Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 Verse 5 (17.5)

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः । दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः | | १७-५ | |

aśhāstravihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ dambhāhaṁkārasaṁyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ

Word-by-word guide:

Line 1:

अशास्त्रविहितम् (ashastra-vihitam) — शास्त्र-विरुद्ध(not enjoined by the scriptures)
घोरम् (ghoram) — घोर(severe/harsh)
तप्यन्ते (tapyante) — तप करते हैं(perform)
ये (ye) — जो(who)
तपः (tapah) — है(austerity/discipline)
जनाः (janah) — लोग(people)

Line 2:

danb joined in dambhāhaṁkārasaṁyuktāḥ
अहम् (aham) — मैं(I)
कः (kah) — कौन(who)
asamyuktah joined in dambhāhaṁkārasaṁyuktāḥ
काम (kama) — इच्छा/काम(desire)
राग (raga) — आसक्ति/लगाव(attachment)
बल (bala) — बल/ताकत(strength)
nv joined in kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ
इति (iti) — इस प्रकार(thus)
ah joined in kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ

English: Those who practise disciplines not commanded by scripture, who are slaves to hypocrisy and egotism, who are carried away by the fury of want and strong desire,

💡 Commentary Note

Krishna warns against severe, non-scriptural penances performed out of pride and hypocrisy. Such practices are driven by personal desire, attachment, and ego rather than true wisdom.

Learnings from Shloka 5:

Avoid Ego-Driven Penance:: Extreme physical mortification driven by vanity and show is spiritually empty and harmful.
Selfish Desires:: Austerity must be grounded in wisdom and scripture, not in the desire to impress others or seek power.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 17.5 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary

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