Bhagavad Gita · Shraddhatraya Vibhaga YogaChapter 17, Shloka 5 (17.5)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः
दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः
॥ 17.5 ॥
aśāstravihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ
dambhāhaṅkārasaṃyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ
Translation
"Those who practise fierce austerities not sanctioned by scripture — full of ostentation and ego, driven by desire, attachment and pride in their strength —"
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. ghoraṃ pīḍākaraṃ prāṇinām ātmanaś ca — fierce = causing pain to living beings and to oneself.
Acharya Ramanuja. aśāstravihitaṃ bahvāyāsaṃ yāgādikaṃ — contrary to scripture, involving great strain.
Shridhara Swami. A gentle division: śāstravidhim ajānanto 'pi kecit prācīnapuṇyasaṃskāreṇottamāḥ sāttvikā eva bhavanti — some who do not know the scriptures are nevertheless sattvic, through impressions of old merit; and those who practise fierce austerities are atyantaṃ mandabhāgyāḥ gatānugatyā — those who follow the crowd (in his words, pākhaṇḍasaṅgena).
Madhusudana Saraswati. kecid rājasatāmasā api prāgbhavīyapuṇyaparipākāt sāttvikā bhūtvā — some rajasic and tamasic people too become sattvic through the ripening of merit; for those who do not change, iha loke paratra ca duḥkhabhāgina eva — sorrow here and hereafter.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.