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17.18Krishna
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सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् ।क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥

satkāramānapūjārthaṃ tapo dambhena caiva yat |kriyate tad iha proktaṃ rājasaṃ calam adhruvam ||

सत्कारमानपूजार्थम् · satkāramānapūjārtham
for honor, respect, and reverence
तपः · tapaḥ
austerity
दम्भेन · dambhena
with ostentation
क्रियते · kriyate
is done
इह · iha
here
प्रोक्तम् · proktam
declared
राजसम् · rājasam
passionate, of rajas
चलम् · calam
unsteady
अध्रुवम् · adhruvam
fleeting, impermanent

Austerity done for honor, respect, and reverence, with showmanship — that is called passionate here: unsteady and fleeting in result.

Original plain-language translation

Performative discipline buys applause and spends itself — chala, shaky, and adhruva, not lasting. The audience becomes the reward, and the reward evaporates. Sincerity is the difference between roots and cut flowers.

Reader's notes (original)