Bhagavad Gita 17.14देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥
deva-dwija-guru-prājña- pūjanaṁ śhaucham
ārjavam brahmacharyam ahinsā cha śhārīraṁ tapa uchyate
Sanskrit recitation
Food, effort, and giving · 17.7–17.22 · Teaching
Translation
Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers, and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-injury are all called the austerities of the body.
Hindi translation
देवता, ब्राह्मण, गुरुजन और जीवन्मुक्त महापुरुषका पूजन करना, शुद्धि रखना, सरलता, ब्रह्मचर्यका पालन करना और हिंसा न करना -- यह शरीरसम्बन्धी तप कहा जाता है।
Meaning
Tapas Austerity or selfdiscipline.Using the feet in pilgrimage to the sacred temples using the hands in cleaning the temples, in collecting the materials of worship of God, and in performing worship prostrations to the Brahmanas, preceptors and the wise continence and noninjury, constitute physical austerity. The body is used in the service of the parents and preceptors, the poor and the sick. This is also bodily austerity. That austerity which is done by the body is physical austerity. The physical body is the chief agent in doing such austerity. Hence this is called physical austerity. The practice of nonstealing and noncovetousness are also included in physical austerity.He who has realised I am Brahman is a wise man (Prajna). A Sudra also may be a wise man. Though Vidura was a Sudra he was a sage. That is the reason why the Lord has made a separate mention of the wise.Brahmacharya means control but not suppression of the sexdesire or sexforce. If the mind is filled with sublime thoughts by meditation, Japa (repetition of a Mantra), prayer, study of holy scriptures, enquiry of Who am I, and contemplation of the sexless, pure Self, the sexdesire will be devitalised by the withdrawal of the mind. The mind also will be thinned out. Suppressed sexdesire will attack you again and again and will produce wetdreams, irritability and restlessness of the mind
After Swami Sivananda
Food, effort, and giving· 17.7–17.22→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 17.7The food that is dear to each is threefold, as well as sacrifice, austerity, and…
- 17.8The foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness (good…
- 17.9The foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning are liked by…
- 17.10That which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, rejected, and impure is the food liked by…
- 17.11That sacrifice which is offered by men without desire for reward, as enjoined by the…
- 17.12The sacrifice that is offered, O Arjuna, seeking a reward and for show, know that to be a…
- 17.13They declare that sacrifice to be Tamasic which is contrary to the ordinances of the…
17.14Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers, and the wise; purity,…
- 17.15Speech that causes no excitement, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial; the practice of…
- 17.16Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, self-control, and purity of nature—this is called…
- 17.17This threefold austerity, practiced by steadfast men, with the utmost faith, desiring no…
- 17.18The austerity that is practiced with the aim of gaining good reception, honor, and…
- 17.19That austerity which is practised out of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the…
- 17.20That gift which is given to one who does nothing in return, knowing it to be a duty to…
- 17.21And, that gift which is given with the intention of receiving something in return, or…
- 17.22The gift that is given in the wrong place and at the wrong time, to unworthy persons,…
Word-by-word→
- cha
- and
- deva
- the Supreme Lord
- guru
- the spiritual master
- dwija
- the Brahmins
- ahinsā
- non-violence
- tapaḥ
- austerity
- uchyate
- is declared as
- prājña
- the elders
- pūjanam
- worship
- ārjavam
- simplicity
- śhaucham
- cleanliness
- śhārīram
- of the body
- brahmacharyam
- celibacy
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