FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 17.5-6

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जना: । दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ता: कामरागबलान्विता: ॥ ५ ॥ कर्षयन्त: शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतस: । मां चैवान्त: शरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥ ६ ॥
aśāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ
[ashaastra-vihitam ghoram]
tapyante ye tapo janāḥ
[tapyante ye tapo janaah]
dambhāhaṅkāra-saṁyuktāḥ
[dambhaahankaara-samyuktaah]
kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ
[kaama-raaga-balaanvitaah]
karṣayantaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ
[karshayantah shareera-stham]
bhūta-grāmam acetasaḥ
[bhoota-graamam achetasah]
māṁ caivāntaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ
[maam chaivaantah shareera-stham]
tān viddhy āsura-niścayān
[taan viddhy aasura-nishchayaan]
Word-for-word
aśāstra — not in the scriptures vihitam — directed ghoram — harmful to others tapyante — undergo ye — those who tapaḥ — austerities janāḥ — persons dambha — with pride ahaṅkāra — and egoism saṁyuktāḥ — engaged kāma — of lust rāga — and attachment bala — by the force anvitāḥ — impelled karṣayantaḥ — tormenting śarīra - stham — situated within the body bhūta - grāmam — the combination of material elements acetasaḥ — having a misled mentality mām — Me ca — also eva — certainly antaḥ — within śarīra - stham — situated in the body tān — them viddhi — understand āsura - niścayān — demons .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
aśāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ
aśāstra
not in the scriptures
vihitam
directed
ghoram
harmful to others
tapyante ye tapo janāḥ
tapyante
undergo
ye
those who
tapaḥ
austerities
janāḥ
persons
dambhāhaṅkāra-saṁyuktāḥ
dambha
with pride
ahaṅkāra
and egoism
saṁyuktāḥ
engaged
kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ
kāma
of lust
rāga
and attachment
bala
by the force
anvitāḥ
impelled
karṣayantaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ
karṣayantaḥ
tormenting
śarīra - stham
situated within the body
bhūta-grāmam acetasaḥ
bhūta - grāmam
the combination of material elements
acetasaḥ
having a misled mentality
māṁ caivāntaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ
mām
Me
ca
also
eva
certainly
antaḥ
within
śarīra - stham
situated in the body
tān viddhy āsura-niścayān
tān
them
viddhi
understand
āsura - niścayān
demons .
Important Words
  • aśāstra — not in the scriptures
    The privative a- prefixed to śāstra. The whole verse hinges on this one syllable: take it away and the same austerity becomes sattvic. The austerity is not condemned for its severity — only for its unmooring.
  • dambha — with pride, ostentation
    Specifically the pride that displays itself — hypocritical showmanship. Not interior arrogance alone but its public performance. Kṛṣṇa names it first because it is usually the seed.
  • ahaṅkāra — and egoism
    Compound: ahaṁ ('I') + kāra ('the making'). The faculty that fabricates the false self. When austerity is offered to that false self instead of to the Lord within, the practice turns demoniac no matter how arduous.
  • karṣayantaḥ — tormenting
    Causative present participle from √kṛṣ — to drag, to wear down. Not just discipline but active dragging-down of the body. The grammar makes it violent, not ascetic.
  • mām — Me
    Accusative of aham. The decisive word. Tapas not in śāstra does not merely harm the body — it tortures Kṛṣṇa Himself, the antaryāmī seated in the heart of that very body (mām antaḥ śarīra-stham). The body being tormented contains its own Lord; that is what makes such austerity not merely foolish but offensive.
  • āsura - niścayān — demons (in resolve)
    Compound: āsura (demoniac) + niścaya (settled resolve). Kṛṣṇa is not classifying their birth — He is classifying their fixed determination. The category is behavioural, and so escapable.
Those who undergo severe austerities and penances not recommended in the scriptures, performing them out of pride and egoism, who are impelled by lust and attachment, who are foolish and who torture the material elements of the body as well as the Supersoul dwelling within, are to be known as demons.
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)
Before classifying ordinary tapas, Kṛṣṇa marks off its pathological extreme: harsh self-mortification neither sanctioned by scripture nor freed of ego is not tapas at all but demonic resolve. Such a person tortures both his own elemental body and the inner Witness who dwells within it.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The dual verse picks up the āsura typology of ch. 16. Key claim: extreme ascetic self-violence is itself violence against the antaryāmin (māṁ ca antaḥ śarīra-stham) — a strong rebuke aimed at kāpālika and certain śramaṇa practices. Note the symmetry: as the demonic worshiper (17.4 tāmasa) chases ghosts, so the demonic ascetic ritualizes ego — both bypass scripture, both fail śraddhā's true object. Sets up the proper sāttvika tapas of 17.14-17.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
ये जनाः अशास्त्र-विहितं घोरं तपः तप्यन्ते, दम्भ-अहङ्कार-संयुक्ताः काम-राग-बल-अन्विताः, अचेतसः (सन्तः) शरीर-स्थं भूत-ग्रामम् अन्तः शरीर-स्थं माम् च एव कर्षयन्तः — तान् आसुर-निश्चयान् विद्धि ।
ye janāḥ aśāstra-vihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapaḥ tapyante, dambha-ahaṅkāra-saṃyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-bala-anvitāḥ, acetasaḥ (santaḥ) śarīra-sthaṃ bhūta-grāmam antaḥ śarīra-sthaṃ mām ca eva karṣayantaḥ — tān āsura-niścayān viddhi |
Those people who perform terrible austerities not prescribed by scripture — yoked to ostentation and egoism, driven by the force of lust and passionate attachment — senseless, torturing the group of elements that constitutes the body and Me also, who dwell within the body — know them to be of demonic resolve.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
अशास्त्र-विहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपः जनाः । दम्भ-अहङ्कार-संयुक्ताः काम-राग-बल-अन्विताः ॥
aśāstra-vihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapyante ye tapaḥ janāḥ | dambha-ahaṅkāra-saṃyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-bala-anvitāḥ ||
कर्षयन्तः शरीर-स्थं भूत-ग्रामम् अचेतसः । माम् च एव अन्तः शरीर-स्थं तान् विद्धि आसुर-निश्चयान् ॥
karṣayantaḥ śarīra-sthaṃ bhūta-grāmam acetasaḥ | mām ca eva antaḥ śarīra-sthaṃ tān viddhi āsura-niścayān ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
अशास्त्र-विहितम् aśāstra-vihitam अ- + शास्त्र (n.) + विहित p.p.p. (past passive participle) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n., bahuvrīhi/karmadhāraya not enjoined by scripture
घोरम् ghoram घोर (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. terrible, gruesome
तप्यन्ते tapyante √तप् pres. (present) 3pl.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) they perform austerity
ये ye यद् (rel. pron. (pronoun)) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. those who
तपः tapaḥ तपस् (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) austerity
जनाः janāḥ जन (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural) people
दम्भ-अहङ्कार-संयुक्ताः dambha-ahaṅkāra-saṃyuktāḥ दम्भ (m.) + अहङ्कार (m.) + संयुक्त p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) joined with ostentation and egoism
काम-राग-बल-अन्विताः kāma-rāga-bala-anvitāḥ काम + राग + बल + अन्वित p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) impelled by the force of lust and attachment
कर्षयन्तः karṣayantaḥ √कृष् caus. (causative) pres. (present) ptcp. nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. tormenting, emaciating
शरीर-स्थम् śarīra-stham शरीर (n.) + स्थ (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) situated in the body
भूत-ग्रामम् bhūta-grāmam भूत (n.) + ग्राम (m.) acc.sg. (accusative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) the aggregate of elements
अचेतसः acetasaḥ अ- + चेतस् (n.-stem adj.) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. thoughtless, witless
माम् mām अस्मद् (1st pers. pron. (pronoun)) acc.sg. (accusative singular) Me
च ca ind. (indeclinable) and
एव eva ind. (indeclinable), emphatic indeed
अन्तः antaḥ ind. (indeclinable) within
तान् tān तद् (dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun)) acc.pl. (accusative plural)m. them
विद्धि viddhi √विद् impv. 2sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) know!
आसुर-निश्चयान् āsura-niścayān आसुर (adj.) + निश्चय (m.) acc.pl. (accusative plural), bahuvrīhi/tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) of demonic resolve
Purport

