TEXT 11
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते ।
यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ।। 11 ।।
aphalākāṅkṣibhir yajño
vidhi-diṣṭo ya ijyate
yaṣṭavyam eveti manaḥ
samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ
aphala-ākāṅkṣibhiḥ – by those devoid of desire for result; yajñaḥ – sacrifice; vidhi-diṣṭaḥ – according to the direction of scripture; yaḥ – which; ijyate – is performed; yaṣṭavyam – must be performed; eva – certainly; iti – thus; manaḥ – mind; samādhāya – fixing; saḥ – it; sāttvikaḥ – in the mode of goodness.
TRANSLATION
Of sacrifices, the sacrifice performed according to the directions of scripture, as a matter of duty, by those who desire no reward, is of the nature of goodness.
PURPORT
The general tendency is to offer sacrifice with some purpose in mind, but here it is stated that sacrifice should be performed without any such desire. It should be done as a matter of duty. Take, for example, the performance of rituals in temples or in churches. Generally they are performed with the purpose of material benefit, but that is not in the mode of goodness. One should go to a temple or church as a matter of duty, offer respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and offer flowers and eatables without any purpose of obtaining material benefit. Everyone thinks that there is no use in going to the temple just to worship God. But worship for economic benefit is not recommended in the scriptural injunctions. One should go simply to offer respect to the Deity. That will place one in the mode of goodness. It is the duty of every civilized man to obey the injunctions of the scriptures and offer respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 12
अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् ।
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ।। 12 ।।
abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ
dambhārtham api caiva yat
ijyate bharata-śreṣṭha
taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam
abhisandhāya – desiring; tu – but; phalam – the result; dambha – pride; artham – for the sake of; api – also; ca – and; eva – certainly; yat – that which; ijyate – is performed; bharata-śreṣṭha – O chief of the Bhāratas; tam – that; yajñam – sacrifice; viddhi – know; rājasam – in the mode of passion.
TRANSLATION
But the sacrifice performed for some material benefit, or for the sake of pride, O chief of the Bhāratas, you should know to be in the mode of passion.
PURPORT
Sometimes sacrifices and rituals are performed for elevation to the heavenly kingdom or for some material benefits in this world. Such sacrifices or ritualistic performances are considered to be in the mode of passion.
TEXT 13
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् ।
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ।। 13 ।।
vidhi-hīnam asṛṣṭānnaṁ
mantra-hīnam adakṣiṇam
śraddhā-virahitaṁ yajñaṁ
tāmasaṁ paricakṣate
vidhi-hīnam – without scriptural direction; asṛṣṭa-annam – without distribution of prasādam; mantra-hīnam – with no chanting of the Vedic hymns; adakṣiṇam – with no remunerations to the priests; śraddhā – faith; virahitam – without; yajñam – sacrifice; tāmasam – in the mode of ignorance; paricakṣate – is to be considered.
TRANSLATION
Any sacrifice performed without regard for the directions of scripture, without distribution of prasādam [spiritual food], without chanting of Vedic hymns and remunerations to the priests, and without faith is considered to be in the mode of ignorance.
PURPORT
Faith in the mode of darkness or ignorance is actually faithlessness. Sometimes people worship some demigod just to make money and then spend the money for recreation, ignoring the scriptural injunctions. Such ceremonial shows of religiosity are not accepted as genuine. They are all in the mode of darkness; they produce a demoniac mentality and do not benefit human society.
TEXT 14
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ।। 14 ।।
deva-dvija-guru-prājña-
pūjanaṁ śaucam ārjavam
brahmacaryam ahiṁsā ca
śārīraṁ tapa ucyate
deva – of the Supreme Lord; dvija – the brāhmaṇas; guru – the spiritual master; prājña – and worshipable personalities; pūjanam – worship; śaucam – cleanliness; ārjavam – simplicity; brahmacaryam – celibacy; ahiṁsā – nonviolence; ca – also; śārīram – pertaining to the body; tapaḥ – austerity; ucyate – is said to be.
TRANSLATION
Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Supreme Lord, the brāhmaṇas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence.
