Shloka 18

Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga — Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga

Devanagari script

सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् । क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥ १७.१८ ॥

Transliteration

satkāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ tapo dambhena caiva yat | kriyate tad iha proktaṁ rājasaṁ calam adhruvam || 17.18 ||

Translation

Die Askese jedoch, die um der Ehre, Achtung und Verehrung willen und zudem aus Heuchelei vollzogen wird, gilt hier als rājasa (von Rajas), schwankend und unbeständig.

Gita Press Meaning

Austerity performed for the sake of honor, respect, and worship, and with hypocrisy, is said to be rājasa, unstable and impermanent.

Critical Edition Meaning

Tapas done for recognition, esteem, and veneration, and accompanied by pretence, is called rājasa here—fickle and not lasting.

Comparative Note

Translations differ mainly in nuance: दम्भ (dambha) ranges from “hypocrisy” to “show/pretence,” and चलम्/अध्रुवम् are rendered “restless,” “unstable,” “inconstant,” highlighting either psychological volatility or the short-lived social payoff.

Word by Word

• सत्कार: honour, respectful reception
• Root: सत्कार

• मान: esteem, recognition
• Root: मान

• पूजा: worship, veneration
• Root: पूजा

• अर्थम्: for the sake/purpose
• Root: अर्थ

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karta
• Root: तपस्

• दम्भेन: with hypocrisy/ostentation
• दम्भेन: Karana
• Root: दम्भ

• च: and
• Root: च

• एव: indeed, just
• Root: एव

• यत्: which (that)
• Root: यद्

• क्रियते: is done, is performed
• Root: √कृ

• तत्: that
• Root: तद्

• इह: here (in this teaching/context)
• Root: इह

• प्रोक्तम्: is said/declared
• Root: √वच् (प्र+√वच्)

• राजसम्: rajasic (of the quality of rajas)
• Root: राजस

• चलम्: unstable, fickle
• Root: चल

• अध्रुवम्: non-enduring, impermanent
• Root: अध्रुव

Speakers

• Krishna

Primary Concepts

• Rajas
• Ahaṅkāra (ego-sense)
• Karma-phala (results)

Key Themes

• Critique of performative religiosity
• Social recognition as motive
• Instability of outcome-based practice

FAQs

Psychological significance?

It describes a motivation pattern driven by external validation; such practice is “unstable” because it depends on fluctuating social feedback.

Metaphysical meaning?

Because it reinforces ego-identification and attachment to status, it is portrayed as less conducive to inner purification, even if the outward act resembles spiritual discipline.

Contextual relevance?

Within the guṇa framework, the verse distinguishes sincere discipline from display-oriented practice, clarifying that intention determines the quality of tapas.

Modern Application?

It can be applied as a critique of “virtue signaling”: evaluate whether charitable or spiritual acts are primarily for image-management rather than ethical transformation.