aśāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ dambhāhaṅkāra-saṁyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ
"Those who perform severe austerities not ordained by scripture, filled with hypocrisy and ego, impelled by desire, attachment, and force, "
What This Means:
Some people perform extreme self-torture not prescribed by wisdom teachings, driven by hypocrisy, ego, desire, and forceful self-will. This is misguided austerity.
Going Deeper:
'Aśāstra-vihitam', not ordained by scripture (unauthorized). 'Ghoram tapas', severe/terrible austerity. 'Dambha-ahaṅkāra-saṁyuktāḥ', filled with hypocrisy and ego (performing to impress or prove oneself). 'Kāma-rāga-bala-anvitāḥ', impelled by desire, attachment, and force. This describes extreme asceticism driven by ego rather than wisdom.
How To Apply This:
Extreme self-punishment can be ego-driven, 'Look how disciplined I am!' True austerity is moderate, guided by wisdom, not performed for show. If your practice is making you proud or harming you, reconsider.
Key Sanskrit Terms: