भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ।। 16 ।।
manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ
maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ
bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat
tapo mānasam ucyate
manaḥ-prasādaḥ – satisfaction of the mind; saumyatvam – being without duplicity towards others; maunam – gravity; ātma – of the self; vinigrahaḥ – control; bhāva – of one’s nature; saṁśuddhiḥ – purification; iti – thus; etat – this; tapaḥ – austerity; mānasam – of the mind; ucyate – is said to be.
And satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purification of one’s existence are the austerities of the mind.
To make the mind austere is to detach it from sense gratification. It should be so trained that it can be always thinking of doing good for others. The best training for the mind is gravity in thought. One should not deviate from Kṛṣṇa consciousness and must always avoid sense gratification. To purify one’s nature is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Satisfaction of the mind can be obtained only by taking the mind away from thoughts of sense enjoyment. The more we think of sense enjoyment, the more the mind becomes dissatisfied.
In the present age we unnecessarily engage the mind in so many different ways for sense gratification, and so there is no possibility of the mind’s becoming satisfied. The best course is to divert the mind to the Vedic literature, which is full of satisfying stories, as in the Purāṇas and the Mahābhārata. One can take advantage of this knowledge and thus become purified. The mind should be devoid of duplicity, and one should think of the welfare of all. Silence means that one is always thinking of self-realization. The person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness observes perfect silence in this sense. Control of the mind means detaching the mind from sense enjoyment. One should be straightforward in his dealings and thereby purify his existence. All these qualities together constitute austerity in mental activities.
TEXT 17
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः ।
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ।। 17 ।।
śraddhayā parayā taptaṁ
tapas tat tri-vidhaṁ naraiḥ
aphalākāṅkṣibhir yuktaiḥ
sāttvikaṁ paricakṣate
śraddhayā – with faith; parayā – transcendental; taptam – executed; tapaḥ – austerity; tat – that; tri-vidham – of three kinds; naraiḥ – by men; aphala-ākāṅkṣibhiḥ – who are without desires for fruits; yuktaiḥ – engaged; sāttvikam – in the mode of goodness; paricakṣate – is called.
This threefold austerity, performed with transcendental faith by men not expecting material benefits but engaged only for the sake of the Supreme, is called austerity in goodness.
TEXT 18
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् ।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रु वम् ।। 18 ।।
satkāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ
tapo dambhena caiva yat
kriyate tad iha proktaṁ
rājasaṁ calam adhruvam
sat-kāra – respect; māna – honor; pūjā – and worship; artham – for the sake of; tapaḥ – austerity; dambhena – with pride; ca – also; eva – certainly; yat – which; kriyate – is performed; tat – that; iha – in this world; proktam – is said; rājasam – in the mode of passion; calam – flickering; adhruvam – temporary.
Penance performed out of pride and for the sake of gaining respect, honor and worship is said to be in the mode of passion. It is neither stable nor permanent.
Sometimes penance and austerity are executed to attract people and receive honor, respect and worship from others. Persons in the mode of passion arrange to be worshiped by subordinates and let them wash their feet and offer riches. Such arrangements artificially made by the performance of penances are considered to be in the mode of passion. The results are temporary; they can be continued for some time, but they are not permanent.
TEXT 19
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः ।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ।। 19 ।।
mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat
pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ
parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam
mūḍha – foolish; grāheṇa – with endeavor; ātmanaḥ – of one’s own self; yat – which; pīḍayā – by torture; kriyate – is performed; tapaḥ – penance; parasya – to others; utsādana-artham – for the sake of causing annihilation; vā – or; tat – that; tāmasam – in the mode of darkness; udāhṛtam – is said to be.
Penance performed out of foolishness, with self-torture or to destroy or injure others, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
There are instances of foolish penance undertaken by demons like Hiraṇyakaśipu, who performed austere penances to become immortal and kill the demigods. He prayed to Brahmā 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.
TEXT 20
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ।। 20 ।।
dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ
dīyate ’nupakāriṇe
deśe kāle ca pātre ca
tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam
dātavyam – worth giving; iti – thus; yat – that which; dānam – charity; dīyate – is given; anupakāriṇe – irrespective of return; deśe – in a proper place; kāle – at a proper time; ca – also; pātre – to a suitable person; ca – and; tat – that; dānam – charity; sāttvikam – in the mode of goodness; smṛtam – is considered.
