Chapter XVII · Śloka 5
Śrī Kṛṣṇa uvāca
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः |
दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ||
दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ||
aśāstra-vihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ |
dambhāhaṃkāra-saṃyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ ||
dambhāhaṃkāra-saṃyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ ||
Those who perform terrible austerities not enjoined by scripture, impelled by hypocrisy and ego, driven by the force of desire and attachment —
The verse describes a distorted form of tapas: the outer form of spiritual discipline clothed in inner motivations that are their opposite. Pride, ego, desire, and attachment animate what outwardly resembles renunciation.