There are persons who manufacture modes of austerity and penance which are not mentioned in the scriptural injunctions. For instance, fasting for some ulterior purpose, such as to promote a purely political end, is not mentioned in the scriptural directions. The scriptures recommend fasting for spiritual advancement, not for some political end or social purpose. Persons who take to such austerities are, according to Bhagavad-gītā, certainly demoniac. Their acts are against the scriptural injunctions and are not beneficial for the people in general. Actually, they act out of pride, false ego, lust and attachment for material enjoyment. By such activities, not only is the combination of material elements of which the body is constructed disturbed, but also the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself living within the body. Such unauthorized fasting or austerities for some political end are certainly very disturbing to others. They are not mentioned in the Vedic literature. A demoniac person may think that he can force his enemy or other parties to comply with his desire by this method, but sometimes one dies by such fasting. These acts are not approved by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He says that those who engage in them are demons. Such demonstrations are insults to the Supreme Personality of Godhead because they are enacted in disobedience to the Vedic scriptural injunctions. The word acetasaḥ is significant in this connection. Persons of normal mental condition must obey the scriptural injunctions. Those who are not in such a position neglect and disobey the scriptures and manufacture their own way of austerities and penances. One should always remember the ultimate end of the demoniac people, as described in the previous chapter. The Lord forces them to take birth in the wombs of demoniac persons. Consequently they will live by demoniac principles life after life without knowing their relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If, however, such persons are fortunate enough to be guided by a spiritual master who can direct them to the path of Vedic wisdom, they can get out of this entanglement and ultimately achieve the supreme goal.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa comments:

