श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्ित्रविधं नरैः।अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते।।17.17।।
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्।।17.18।।
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्।।17.19।।
When that threefold austerity is undertaken with supreme faith by people who do not hanker after results and are self-controlled, they speak of it as being born of sattva.
That austerity which is undertaken for earning a name, being honored and worshipped, and also ostentatiously—that is spoken of as born of rajas, belonging to this world, uncertain, and transitory.
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.
Osho’s Commentary
Now, Krishna classifies these austerities according to the three gunas. The sattvic austerity is that which is practiced with supreme faith, without any desire for the result. It is a pure, devotional offering. The rajasic austerity is practiced for the sake of honor, respect, and worship. It is a performance, born of hypocrisy and ego. Its fruits are unstable and fleeting. And the tamasic austerity is that which is practiced with a foolish self-will, through torturing oneself, or with the malicious intent of harming another. This is the path of darkness and destruction. Look at your own spiritual practices, my friend. Are they born of love? Of ego? Or of a dark, self-destructive urge? The same outer act can be a doorway to heaven or to hell, depending on the inner quality of your consciousness.