Bhagavad Gita 17.05-06

[Cosinuskurve]

Those who undergo severe austerities and penances not recommended in the scriptures, performing them out of pride, egotism, lust and attachment, who are impelled by passion and who torture their bodily organs as well as the Supersoul dwelling within are to be known as demons.

Namaste,

could somebody explain the meaning of the verse? I am especially interested in the classification of those who perform severe austerities because they believe they would become "holy" by that.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté

The answer as I see it is found in the 6th chapter of the bhāgavad gītā , verses 16 and 17. It is avoiding excessiveness.

iti śivaṁ

[anucarh]

Namaste,


It might help to contrast this wrong type of austerity (self-torture and harm, not scriptural, driven by afflictive emotions) with the definition of right austerity of body, speech, and mind given in B.G. 17:14-17. It includes such things as worship, chastity, nonviolence, truthful, pleasant, beneficial speech, study of scriptures, calm, gentleness, self-control, and so forth, practiced with strong faith in God without desire for the fruits of action. Right austerity is scriptural, not harmful, non-egocentric, driven by virtuous motivations, and explicitly comprises a number of the niyamas (ethical observances) and yamas (abstentions or moral restraints).


I like yajvan ji's answer also.

praṇām

[M.Krishna]

If you explore deep into this sloka, and take commentaries by saints, we will understand that severe and painful way of bakthi will make any common man fear of getting into spirituality. To prevent this fear psychosis, lord clearly spells out that this is not a necessary ordeal.

[Dutta]

Those who undergo severe austerities and penances not recommended in the scriptures, performing them out of pride, egotism, lust and attachment, who are impelled by passion and who torture their bodily organs as well as the Supersoul dwelling within are to be known as demons.

Namaste,

could somebody explain the meaning of the verse? I am especially interested in the classification of those who perform severe austerities because they believe they would become "holy" by that.

Namaste
bhagwadgita has independent place in prashthantrayi , shruti smriti and Gita .
it has been accorded a world wide sanction as the quote shloka 14/18 .
it is named as gitashashtra , shashtra means logy . Therefore anything which is beyond logic is unacceptable , tasmatshatram pramanam and yah shashtram vidhim utsrajya 23,24/16 ch Gita .
jai Sri krsna