मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः | परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ||१७-१९||
mūḍhagrāheṇātmano yatpīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ . parasyotsādanārthaṃ vā tattāmasamudāhṛtam ||17-19||
Chapter 17 · Verse 19
Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga
श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग
In plain words
Some burn sulphur in a pot and place it on their head. Some thrust hooks of iron into their flesh. Some hang themselves with their head downwards over fire and swallow smoke.
Translation
17.19 That austerity which is practised from deluded notions by means of self-torture or in order to injure another is said to be Tamasika.
Meaning
Some burn sulphur in a pot and place it on their head. Some thrust hooks of iron into their flesh. Some hang themselves with their head downwards over fire and swallow smoke. Some stand in cold water immersed up to the neck. Some torture the body by lighting fires on the four sides (with the sun as the fifth fire -- this is known as the Panchagni Tapas). Some sit in the centre of a circle of fire. Such austerities are Tamasic. These will not help one to attain knowledge of the Self.
Word by word
मूढग्राहेण out of a foolish notion आत्मनः of the self यत् which पीडया with torture क्रियते is practised तपः austerity परस्य of another उत्सादनार्थम् for the purpose of destroying वा or तत् that तामसम् Tamasic उदाहृतम् is declared.