PURPORT
The Supreme Godhead here explains the different kinds of austerity and penance. First He explains the austerities and penances practiced by the body. One should offer, or learn to offer, respect to God or to the demigods, the perfect, qualified brāhmaṇas and the spiritual master and superiors like father, mother or any person who is conversant with Vedic knowledge. These should be given proper respect. One should practice cleansing oneself externally and internally, and he should learn to become simple in behavior. He should not do anything which is not sanctioned by the scriptural injunctions. He should not indulge in sex outside of married life, for sex is sanctioned in the scripture only in marriage, not otherwise. This is called celibacy. These are penances and austerities as far as the body is concerned.
TEXT 15
अनुद्वे गकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् ।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ।। 15 ।।
anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ
satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat
svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva
vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate
anudvega-karam – not agitating; vākyam – words; satyam – truthful; priya – dear; hitam – beneficial; ca – also; yat – which; svādhyāya – of Vedic study; abhyasanam – practice; ca – also; eva – certainly; vāk-mayam – of the voice; tapaḥ – austerity; ucyate – is said to be.
TRANSLATION
Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature.
PURPORT
One should not speak in such a way as to agitate the minds of others. Of course, when a teacher speaks, he can speak the truth for the instruction of his students, but such a teacher should not speak to those who are not his students if he will agitate their minds. This is penance as far as talking is concerned. Besides that, one should not talk nonsense. The process of speaking in spiritual circles is to say something upheld by the scriptures. One should at once quote from scriptural authority to back up what he is saying. At the same time, such talk should be very pleasurable to the ear. By such discussions, one may derive the highest benefit and elevate human society. There is a limitless stock of Vedic literature, and one should study this. This is called penance of speech.
TEXT 16
मनःप्रसादः
सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः ।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ।। 16 ।।
manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ
maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ
bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat
tapo mānasam ucyate
manaḥ-prasādaḥ – satisfaction of the mind; saumyatvam – being without duplicity towards others; maunam – gravity; ātma – of the self; vinigrahaḥ – control; bhāva – of one’s nature; saṁśuddhiḥ – purification; iti – thus; etat – this; tapaḥ – austerity; mānasam – of the mind; ucyate – is said to be.
TRANSLATION
And satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purification of one’s existence are the austerities of the mind.
PURPORT
To make the mind austere is to detach it from sense gratification. It should be so trained that it can be always thinking of doing good for others. The best training for the mind is gravity in thought. One should not deviate from Kṛṣṇa consciousness and must always avoid sense gratification. To purify one’s nature is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Satisfaction of the mind can be obtained only by taking the mind away from thoughts of sense enjoyment. The more we think of sense enjoyment, the more the mind becomes dissatisfied. In the present age we unnecessarily engage the mind in so many different ways for sense gratification, and so there is no possibility of the mind’s becoming satisfied. The best course is to divert the mind to the Vedic literature, which is full of satisfying stories, as in the Purāṇas and the Mahābhārata. One can take advantage of this knowledge and thus become purified. The mind should be devoid of duplicity, and one should think of the welfare of all. Silence means that one is always thinking of self-realization. The person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness observes perfect silence in this sense. Control of the mind means detaching the mind from sense enjoyment. One should be straightforward in his dealings and thereby purify his existence. All these qualities together constitute austerity in mental activities.
TEXT 17
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः ।
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ।। 17 ।।
śraddhayā parayā taptaṁ
tapas tat tri-vidhaṁ naraiḥ
aphalākāṅkṣibhir yuktaiḥ
sāttvikaṁ paricakṣate
śraddhayā – with faith; parayā – transcendental; taptam – executed; tapaḥ – austerity; tat – that; tri-vidham – of three kinds; naraiḥ – by men; aphala-ākāṅkṣibhiḥ – who are without desires for fruits; yuktaiḥ – engaged; sāttvikam – in the mode of goodness; paricakṣate – is called.
TRANSLATION
This threefold austerity, performed with transcendental faith by men not expecting material benefits but engaged only for the sake of the Supreme, is called austerity in goodness.