It has been stated in the previous chapter that those who are neglectful of Vedic authority (veda-

bāhya) can never be delivered from their bad fate. Now this is corroborated in the two texts beginning

aśāstra- [texts 5–6]. There are those who execute austerities, in defiance of the Vedas, which are enjoined in

their own concocted scriptures, and are horrible and cause distress to other living beings. These people are

characterized by hankering for sense gratification and by their stubborn insistence that “We can accomplish

everything on our own.” They abuse the physical elements that compose their bodies. They emaciate their

bodies by unnecessary fasting and so on. By their neglect, they also torment Me, the Supersoul dwelling

within their bodies. They are oblivious—devoid of understanding how to discriminate according to scripture.

You should know such persons, who are outside the scope of Vedic authority, to be demons. Thus it is im-

plied that the bad fate of such persons is unavoidable.

What conclusion can we draw from this? Those who worship Yakṣas and Rākṣasas according to their

natural faith may receive the potent mercy of Vedic authorities, and then, by developing some faith in the

revealed scriptures, their demoniac nature may subside. But those who worship demigods are factually in the

mode of goodness, so by the mercy of saintly association it will be easier for them to develop faith in scrip-

tural authority.

While reading these descriptions of the effects of the modes of nature on a person’s worship and

activities—and the following descriptions of food, sacrifices, austerities and charity—we naturally

place ourselves and others into categories of goodness, passion or ignorance.

Individuals are not, however, neatly influenced by only one mode. Rather, they are influenced by

unique and individual combinations of modes. The three modes of nature are thus compared to

colors: goodness to yellow, passion to red, and ignorance to blue. Nine colors are created by mix-

ing each color with the remaining two colors. By again mixing each of those nine with the other

eight colors, eighty-one varieties occur. We could continuing mixing colors again and again until an

unlimited palette of colors is created. Similarly, the three modes can be mixed into three, nine and

eighty-one combinations, or mixed again to form even more subtle combinations. Indeed, each

conditioned soul acquires an individually tailored body and set of circumstances in the material

world. At times, therefore, we find a person whose modes basically agree with ours, yet who is still

different from us. Our modes may correspond with another’s in terms of nine, or even eighty-one

shadings, but the more subtle shadings of modes between individuals must certainly exist.

Bhagavad Gita Notes

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
17.5 Ye, those; janah, persons; who tapyante, undertake, perform; ghoram, severe; tapah, austerity, productive of pain to oneself as also to creatures; asastra-vihitam, not sanctioned by the scriptures; they, being dambh-ahankara-samyuktah, given to ostentation and pride; and kama-raga-bala-anvitah, impelled by the strength of passion and attachment, or possessed of passion, attachment and strength [Kama-raga can also mean desirable objects and the desire to enjoy them.]-.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
17.5 - 17.6 'Those men who perform terrible pernances not enjoined by the Sastras' - this is illustrative of sacrifices etc., of a similar nature. Those who perform sacrifices, etc., sacrifices which are not enjoined by the Sastras and demand much exertion, those who are possessed of 'ostentation and conceit and are goaded by sensual desire, attachment and passion' - they torture the group of elements such as earth etc., in their bodies. They also torture the individual self which is a part of Myself and is within their bodies. Those who perform such sacrifices etc., know them to be demoniacal in their resolves. The resolve of demons is demoniac resolve. The demons are those who act contrary to My ?ndments. Since they act contrary to My ?ndments, they do not have even a iota of joy, but as stated earlier, they fall a prey to a multitude of calamities. 'They fall into a foul Naraka' (16.16). Now, Sri Krsna, resuming the subject, details the differences according to the Gunas with reference to sacrifice, etc., enjoined by the Sastras. To begin with, he describes three kinds of food, since the growth of Sattva etc., has its source in food, as Srutis declare thus: 'For my dear, the mind consists of food' (Cha. U., 6.5.4) and 'when the food is pure, the man becomes pure' (Cha. U., 7.26.2).
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
17.5 See Comment under 17.6
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
17.5 Those men who practise terrific austerities not enjoined by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, impelled by the force of lust and attachment.
Commentary

