Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 17 - Shloka (Verse) 19

व्याख्या -- मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः -- तामस तपमें मूढ़तापूर्वक आग्रह होनेसे अपनेआपको पीड़ा देकर तप किया जाता है। तामस मनुष्योंमें मूढ़ताकी प्रधानता रहती है अतः जिसमें शरीरको? मनको कष्ट हो? उसीको वे तप मानते हैं।परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा -- अथवा वे दूसरोंको दुःख देनेके लिये तप करते हैं। उनका भाव रहता है कि शक्ति प्राप्त करनेके लिये तप (संयम आदि) करनेमें मुझे भले ही कष्ट सहना पड़े? पर दूसरोंको नष्टभ्रष्ट तो करना ही है। तामस मनुष्य दूसरोंको दुःख देनेके लिये उन तीन (कायिक? वाचिक और मानसिक) तपोंके आंशिक भागके सिवाय मनमाने ढंगसे उपवास करना? शीतघामको सहना आदि तप भी कर सकता है।तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् -- तामस मनुष्यका उद्देश्य ही दूसरोंको कष्ट देनेका? उनका अनिष्ट करनेका रहता है। अतः ऐसे उद्देश्यसे किया गया तप तामस कहलाता है।[सात्त्विक मनुष्य फलकी इच्छा न रखकर परमश्रद्धासे तप करता है? इसलिये वास्तवमें वही मनुष्य कहलानेलायक हैं। राजस मनुष्य सत्कार? मान? पूजा तथा दम्भके लिये तप करता है? इसलिये वह मनुष्य कहलानेलायक नहीं है क्योंकि सत्कार? मान आदि तो पशुपक्षियोंको भी प्रिय लगते हैं और वे बेचारे दम्भ भी नहीं करते तामस मनुष्य तो पशुओंसे भी नीचे हैं क्योंकि पशुपक्षी स्वयं दुःख पाकर दूसरोंको दुःख तो नहीं देते? पर यह तामस मनुष्य तो स्वयं दुःख पाकर दूसरोंको दुःख देता है।] सम्बन्ध -- अब भगवान् आगेके तीन श्लोकोंमें क्रमशः सात्त्विक? राजस और तामस दानके लक्षण बताते हैं।

जो तप अपने शरीरको पीड़ा पहुँचाकर या दूसरेका बुरा करनेके लिये मूढ़तापूर्वक आग्रहसे अर्थात् अज्ञानपूर्वक निश्चयसे किया जाता है? वह तामसी तप कहा गया है।

He summarizes the Tamasic austerity—"Mudha," etc.

"Mudha"—Extremely nondiscriminating person; his "Graha"—meaning Agraha (obstinacy/fixation); by that—he explains with "Aviveka" (Graha) etc.

"Atmanah"—Meaning (torture) of one's own body etc.

Thus having described Rajasic austerity, He describes the Tamasic one—"Mudha," etc.

"Mudhagrahena"—with undiscriminating resolve; for instance, thinking "If these people practice austerity, then I too will practice austerity greater than this," and so on, in the form of such obstinacy; "Atmanah pidaya"—with torture of oneself; or "Parasya utsadanam"—for the destruction of another. That is, by creating the belief in kings and others that "This person is endowed with such bodily, verbal, and mental austerity (power), so by obeying his command all our objectives will be accomplished," and thereby performing austerity for the destruction of an enemy; that is declared by the wise to be Tamasic.

"Mudhagrahena"—With obstinacy (duragraha) caused by nondiscrimination.

"Atmanah"—Of the body. "Utsadanartham"—For the purpose of destruction (of oneself or another).

"Mudhah"—The indiscriminate. "Mudhagrahena"—With the determination/obstinacy (Abhinivesha) formed by the deluded;

meaning, without examining one's own capacity etc., the austerity which is performed "Atmapidaya"—with self-torture;

and the austerity which is performed "Parasya utsadanartham"—for the destruction of another; that is declared to be Tamasic.

He states the Tamasic austerity—"Mudha," etc.

"Mudhagrahena"—With obstinacy caused by nondiscrimination; "Atmanah pidaya"—with torture of oneself; the austerity which is performed; or "Parasya utsadanartham"—for the destruction of another, in the form of malevolent rites (Abhichara); that is "Udahritam"—declared to be Tamasic.

