आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः ।यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम् ॥
ātmasambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhanamānamadānvitāḥ |yajante nāmayajñais te dambhenāvidhipūrvakam ||
- आत्मसम्भाविताः · ātmasambhāvitāḥ
- self-glorifying, conceited
- स्तब्धाः · stabdhāḥ
- rigid, obstinate
- धनमानमदान्विताः · dhanamānamadānvitāḥ
- intoxicated with wealth and pride
- यजन्ते · yajante
- they perform sacrifice
- नामयज्ञैः · nāmayajñaiḥ
- with sacrifices in name only
- दम्भेन · dambhena
- with ostentation
- अविधिपूर्वकम् · avidhipūrvakam
- disregarding the rules
“Self-glorifying and rigid, drunk on wealth and pride, they perform so-called sacrifices with showmanship and in disregard of every rule.”
— Original plain-language translation
Ritual without reverence becomes another stage for ego — nama-yajna, sacrifice in name alone. The Gita's critique targets misuse, not worship itself; compare the sincere threefold sacrifice of 17.11–17.13. Form without spirit binds rather than frees.
— Reader's notes (original)