धा और भाव न होनेपर भी बाहरसे केवल लोगोंको दिखानेके लिये आसन लगाकर बैठ जाना? माला घुमाने लग जाना? देवता आदिका पूजन करने लग जाना? सीधेसरल चलना? हिंसा न करना आदि।तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् -- राजस तपका फल चल और अध्रुव कहा गया है। तात्पर्य है कि जो तप सत्कार? मान और पूजाके लिये किया जाता है? उस राजस तपका फल यहाँ चल अर्थात् नाशवान् कहा गया है और जो तप केवल दिखावटीपनके लिये किया जाता है? उसका फल यहाँ अध्रुव अर्थात् अनिश्चित (फल मिले या न मिले? दम्भ सिद्ध हो या न हो) कहा गया है।इह प्रोक्तम् पदोंका तात्पर्य यह है कि इस राजस तपका इष्ट फल प्रायः यहाँ ही होता है। कारण कि सात्त्विक पुरुषोंका तो ऊर्ध्वलोक है? तामस मनुष्योंका अधोलोक है और राजस मनुष्योंका मध्यलोक है (गीता 14। 18)। इसलिये राजस तपका फल न स्वर्ग होगा और न नरक होगा किन्तु यहाँ ही महिमा होकर? प्रशंसा होकर खत्म हो जायगा।राजस मनुष्यके द्वारा शारीरिक? वाचिक और मानसिक तप हो सकता है क्या फलेच्छा होनेसे वह देवता आदिका पूजन कर सकता है। उसमें कुछ सीधासरलपन भी रह सकता है। ब्रह्मचर्य रहना मुश्किल है।,अहिंसा भी मुश्किल है। पुस्तक आदि पढ़ सकता है। उसका मन हरदम प्रसन्न नहीं रह सकता और सौम्यभाव भी हरदम नहीं रह सकता। कामनाके कारण उसके मनमें संकल्पविकल्प होते रहेंगे। वह केवल सत्कार? मान? पूजा और दम्भके लिये ही तप करता है? तो उसके भावकी संशुद्धि कैसे होगी अर्थात् उसके भाव शुद्ध कैसे होंगे अतः राजस मनुष्य तीन प्रकारके तपको साङ्गोपाङ्ग नहीं कर सकता।

जो तप सत्कार? मान और पूजाके लिये किया जाता है -- यह बड़ा श्रेष्ठ पुरुष है? तपस्वी है? ब्राह्मण है। इस प्रकार जो बड़ाई की जाती है उसका नाम सत्कार है। ( आते देखकर ) खड़े हो जाना तथा प्रणाम आदि करना -- ऐसे सम्मानका नाम मान है। पैर धोना? अर्चन करना? भोजन कराना इत्यादिका नाम पूजा है। इन सबके लिये जो तप किया जाता है और जो दम्भसे किया जाता है? वह तप यहाँ राजसी कहा गया है। तथा अनिश्चित फलवाला होनेसे नाशवान् और अनित्य भी कहा गया है।

He indicates the Rajasic austerity—'Satkara,' etc.

He clarifies 'Sadhukara' (Honor/Praise) as saying 'Sadhu' (Good!). 'Dambhena'—With atheism (nastikya), meaning with mere flag-waving of righteousness (hypocrisy).

'Tad iha proktam'—Meaning yielding fruit in this very world.

'Adhruvam'—Having occasional fruit, uncertain, having irregular fruit.

Having illustrated Sattvic austerity, He now illustrates Rajasic austerity.

"Satkara"—Praise in the form of "This ascetic is a Sadhu (saint/good man)," i.e., acclaim. "Mana"—Honoring, such as rising up in respect, salutation, etc. "Puja"—Washing the feet, worship, offering of food, wealth, etc. "Tadartham"—For the sake of these.

And the austerity which is performed with "Dambha"—with atheism/lack of faith, merely for flag-waving of righteousness (hypocrisy)—that is declared to be "Rajasic" here, meaning yielding fruits like honor etc. only in this world.

"Chalam"—Having momentary fruit. "Adhruvam"—Having uncertain/irregular fruit. Or "Chalam" means yielding fruit occasionally—giving results like honor etc. only at some times as long as it is not recognized that "this person is a hypocrite," and not always; this is the idea.

Therefore it is "Adhruvam"—lasting only until the attainment of honor etc., not forever, this is the meaning.

"Satkara"—Verbal adoration in the world such as "This person is a saint." "Mana"—Physical worship (respect) such as rising to welcome, salutations, etc. "Puja"—Gain of wealth etc.

The austerity performed for these, and with hypocrisy (Dambha), is Rajasic.

"Chalam"—Perishable. "Adhruvam"—Of uncertain fruit.

"Satkara"—Respect with the mind. "Mana"—Praise with speech. "Puja"—Physical acts like bowing etc.

The austerity which is performed with the desire for fruit, for the sake of honor etc., and with hypocrisy (Dambha) as the cause, is declared here to be "Rajasic."

Being unstable as a means to fruits like heaven etc., it is "Chalam" (unsteady) and "Adhruvam" (impermanent). "Chalatvam" implies being the cause of movement (shaking/falling) due to the fear of falling (from heaven). "Adhruvatvam" implies being subject to decay.

He states the Rajasic austerity—"Satkara," etc. "Satkara" implies "Sadhukara"—verbal adoration like "This person is a Sadhu (ascetic)." "Mana"—Physical worship like rising to welcome, salutation, etc. "Puja" (here)—Gain of wealth etc.

The austerity performed for these, and with hypocrisy; which is therefore "Chalam" (uncertain) and "Adhruvam" (momentary);

such austerity is declared here to be Rajasic.

