Chapter 17, Verse 18
Text
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् | क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ||१७-१८||
Transliteration
satkāramānapūjārthaṃ tapo dambhena caiva yat . kriyate tadiha proktaṃ rājasaṃ calamadhruvam ||17-18||
Translations
In English by Swami Sivananda
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.
In English by Swami Sivananda
17.18 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.