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Bhagavad-gītā 16.17

आत्मसम्भाविता: स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विता: । यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम् ॥ १७ ॥
ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhā
[aatma-sambhaavitaah stabdhaa]
dhana-māna-madānvitāḥ
[dhana-maana-madaanvitaah]
yajante nāma-yajñais te
[yajante naama-yajnais te]
dambhenāvidhi-pūrvakam
[dambhenaavidhi-poorvakam]
Word-for-word
ātma - sambhāvitāḥ — self-complacent stabdhāḥ — impudent dhana - māna — of wealth and false prestige mada — in the delusion anvitāḥ — absorbed yajante — they perform sacrifice nāma — in name only yajñaiḥ — with sacrifices te — they dambhena — out of pride avidhi - pūrvakam — without following any rules and regulations .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhā
ātma - sambhāvitāḥ
self-complacent
stabdhāḥ
impudent
dhana-māna-madānvitāḥ
dhana - māna
of wealth and false prestige
mada
in the delusion
anvitāḥ
absorbed
yajante nāma-yajñais te
yajante
they perform sacrifice
nāma
in name only
yajñaiḥ
with sacrifices
te
they
dambhenāvidhi-pūrvakam
dambhena
out of pride
avidhi - pūrvakam
without following any rules and regulations .
Important Words
  • ātma - sambhāvitāḥ — self-complacent
    Ātma-sam-bhāvita — self-honored, self-imagined-as-great. The compound is precise: not honored by others, but by themselves. The demoniac certify themselves; no external authority is admitted.
  • stabdhāḥ — impudent
    Stabdha — stiff, unbending, paralyzed in arrogance. The opposite of the bowed head before the guru. The neck of the demoniac cannot bend, which is why nothing higher can enter.
  • dhana - māna — of wealth and false prestige
    Compound: wealth-and-prestige. The two together create a particular intoxication — wealth alone can humble, prestige alone can sober, but combined they form mada (delusion-drunkenness).
  • dambhena — out of pride
    Instrumental — by means of pride. The fuel of the false sacrifice. Pride is not a side-effect of the demoniac yajña; it is the operating substance.
  • avidhi - pūrvakam — without following any rules and regulations
    A-vidhi-pūrvakam — not-rule-preceded. Vidhi is scriptural injunction. The compound says: not done with regard to the rules first. Form without the form-giver. Yajña that has thrown away the yajña-śāstra.
Self-complacent and always impudent, deluded by wealth and false prestige, they sometimes proudly perform sacrifices in name only, without following any rules or regulations.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Even when āsuras seem religious — they sacrifice, give, build temples — the act is dressed for show. Stiff-necked with wealth and honor, they perform 'name-yajñas' — sacrifices that are sacrifices in label only, free of the scripture's rules that would otherwise transform the ego.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Tradition reads 'nāma-yajñaiḥ' as ritual without its inner backbone of vidhi (procedure) and śraddhā (faith). Cf. BG 17.13 — yajña without vidhi, śraddhā, anna-dāna, dakṣiṇā, or mantra is called tāmasa. The point is subtler than 'demons are atheists' — āsuras can be lavishly religious. The mark is dambha (display) and avidhi (rule-breaking), the religion bent to ego rather than the ego bent to religion.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
आत्म-सम्भाविताः स्तब्धाः धन-मान-मद-अन्विताः ते (आसुराः) अविधि-पूर्वकम् दम्भेन नाम-यज्ञैः यजन्ते ।
ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhāḥ dhana-māna-mada-anvitāḥ te (āsurāḥ) avidhi-pūrvakam dambhena nāma-yajñaiḥ yajante |
Self-glorifying, stiff (with pride), filled with the intoxication of wealth and honor, they perform sacrifices in name only — through ostentation, without (following) the prescribed rules.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
आत्म-सम्भाविताः स्तब्धाः धन-मान-मद-अन्विताः । यजन्ते नाम-यज्ञैः ते दम्भेन अविधि-पूर्वकम् ॥
ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhāḥ dhana-māna-mada-anvitāḥ | yajante nāma-yajñaiḥ te dambhena avidhi-pūrvakam ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
आत्म-सम्भाविताः ātma-sambhāvitāḥ आत्मन् (m.) + सम्भावित p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) self-honoring, self-glorifying
स्तब्धाः stabdhāḥ √स्तम्भ् p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. stiff-necked, unyielding
धन-मान-मद-अन्विताः dhana-māna-mada-anvitāḥ धन (n.) + मान (m.) + मद (m.) + अन्वित p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m., dvandva + tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) possessed by the intoxication of wealth and honor
यजन्ते yajante √यज् pres. (present) 3pl.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) they sacrifice
नाम-यज्ञैः nāma-yajñaiḥ नाम (n.) + यज्ञ (m.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural), karmadhāraya / tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) by name-only sacrifices, sham sacrifices
ते te तद् pron. (pronoun) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. they
दम्भेन dambhena दम्भ (m.) ins.sg. (instrumental singular) out of ostentation
अविधि-पूर्वकम् avidhi-pūrvakam अ + विधि (m.) + पूर्वक (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. used as adv., neg. cpd. (compound) without (proper) procedure, contrary to rule
Purport

