BG - 17.19

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

mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā tat tāmasam udāhṛitam

• mūḍha - 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

Translation

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

Commentary