Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Chapter 17: The Divisions of Faith |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Bhagavad-gita As It Is 17.19
parasyotsadanartham va
SYNONYMS
mudha -- foolish; grahena -- with endeavor; atmanah -- of one's own self; yat -- which; pidaya -- by torture; kriyate -- is performed; tapah -- penance; parasya -- to others; utsadana-artham -- for the sake of causing annihilation; va -- or; tat -- that; tamasam -- in the mode of darkness; udahrtam -- is said to be.
TRANSLATION
Penance performed out of foolishness, with self-torture or to destroy or injure others, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
PURPORT
There are instances of foolish penance undertaken by demons like Hiranyakasipu, who performed austere penances to become immortal and kill the demigods. He prayed to Brahma for such things, but ultimately he was killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To undergo penances for something which is impossible is certainly in the mode of ignorance.
Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness