Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 17, verse 18 · Krishna
Bhagavad Gita 17.18 · Satkaramanapujartham Tapo
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् ।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥
satkāramānapūjārthaṃ tapo dambhena caiva yat |
kriyate tadiha proktaṃ rājasaṃ calamadhruvam ||
Translation
Austerity practised to win respect, honour and reverence, or out of hypocrisy, is said here to be rajasic; it is unstable and fleeting.
Context
Spoken by Krishna in chapter 17, Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga — “The Three Kinds of Faith”, which has 28 verses.
Frequently asked questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 17.18 mean?
Austerity practised to win respect, honour and reverence, or out of hypocrisy, is said here to be rajasic; it is unstable and fleeting.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 17.18?
Krishna, speaking to Arjuna, in chapter 17, Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga (The Three Kinds of Faith).
Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.