TEXT 18
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् ।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रु वम् ।। 18 ।।
satkāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ
tapo dambhena caiva yat
kriyate tad iha proktaṁ
rājasaṁ calam adhruvam
sat-kāra – respect; māna – honor; pūjā – and worship; artham – for the sake of; tapaḥ – austerity; dambhena – with pride; ca – also; eva – certainly; yat – which; kriyate – is performed; tat – that; iha – in this world; proktam – is said; rājasam – in the mode of passion; calam – flickering; adhruvam – temporary.
TRANSLATION
Penance performed out of pride and for the sake of gaining respect, honor and worship is said to be in the mode of passion. It is neither stable nor permanent.
PURPORT
Sometimes penance and austerity are executed to attract people and receive honor, respect and worship from others. Persons in the mode of passion arrange to be worshiped by subordinates and let them wash their feet and offer riches. Such arrangements artificially made by the performance of penances are considered to be in the mode of passion. The results are temporary; they can be continued for some time, but they are not permanent.
TEXT 19
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः ।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ।। 19 ।।
mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat
pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ
parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam
mūḍha – foolish; grāheṇa – with endeavor; ātmanaḥ – of one’s own self; yat – which; pīḍayā – by torture; kriyate – is performed; tapaḥ – penance; parasya – to others; utsādana-artham – for the sake of causing annihilation; vā – or; tat – that; tāmasam – in the mode of darkness; udāhṛtam – is said to be.
TRANSLATION
Penance performed out of foolishness, with self-torture or to destroy or injure others, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
PURPORT
There are instances of foolish penance undertaken by demons like Hiraṇyakaśipu, who performed austere penances to become immortal and kill the demigods. He prayed to Brahmā for such things, but ultimately he was killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To undergo penances for something which is impossible is certainly in the mode of ignorance.
TEXT 20
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ।। 20 ।।
dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ
dīyate ’nupakāriṇe
deśe kāle ca pātre ca
tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam
dātavyam – worth giving; iti – thus; yat – that which; dānam – charity; dīyate – is given; anupakāriṇe – irrespective of return; deśe – in a proper place; kāle – at a proper time; ca – also; pātre – to a suitable person; ca – and; tat – that; dānam – charity; sāttvikam – in the mode of goodness; smṛtam – is considered.
TRANSLATION
Charity given out of duty, without expectation of return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person is considered to be in the mode of goodness.
PURPORT
In the Vedic literature, charity given to a person engaged in spiritual activities is recommended. There is no recommendation for giving charity indiscriminately. Spiritual perfection is always a consideration. Therefore charity is recommended to be given at a place of pilgrimage and at lunar or solar eclipses or at the end of the month or to a qualified brāhmaṇa or a Vaiṣṇava (devotee) or in temples. Such charities should be given without any consideration of return. Charity to the poor is sometimes given out of compassion, but if a poor man is not worth giving charity to, then there is no spiritual advancement. In other words, indiscriminate charity is not recommended in the Vedic literature.
TEXT 21
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ।। 21 ।।
yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ
phalam uddiśya vā punaḥ
dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ
tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam
yat – that which; tu – but; prati-upakāra-artham – for the sake of getting some return; phalam – a re
sult; uddiśya – desiring; vā – or; punaḥ – again; dīyate – is given; ca – also; parikliṣṭam – grudgingly; tat – that; dānam – charity; rājasam – in the mode of passion; smṛtam – is understood to be.
TRANSLATION
But charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood is said to be charity in the mode of passion.
PURPORT
Charity is sometimes performed for elevation to the heavenly kingdom and sometimes with great trouble and with repentance afterwards: “Why have I spent so much in this way?” Charity is also sometimes given under some obligation, at the request of a superior. These kinds of charity are said to be given in the mode of passion.
There are many charitable foundations which offer their gifts to institutions where sense gratification goes on. Such charities are not recommended in the Vedic scripture. Only charity in the mode of goodness is recommended.
TEXT 22
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रे भ्यश्च दीयते ।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ।। 22 ।।
adeśa-kāle yad dānam
apātrebhyaś ca dīyate
asat-kṛtam avajñātaṁ
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is Page 92