Charity given out of duty, without expectation of return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person is considered to be in the mode of goodness.
In the Vedic literature, charity given to a person engaged in spiritual activities is recommended. There is no recommendation for giving charity indiscriminately. Spiritual perfection is always a consideration. Therefore charity is recommended to be given at a place of pilgrimage and at lunar or solar eclipses or at the end of the month or to a qualified brāhmaṇa or a Vaiṣṇava (devotee) or in temples. Such charities should be given without any consideration of return. Charity to the poor is sometimes given out of compassion, but if a poor man is not worth giving charity to, then there is no spiritual advancement. In other words, indiscriminate charity is not recommended in the Vedic literature.
TEXT 21
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ।। 21 ।।
yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ
phalam uddiśya vā punaḥ
dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ
tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam
yat – that which; tu – but; prati-upakāra-artham – for the sake of getting some return; phalam – a result; uddiśya – desiring; vā – or; punaḥ – again; dīyate – is given; ca – also; parikliṣṭam – grudgingly; tat – that; dānam – charity; rājasam – in the mode of passion; smṛtam – is understood to be.
But charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood is said to be charity in the mode of passion.
Charity is sometimes performed for elevation to the heavenly kingdom and sometimes with great trouble and with repentance afterwards: “Why have I spent so much in this way?” Charity is also sometimes given under some obligation, at the request of a superior. These kinds of charity are said to be given in the mode of passion.
There are many charitable foundations which offer their gifts to institutions where sense gratification goes on. Such charities are not recommended in the Vedic scripture. Only charity in the mode of goodness is recommended.
TEXT 22
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रे भ्यश्च दीयते ।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ।। 22 ।।
adeśa-kāle yad dānam
apātrebhyaś ca dīyate
asat-kṛtam avajñātaṁ
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam
adeśa – at an unpurified place; kāle – and unpurified time; yat – that which; dānam – charity; apātrebhyaḥ – to unworthy persons; ca – also; dīyate – is given; asat-kṛtam – without respect; avajñātam – without proper attention; tat – that; tāmasam – in the mode of darkness; udāhṛtam – is said to be.
And charity performed at an impure place, at an improper time, to unworthy persons, or without proper attention and respect is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
Contributions for indulgence in intoxication and gambling are not encouraged here. That sort of contribution is in the mode of ignorance. Such charity is not beneficial; rather, sinful persons are encouraged. Similarly, if a person gives charity to a suitable person but without respect and without attention, that sort of charity is also said to be in the mode of darkness.
TEXT 23
ओं तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः ।
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ।। 23 ।।
oṁ tat sad iti nirdeśo
brahmaṇas tri-vidhaḥ smṛtaḥ
brāhmaṇās tena vedāś ca
yajñāś ca vihitāḥ purā
oṁ – indication of the Supreme; tat – that; sat – eternal; iti – thus; nirdeśaḥ – indication; brahmaṇaḥ – of the Supreme; tri-vidhaḥ – threefold; smṛtaḥ – is considered; brāhmaṇāḥ – the brāhmaṇas; tena – with that; vedāḥ – the Vedic literature; ca – also; yajñāḥ – sacrifice; ca – also; vihitāḥ – used; purā – formerly.
From the beginning of creation, the three words oṁ tat sat were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. These three symbolic representations were used by brāhmaṇas while chanting the hymns of the Vedas and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme.
It has been explained that penance, sacrifice, charity and foods are divided into three categories: the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. But whether first class, second class or third class, they are all conditioned, contaminated by the material modes of nature. When they are aimed at the Supreme – oṁ tat sat, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the eternal – they become means for spiritual elevation. In the scriptural injunctions such an objective is indicated. These three words, oṁ tat sat, particularly indicate the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Vedic hymns, the word oṁ is always found.
One who acts without following the regulations of the scriptures will not attain the Absolute Truth. He will get some temporary result, but not the ultimate end of life. The conclusion is that the performance of charity, sacrifice and penance must be done in the mode of goodness. Performed in the mode of passion or ignorance, they are certainly inferior in quality.
The three words oṁ tat sat are uttered in conjunction
