tanyane- those who do; ye who; tapah- austerities; janaah- with pride; ahamkara- ahamkara; samyuttah- situated; kama- with lust: the people; dambhaah- rāga- with eagerness; strong; anvitaah- being inspired; karshayastah- those who cause severe pain; saristham- situated in the body; bhūtagramam- the combination; achetanah- having the mind that is on the wrong path; maam- the body; ca- also; eva- certainly; astah- within; saristham- situated in the body; tan- them; viddhi- should know; asura- nishcayan- the asuras. Material elements
Those who perform severe penances not mentioned in the scriptures out of pride, those who are driven by lust and desire, and those who are foolish and severely harm the material elements in the body and the Supreme Soul within are known as demons.
Commentary: People who perform penances not mentioned in the scriptures
For example, fasting for some ulterior motive like political gain is not mentioned in the scriptures. The scriptures have prescribed fasting for spiritual progress and not for any political or social gain. According to the Bhagavad Gita, those who undertake such penances are certainly immortal. Their actions are contrary to the teachings of the scriptures and are not beneficial to the people at all. In fact, they act out of pride, ego, lust and materialistic desires. Due to such actions, not only the material elemental composition that is the cause of the body’s formation is disturbed, but also the Lord Himself who resides in the body is disturbed. Such an unethical fasting or penance intended for some political gain is certainly a cause of great distress to others. They are not mentioned in the Vedic scriptures. A person of demonic nature thinks that by this method he can force the enemy or the other party to accept his wish. But sometimes he dies due to such fasting. The Lord does not approve of such acts. The Lord says that those who engage in them are demons. Such performances are an insult to the Lord because they are done in disobedience to the Vedic scriptures. The word “achetasa” is very important in this context. People who are in a natural state of mind should follow the scriptures without fail. Only those who are not in such a state, disregard the scriptures and disobey and devise their own penances. Those who are of demonic nature
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