17.19 mUdagrAhENAthmanO yath

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Chapter 17

<< Chapter 17 Verse 18

SlOkam – Original

mUdagrAhENAthmanO yath pIdayA kriyathE thapa: |
parasyothsAdhanArtham vA thath thAmasam udhAhrutham ||

word-by-word meaning

mUdagrAhENa – due to the staunch desire of foolish persons
pIdayA –  to torture the self
parasya uthsAdhanArtham vA – to torture others
yatha thapa: kriyathE – the penance which is practiced
thath – that penance
thAmasam udhAhrutham – is said to be caused by thamO guNam (ignorance)

Simple Translation

The penance which is practiced by foolish persons due to their staunch desire, to torture the self and others, is said to be caused by thamO guNam (ignorance).

Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam

‘That is declared as Tāmasa-Tapas which by the witless willed, is done to torture self, or others to hurt.’

Mūdhāḥ = the witless or stupid. Mūdha-grāheṇa = By the will or resolve of the stupid. Whatever Tapas is done by such foolish resolve, regardless of one’s own capacity etc., (to carry it out), and to torture himself, or for causing hurt to others, is called Tāmasa.

>> Chapter 17 Verse 20

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