Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 Verse 19
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 17 श्लोक 19

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्।।17.19।।



English Translation - Swami Gambirananda
17.19 That austerity which is undertaken with a foolish intent, by causing pain to oneself, or for the destruction of others-that is said to be born of tamas.


English Translation - Swami Sivananda
17.19 That austerity which is practised out of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the purpose of destroying another, is declared to be Tamasic.


English Translation - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
17.19. What austerity is practised with foolish obstinacy  [and] with self-torture only in order to destroy other person-that is declared to be of the Tamas.


English Commentary  - Swami Sivananda
17.19 मूढग्राहेण out of a foolish notion? आत्मनः of the self? यत् which? पीडया with torture? क्रियते is practised? तपः austerity? परस्य of another? उत्सादनार्थम् for the purpose of destroying? वा or? तत् that? तामसम् Tamasic? उदाहृतम् is declared.Commentary Some burn sulphur in a pot and place it on their head. Some thrust hooks of iron into their flesh. Some hang themselves with their head downwards over fire and swallow smoke. Some stand in cold water immersed up to the neck. Some torture the body by lighting fires on the four sides (with the sun as the fifth fire -- this is known as the Panchagni Tapas). Some sit in the centre of a circle of fire. Such austerities are Tamasic. These will not help one to attain knowledge of the Self.


English Translation of Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya's
17.19 Yat, that; tapah, austerity; which is kriyate, under-taken; mudha-grahena, with a foolish intent, with a conviction arising out of non-discriminating; pidaya, causing pain; atmanah, to oneself (to ones body etc.); va, or; utsadanartham, for the destruction; parasya, of another; tat, that; is udahrtam, said to be; an austerity tamasam, born of tamas.
Now the classification of charity is being spoken of:


English Translation of Commentary  - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
17.17-19 Sraddhaya etc. upto tamasam udahrtam.  There is faith in all the three-fold austerity.  the faith of a man of the Sattva is full of austerity itself.  The faith of a man of the Rajas is in the Rajas i.e, showing  (or hyprocricy) etc.  But, the faith (or desire) of a man well established in the Tamas  is merely in ruining others.  Thus the sage speaks of all the three-fold austerity practised with faith.


English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary
17.19 Deluded persons are those who lack correct understanding. That austerity which is practised from deluded notion, viz., from the obstinate determination by deluded persons, by self-torture regardless of ones own capacity or which is performed for causing sufferings to others - that is said to be Tamasika.


Commentary  - Chakravarthi Ji
Muda grahena means to be performed out of foolishness. Parasya utsadana artham means performed with the intention of harming others.


Rudra Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary

Now Lord Krishna explains tapah or austerities that are indicative  of  tama
guna the  mode  of  ignorance.  The  austerities  that  consist  of  foolish
concoctions as well  as  diabolical  practices  due  to  an  acute  lack  of
discrimination, which is sadistic and masochistic, which causes  mental  and
physical anguish to oneself such as flagellation and causes acute  suffering
to others such  as  blood  rituals  and  human  and  animal  sacrifices  are
irrevocably situated completely in the darkness of tama guna.


Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary



Shri Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary

Now Lord Krishna explains the austerities that are of tama guna or  mode  of
ignorance. The word mudha means foolish. The word grahena  means  endeavour.
Those who foolishly endeavour are the ignorant. Those who torture  and  give
pain to themselves and diabolically cause injury  and  suffering  to  others
are depraved and their dark resolves  are  at  the  pinnacle  of  nescience.
Whatever activity they enact  by  such  convoluted  resolves  regardless  of
success or failure is in the darkness of tama guna.


Kumara Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary
Now Lord Krishna explains the austerities that are of tama guna or  mode  of
ignorance. The word mudha means foolish. The word grahena  means  endeavour.
Those who foolishly endeavour are the ignorant. Those who torture  and  give
pain to themselves and diabolically cause injury  and  suffering  to  others
are depraved and their dark resolves  are  at  the  pinnacle  of  nescience.
Whatever activity they enact  by  such  convoluted  resolves  regardless  of
success or failure is in the darkness of tama guna.


Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 17.19Moodhagraahenaatmano yat peedayaa kriyate tapah;
Parasyotsaadanaartham vaa tattaamasamudaahritam.


Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 17.19mūḍha—those with confused notions; grāheṇa—with endeavor; ātmanaḥ—one’s own self; yat—which; pīḍayā—torturing; kriyate—is performed; tapaḥ—austerity; parasya—of others; utsādana-artham—for harming; vā—or; tat—that; tāmasam—in the mode of ignorance; udāhṛitam—is described to be