Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingमूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्
mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ
parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā tat tāmasam udāhṛitam
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaThat austerity which is undertaken with a foolish intent, causing pain to oneself or for the destruction of others, is said to be born of tamas.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
जो तप मूढ़तापूर्वक स्वयं को पीड़ित करते हुए अथवा अन्य लोगों के नाश के लिए किया जाता है, वह तप तामस कहा गया है।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiमूढग् राहेणात् मनोयत्
पीडया क्रियते तपः
परस् योत् सादनार् थम् वा
तत् तामस मुदा हृतम्
॥ १९ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthamūḍhathose with confused notions
grāheṇawith endeavor
ātmanaḥone’s own self
yatwhich
pīḍayātorturing
kriyateis performed
tapaḥausterity
parasyaof others
utsādana-arthamfor harming
vāor
tatthat
tāmasamin the mode of ignorance
udāhṛitamis described to be
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA17.19What austerity is tāmasika — undertaken with what intent?
That austerity which is undertaken with a foolish intent, causing pain to oneself or for the destruction of others, is said to be born of tamas.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.