17.5 अशास्त्रविहितम् not enjoined by the scriptures? घोरम् terrific? तप्यन्ते practise? ये who? तपः austerity? जनाः men? दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः given to hypocrisy and egoism? कामरागबलान्विताः by the force of lust and attachment.Commentary There are some who think that the mortification of the body is the proper means to attain the goal of life. They do this in order to attract the people and get money for the gratification of their senses. They stand on one leg with raised hands. This is not real Tapas. This is Tamasic Tapas. Bodily torture will not bring emancipation. These men are not acainted with even the first elements of the scriptures. They mock at the religious practices of the wise? elderly persons and jeer at learned men. They are puffed up with the vanity of their own greatness. They are proud of their wealth. They perform unauthorised austerities. These persons do severe austerities contrary to the scriptures on the strength of desire and attachment.They take even the lives of children to propitiate their deity. Instead of killing their egoism? they kill many innocent animals in the name of sacrifice but in reality they kill them to satisfy their own palate. Most horrible indeed They speak ill of the scriptures and wander about in the forest of delusion and infatuation. They follow the dictates of passion. They inflict pain on themselves and on others. They practise austerities which cause pain to themselves and to other living beings. Pitiable indeed is their lot. They are doomed to destruction.Kamaragabalanvitah may also be interpreted as possessed of lust? attachment and power.Dambha Ostentation The man of Dambha is desirous that all people should take him for a virtuous man and so he expresses to others his righteous nature. In reality he is not virtuous. He pretends to be what he is not.Ahankara Egoism The egoistic man thinks and feels that he is superior to others in the possession of all virtuous alities.Raga Extreme attachment to sensual objects.Bala Great power of enduring severe pain on account of Raga for sensual objects (pain that accrues from exertion in attaining and preserving the objects).Kama Lust Desire for any object.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
17.5 Those persons who, given to ostentation and pride, and possessed of passion, attachment and strength, undertake severe austerities not sanctioned in the scriptures;
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
17.5 Those who practise austerities not commanded by scripture, who are slaves to hypocrisy and egotism, who are carried away by the fury of desire and passion,
Related values & verses
Related values
Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)Samata (Equanimity / Even-mindedness)Brahmacharya (Self-discipline / Restraint)Discriminative WisdomVairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Satya (Truthfulness)
Related verses
BG 16.7 BG 16.17 BG 6.16 SB 7.3.1 SB 7.3.12 SB 4.19.37 CC Ādi 17.265 CC Madhya 22.118 CC Madhya 19.159 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.7BRS 1.2.113
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Those who undergo severe austerities not authorized by scripture — driven by pride and ego, with lust and attachment — torture the bodily organs and Me within the body; know them as demoniac.
Practical Applications
  • Don't admire austerities not authorized by scripture.
  • Recognize that ego-driven austerity is demoniac.
  • Honor scripture's standard of austerity.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have I admired ego-driven austerity?
  • What scripture-authorized practice fits my path?
Analogy

An austerity not lit by scripture is like a fire kindled inside the house — it consumes the very rooms it claims to purify. Pride pours the oil, ego strikes the match, and the body and the Lord within it both burn. True tapas is fire kept in the hearth where śāstra has laid the stones.

Stories
Hiraṇyakaśipu's austerity

Hiraṇyakaśipu performed austerities so severe that ant-hills covered his body and the heat of his tapas scorched the universe. But the austerity was for one purpose: to defeat death and rule creation. It was unauthorized by śāstra in its aim, driven by dambha and ahaṅkāra, fueled by kāma and rāga.

Bhāgavatam shows the result: Brahmā gave him the boons he asked for, but the inner Lord — the same Lord whose body he was tormenting from within — eventually emerged from a pillar to end the project. Hiraṇyakaśipu is Kṛṣṇa's living illustration of āsura-niścayān: the demon-resolve described in this very verse.

Rāvaṇa's ten heads

Rāvaṇa too undertook fierce tapas — by one tradition cutting off his own heads in offering until Brahmā stopped him. The penance was real; the boons were genuine. But the aim was conquest, the fuel was pride, and the body being tortured housed the Supersoul whom Rāvaṇa was already in mounting opposition to.

The Rāmāyaṇa records the end: Rāma's arrow, every austerity-acquired boon notwithstanding. Tapas without śāstra-vidhi does not fail to produce results — it produces the wrong ones.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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