BG 17.19
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः ।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ
parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā tat tāmasam udāhṛtam
parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā tat tāmasam udāhṛtam
Word-for-word meanings
tat — that; tapaḥ — austerity; yat — which; kriyate — is performed; mūḍha-grāheṇa — out of a foolish whim; pīḍayā — with torture; ātmanaḥ — of one’s own self; vā — or; utsādana-artham — for the destruction; parasya — of others; udāhṛtam — is said to be; tāmasam — of the nature of tamas.
Translation
That austerity which is performed out of a foolish whim, with self-torture, or for the destruction of others, is said to be of the nature of tamas.