Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17, Verse 14

Chapter 17 – Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥

Transliteration

devadvijaguruprājñapūjanaṃ śaucamārjavam .
brahmacaryamahiṃsā ca śārīraṃ tapa ucyate ॥

Meaning

Worship of the gods, the twice-born, teachers and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, continence and non-violence: these are called austerity of the body.

Word meanings

देव – the gods
द्विज – the twice-born, the learned
गुरु – teachers, parents and elders
प्राज्ञ – the wise
पूजनम् – worship, respectful honour
शौचम् – cleanliness, outer purity
आर्जवम् – straightforwardness
ब्रह्मचर्यम् – continence, self-restraint
अहिंसा – non-violence
च – and
शारीरम् – of the body
तपः – austerity
उच्यते – is called

Anvaya (word order)

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचम् आर्जवं ब्रह्मचर्यम् अहिंसा च — (इदं) शारीरं तपः उच्यते ।

Explanation

In verses 5 and 6 of this chapter Krishna condemned demonic austerity that tortures the body. Now He shows what true austerity is. This is one of the Gita's most beautiful and practical teachings: austerity has three fields, body, speech and mind. This verse describes austerity of the body.

Notice that nothing in this list involves harming the body. For Krishna, bodily austerity means using the body rightly, not suppressing it. It has five parts.

First, deva-dvija-guru-prajna-pujanam: honouring the gods, the twice-born (learned brahmins), teachers and the wise. Bowing to them, serving them, offering them a seat and touching their feet are all practices by which the body teaches the ego to bow. 'Teachers' includes parents and other elders. A body that learns to bow humbly before others gradually bends the ego too.

Second, shaucham: outer purity, cleanliness of body, clothing, home and food. A pure mind settles more easily in a clean body. Third, arjavam: straightforwardness, the absence of crookedness in bodily conduct, acting as one thinks. There is no show, deceit or mask in it.

Fourth, brahmacharyam. Literally it means 'moving in Brahman', a life oriented towards the highest truth. In practice it means restraint of sexual desire and the senses: complete continence for students and renunciates, and a disciplined life within the bounds of dharma for householders. It conserves the body's energy and makes it available for spiritual practice.

Fifth, ahimsa: not harming any creature through the body. This is the widest of all austerities. A body that refrains from hurting others is practising the greatest austerity of all.

The Gita's austerity is thus not an escape from life but a way of making life disciplined and beautiful. Anyone can practise it, anywhere, in any circumstances.

Context

Verses 11 to 13 described the three kinds of sacrifice; here begins the description of austerity, starting with austerity of the body. The next two verses describe austerity of speech and of mind.

Life lesson

True bodily austerity does not torment the body; it shapes the body in humility, cleanliness, sincerity, restraint and non-violence. Even bowing respectfully to an elder is austerity.

Key terms

Sharira tapas: Austerity of the body — disciplined and virtuous bodily conduct
Prajna: The wise, knowers of truth
Brahmacharya: A life moving towards Brahman; restraint of the senses and of sexual desire
Shaucha: Outer cleanliness and purity