सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्।।17.18।।
17.18 That austerity which is undertaken for earning a name, being honoured and worshipped, and also ostentatiously,-that is spoken of as born of rajas, belonging to this world, uncertain and transitory.
17.18 Respect means recognition by others. Praise means verbal adulation. Reverence means corporeal actions such as prostration etc. That austerity, practised with expectation of rewards like respect, etc., mentioned above - it is here said to be Rajasa. It is unsteady and impermanent, because of the temporary nature of its rewards like heaven etc.; unsteadiness is the result of the fear of falling. Impermanent means the tendency to perish.
Satkaaramaanapoojaartham tapo dambhena chaiva yat; Kriyate tadiha proktam raajasam chalamadhruvam.
sat-kāra—respect; māna—honor; pūjā—adoration; artham—for the sake of; tapaḥ—austerity; dambhena—with ostentation; cha—also; eva—certainly; yat—which; kriyate—is performed; tat—that; iha—in this world; proktam—is said; rājasam—in the mode of passion; chalam—flickering; adhruvam—temporary