Since "Aphalakankshibhih" [17.17] was an adjective for Sattvic austerity, here (in Rajasic austerity) the "desire for fruit" is established by implication; with this intention, he (Ramanuja) says—"With the desire for fruit."

"Being unstable as a means to fruits like heaven etc."—means being the means to unstable fruits like heaven. Since describing the austerity itself as "occasional" (in performance) serves no purpose, "Chalam" (unsteady) and "Adhruvam" (impermanent) are intended here regarding the fruit.

Among them, "Adhruva" expresses the impermanence of the fruit; therefore, the word "Chala" refers to the defect present during the existence of the fruit (fear of fall). The power of the word "Chala" exists in the derivation "that which causes to move/shake" (Chalayati); with this intention, he says—"Being the cause of movement (shaking) due to fear of falling."

To say that "Chala" means temporary fruit and "Adhruva" means uncertain fruit due to the possibility of obstruction is incorrect, because the possibility of obstruction exists equally elsewhere; this is the idea.

वस्तुत तपाचरण का प्रयोजन अपनी शक्तियों का संचय करके उनके द्वारा आत्मविकास करना है। परन्तु जो लोग तप का अनुष्ठान केवल समाज से सत्कार? सम्मान और पूजा प्राप्त करने के लिए? अथवा अपने गुण प्रदर्शनमात्र के लिए करते हैं? उनका तप राजस कहलाता है। भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण ने इसके पूर्व ऐसे लोगों को मिथ्याचारी भी कहा था।इस प्रकार के तप से क्या हानि होती है इसका उत्तर यह है कि ऐसा तप चलम् अर्थात् अस्थिर होने से इसका फल भी अध्रुवम् अर्थात् अनिश्चित या क्षणिक ही होता है। किसी भी कर्म का फल कालान्तर में ही प्राप्त होता है। इसलिए कर्म का अनुष्ठान स्थिरता और सातत्य की अपेक्षा रखता है परन्तु? सत्कार अथवा प्रदर्शन के हीन उद्देश्य से किये गये तप में ये दोनों ही गुण नहीं हो सकते। इस प्रकार जब तप ही क्षणिक हो? तो उसका फल चिरस्थायी कैसे हो सकता है राजस तप चलम् और अध्रुवम होने से त्याज्य ही समझना चाहिए।

From "Shraddhaya" up to "Tamasamudahrtam" [end of verse 19]. Faith exists even in the threefold austerity.

The faith of the Sattvic is indeed "Tanmayi" (consisting of That/Truth). But the faith of the Rajasic is in Rajas, i.e., in hypocrisy etc. And the faith of the Tamas-established is in the destruction of others etc.

Thus, the Sage states that even the threefold austerity is endowed with faith.

"Satkara," etc. "Satkara"—Praise performed by nondiscriminating people like "This ascetic Brahmin is a Sadhu." "Mana"—Rising to welcome, salutations, etc. "Puja"—Washing feet, worship, giving gifts, etc. "Tadartham"—For the sake of these;

and "Dambhenaiva"—solely with hypocrisy; and "Kevalam dharmadhvajitvenaiva"—solely with flag-waving of righteousness; and not with the attitude of belief (Astikya); the austerity which is performed is declared by the wise to be "Rajasic."

"Iha"—Meaning yielding fruit only in this world, not in the next. "Chalam"—Having fruit that lasts for a very short time. "Adhruvam"—Devoid of the certainty of producing fruit.

He states the Rajasic (austerity)—"Satkara," etc.

That threefold austerity; "Iha"—in the worlds; "Satkara"—words like "Sadhu" (good/saintly) etc. (praise); "Mana"—forms like sitting on a high seat in assemblies etc. due to being superior; "Puja"—Gain (of wealth).

That which is performed for these, and with "Dambha"—in the form of cheating others; "Tu" (And) which is "Chalam"—(unsteady) in the absence of the aforementioned (honor etc.?); "Adhruvam"—devoid of being a means to the other world etc.; that austerity is "Proktam"—declared in the scriptures to be Rajasic, this is the meaning.

"Satkara"—Acclaim, for the sake of (hearing) "This ascetic Brahmin is a Sadhu." "Mana"—Honoring, such as rising to welcome, salutation etc.; for the sake of that. "Puja"—Washing feet, worship, arranging rest etc.; for the sake of that. The austerity which is performed for the sake of Satkara, Mana, and Puja,

and indeed with Dambha (hypocrisy), that is declared "Iha" (here) to be Rajasic. It is "Chalam" (unsteady)—being "Adhruvam" (impermanent) due to having occasional/uncertain fruit.

सत्कारमानपूजार्थम् with the object of gaining good reception? honour and worship? तपः austerity? दम्भेन with hypocrisy? च and? एव even? यत् which? क्रियते is practised? तत् that? इह here? प्रोक्तम् is said? राजसम् Rajasic? चलम् unstable? अध्रुवम् transitory.Commentary Penance that is performed with no sincere belief? for mere show? with a view to increase selfimportance? in order that the world may pay respect to the performer and place him in the seat of honour? and that everyone may sing his praise? is declared to be of a passionate nature.Iha In this world Such penance yields fruit only in this world.Satkara Good reception with such words as? Here is a good Brahmana of great austerities.Mana Honour Rising from ones seat to greet? and saluting with reverence.Chalam Unstable Yielding momentary effect or result.Adhruvam Without Niyama or fixity.Penance that is performed in the hope of gaining fame is worse than useless. It bears no fruit. It is abandoned though incomplete? when it is seen that is can result in no gain.

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.

'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.