Thinking themselves all in all, not caring for any authority or scripture, the demoniac sometimes perform so-called religious or sacrificial rites. And since they do not believe in authority, they are very impudent. This is due to illusion caused by accumulating some wealth and false prestige. Sometimes such demons take up the role of preacher, mislead the people, and become known as religious reformers or as incarnations of God. They make a show of performing sacrifices, or they worship the demigods, or manufacture their own God. Common men advertise them as God and worship them, and by the foolish they are considered advanced in the principles of religion, or in the principles of spiritual knowledge. They take the dress of the renounced order of life and engage in all nonsense in that dress. Actually there are so many restrictions for one who has renounced this world. The demons, however, do not care for such restrictions. They think that whatever path one can create is one’s own path; there is no such thing as a standard path one has to follow. The word avidhi-pūrvakam, meaning a disregard for the rules and regulations, is especially stressed here. These things are always due to ignorance and illusion.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
17. Respected by the unintelligent, unsubmissive, filled with the intoxication of pride in their wealth, they perform worship for show only, through false yajña, without following scriptural rules.
Commentary

Ātma-sambhāvitā means those who have attained worshipable status, but are not respected by any well bred people. Therefore they are unsubmissive (stabdhā). They perform worship by actions which are sacrifice in name only (nāma-yajñaiḥ yajante).

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
17. Respected by the unintelligent, unsubmissive, filled with the intoxication of pride in their wealth, they perform worship for show only, through false yajña, without following scriptural rules.
Commentary

Recognized as preeminent (ātma saṁbhāvitāḥ) by themselves alone, not by knowers of scripture, lacking humility (stabdhā), filled with pride in wealth, filled with pride (mada) at being respected as paramahaṁsa or a great mendicant, worthy of all worship, or greatly learned in worship, they worship devatās they themselves concoct, by rules of worship which is worship in name alone, dressing up as renunciates, and pretending to be religious (dambhena) for the prosperity of their own house and family. All this is without following the Vedic rules (avidhi pūravakm).

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Demoniac hypocritical nature and preachings are described here

Being self-complacent and impudent, they are deluded by wealth and false prestige
They proudly perform sacrifices in name only, without following any rules or regulations
Their hypocritical religious observances cannot save them
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
16.17 Atma-sambhavitah, self-conceited, considering themselves by themselves to be possessed of good alities-not considered to be so by holy men; stabdhah, haughty, having minds that are not humble; dhana-mana-mada-anvitah, filled with (anvita) the pride (mana) and intoxication (mada) of wealth (dhana); te, they; yajnate, perform sacrifices; namayajnaih, which are so in name only; dambhena, with ostentation, with religious hypocricy; avidhi-purvakam, regardless of the injunctions-without subsidiary rites and proper methods of performance as enjoined.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
16.17 They are held in 'high esteem by themselves'; the meaning is they are full of the sense of self-esteem. They feel self-sufficient, viz., regarding themselves as perfect, they do nothing. How? They are 'possessed of the intoxication of wealth and pride,' viz., they are intoxicated by wealth and pride of wealth, learning and descent. They perform sacrifices in name only,' viz., they perform sacrifices for the fame of it, the purpose being gaining fame as the performers of sacrifice. These are performed for ostentation acutated with the motive of becoming famous as the performers of sacrifices and not in accordance with the proper rulesof the Sastras, viz., without regard to any ?ndment. Sri Krsna says that they perform sacrifices in the following manner:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
16.17 See Coment under 16.20
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
16.17 Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with the pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform sacrifices in name out of ostentation, contrary to scriptural ordinances.
Commentary