The foolishness which is the cause of engaging in harmful acts is essentially the delusion that harmful things are beneficial; with this intention, (Ramanuja) explains "Mudha" as "The indiscriminate." The meaning of the compound ("Mudhagrahena") is "with determination (Abhinivesha) of the deluded."

To clarify that the sixth case here implies the agent (Subjective Genitive), he says "With determination formed by the deluded." He specifies what was stated generally regarding the performer with "Without examining one's own capacity etc."

By the word "Adi" (etc.), faults of the object/subject such as being prohibited by scripture are included. As stated: "A wise man should not undertake things that are impossible, have bad endings, have equal cost and fruit (no profit), or are unaccomplishable"—such faults of the object mentioned in texts are also included.

Here, "self-torture" implies undertaking tasks not in accordance with one's strength etc.; this excludes (valid) exertion according to strength which causes little pain. As stated: "Having well examined strength and weakness." And the Smritis remember: "Knowing the place, time, oneself, the material and non-material, the purpose, the logic, and the state, one should practice purity," etc.

इस श्लोक का अर्थ स्वत स्पष्ट है। एक तपस्वी साधक को तप के वास्तविक स्वरूप? उसके प्रयोजन तथा विधि का सम्यक् ज्ञान होना चाहिए। इस ज्ञान के अभाव में साधक अपने व्यक्तित्व के सुगठन तथा आत्मसाक्षात्कार के मार्ग पर अग्रसर नहीं हो सकता।वेदोपदिष्ट तप का विपरीत अर्थ समझने पर मनुष्य उसके द्वारा केवल स्वयं को ही पीड़ित कर सकता है। ऐसे आत्मपीड़न से शुद्ध आत्मा का सौन्दर्य अभिव्यक्त नहीं हो सकता वह तो हमारे पूर्णस्वरूप का केवल उपाहासास्पद व्यंगचित्र ही चित्रित कर सकता है। मूढ़ तामस तप का फल कुरूप व्यक्तित्व? विकृत भावनाएं और हीन आदर्श ही हो सकता है।दान के भी तीन प्रकार होते हैं? जिन्हें अगले श्लोक में बताया जा रहा है

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.

"Mudha," etc. "Mudhagrahena"—With obstinacy (Duragraha) caused by excessive nondiscrimination; "Atmanah"—of the aggregate of body and senses; "Pidaya"—with torture; the austerity which is performed; or "Parasya utsadanartham"—for the destruction of another, or in the form of malevolent rites (Abhichara); that is declared by the wise to be Tamasic.

He states the Tamasic austerity—"Mudha," etc. "Mudhagrahena"—With obstinacy born of foolishness; "Atmana"—with torture of the Jiva (soul/self); the austerity which is performed;

or "Parasya utsadanartham"—for the destruction of another; that is "Udahritam"—declared as Tamasic; meaning it is not proper/right.

"Mudhagrahena"—With undiscriminating resolve; "Atmanah pidaya"—with torture of oneself; the austerity which is performed; or "Parasya utsadanartham"—for the destruction of another; that is declared to be Tamasic austerity.

Now, the threefold nature of Charity is stated—

मूढग्राहेण out of a foolish notion? आत्मनः of the self? यत् which? पीडया with torture? क्रियते is practised? तपः austerity? परस्य of another? उत्सादनार्थम् for the purpose of destroying? वा or? तत् that? तामसम् Tamasic? उदाहृतम् is declared.Commentary Some burn sulphur in a pot and place it on their head. Some thrust hooks of iron into their flesh. Some hang themselves with their head downwards over fire and swallow smoke. Some stand in cold water immersed up to the neck. Some torture the body by lighting fires on the four sides (with the sun as the fifth fire -- this is known as the Panchagni Tapas). Some sit in the centre of a circle of fire. Such austerities are Tamasic. These will not help one to attain knowledge of the Self.

Yat, that; tapah, austerity; which is kriyate, under-taken; mudha-grahena, with a foolish intent, with a conviction arising out of non-discriminating; pidaya, causing pain; atmanah, to oneself (to one's body etc.); va, or; utsadanartham, for the destruction; parasya, of another; tat, that; is udahrtam, said to be; an austerity tamasam, born of tamas.
Now the classification of charity is being spoken of:

Deluded persons are those who lack correct understanding. That austerity which is practised from deluded notion, viz., from the obstinate determination by deluded persons, by self-torture regardless of one's own capacity or which is performed for causing sufferings to others - that is said to be Tamasika.