16.17 आत्मसम्भाविताः selfconceited? स्तब्धाः stubborn? धनमानमदान्विताः filled with the pride and intoxication of wealth? यजन्ते (they) perform? नामयज्ञैः sacrifices in name? ते they? दम्भेन out of ostentation? अविधिपूर्वकम् contrary to scriptural ordinances.Commentary They are puffed up with unbounded pride. They esteem themselves very highly. They are not esteemed or honoured as such by the righteous or pious persons. They have a very high opinion of their own greatness. They esteem themselves as possessed of all the virtuous attributes. They are not humble. They have no humility or meekness. Their minds are entirely filled with a sense of their own importance. They treat others with contempt. They think that others are inferior to them. They never bend their heads and make prostrations to elders or superiors or spiritual teachers and monks. They stand erect like a pillar or iron post? intoxicated as they are with the wine of wealth. They pretend to perform Yajnas.They do not care for an altar? a sacrifical bower or a receptacle for the fire? or any of the proper materials to be used in the sacrifices. They do not pay any attention to the prescribed rules. They do sacrifices in order to increase their own fame. They will not hear even the mentioning of the name of God or Brahmana. How can God or a Brahmana attend their sacrifices They perform sacrifices without paying attention to the several parts of them and the obligations enjoined in the scriptural ordinances such as the recitation of the Mantras? worship of the gods? giving of the fees? etc. They will not do the sacrifices with reverence and faith. They want that all the people should say that they are Somayajis (performers of the Soma sacrifice). They will not attain the fruits of the sacrifice. There is no idea of service in them. They perform sacrifice to deceive the world? but not out of sincerity and faith.Mana Pride consists in supposing oneself worthy of a high honour (on account of ones wealth or learning? etc.).Mada On account of intoxication of wealth the wealthy man treats the Guru and other persons who are worthy of being honoured? with contempt. Wealth and learning turn their heads. This is Mada.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
16.17 Self-conceited, haughty, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform sacrifices which are so in name only, with ostentation and regardless of the injunctions.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
16.17 Self-conceited, stubborn, rich, proud and insolent, they make a display of their patronage, disregarding the rules of decency.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Arjava (Simplicity / Straightforwardness)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)
Related verses
BG 17.12 BG 17.13 BG 9.23 SB 4.2.10 SB 10.66.2 SB 4.19.25 CC Madhya 7.31 CC Madhya 25.30 CC Antya 3.178 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.7BRS 1.2.101
Concepts
BhavaYajna
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Self-complacent, impudent, deluded by wealth and false prestige — they perform sacrifice in name only, not according to scripture.
Practical Applications
  • Distinguish scripture-aligned worship from showy religion.
  • Refuse pomp without substance.
  • Honor scripture's authority over personal preference.
Reflection Questions
  • Where has my own worship become showy?
  • What substance is missing?
Analogy

An empty drum painted gold and beaten loudly. The sound is impressive; the inside is hollow. The demoniac's yajña — bright, costly, public — is exactly this: external sacrifice with no internal offering. Scripture demands the offering of the heart; the drum has none to give.

Stories
Dakṣa's Sacrifice

Dakṣa, intoxicated by his position as Prajāpati, performed a great sacrifice and deliberately excluded Śiva — out of personal pride after a perceived slight. Vedic rules require Śiva's portion in every yajña; Dakṣa knew this and proceeded anyway, dambhena, out of pride.

The sacrifice was destroyed by Vīrabhadra at Śiva's command. Dakṣa himself was beheaded and revived with the head of a goat. Ātma-sambhāvitāḥ — self-complacent — exactly. Yajñaiḥ nāma — sacrifices in name only — exactly.

Pauṇḍraka's Imitation

Pauṇḍraka of Karūṣa, deluded by his wealth and the flattery of his courtiers, declared himself the real Vāsudeva. He had a duplicate Sudarśana cakra fashioned, wore the dress of the four-armed Lord, and demanded that Kṛṣṇa surrender to him.

Worship in name only, ritual without substance, performance dressed as devotion. Kṛṣṇa's actual cakra resolved the matter. The Bhāgavatam treats it as comic precisely because the imitation was so total and so empty.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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