BhG 17.5-6

syntax

ye dambhāhaṁkāra-saṁyuktāḥ (endowed with deceit and egotism) kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ (endowed with the power of desire and passion) acetasaḥ janāḥ (mindless people) śarīra-stham (situated in the body) bhūta-grāmam (host of beings) mām ca antaḥ-śarīra-stham (and me situated inside the body) karśayantaḥ (who are making emaciated) aśāstra-vihitam ghoram tapaḥ (terrible and not prescribed by scriptures austerity) tapyante (they undergo),
[tvam] (you) tān (them) āsura-niścayān (as with demoniac resolve) viddhi (you must know).

grammar

aśāstra-vihitam	–	a-śāstra-vihita 2n.1 n.; TP: yac chāstrena vihitam nāsti tat – not prescribed by scriptures (from: √śās – to teach, śāstra – order, precept, teaching, scripture; vi-√dhā – to put, to arrange, PP vi-hita – placed, held, prescribed);
ghoram	–	ghora 2n.1 n. – terrible, ghastly (from: √ghur – to cry frightfully);
tapyante	–	√tap (to scorch) Praes. Ā 1v.3 – they scorch, they undergo austerity;
ye	–	yat sn. 1n.3 m. – those who;
tapaḥ	–	tapas 2n.1 n. – heat, austerity (from: √tap – to scorch);
janāḥ	–	jana 1n.3 m. – people, men (from: √jan – to be born, to produce);
dambhāhaṁkāra-saṁyuktāḥ	–	dambha-ahaṁ-kāra-saṁyukta 1n.1 m.; DV / TP: dambhena cāhaṁ-karena ca saṁyuktā iti – endowed with deceit and egotism (from: √dabh – to deceive, to destroy, dambha – deceit, feigning, hypocrisy; aham – I; √kṛ – to do, kāra – a doer; ahaṁ-kāra – ego, egotism, pride; √yuj – to yoke, to join, to engage, PP saṁ-yukta – yoked, endowed with);
kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ	–	kāma-rāga-bala-anvita 1n.1 m.; DV / TP: kāmasya ca rāgasya ca balenānvitā iti – endowed with the power of desire and passion (from: √kam – to wish, to love, to long for, kāma – wish, desire, pleasure; √rañj – to be dyed, be excited, be delighted, rāga – colour, passion, affection, love, beauty; bala – strength, force; anu-√i – to go along, PP anv-ita – endowed: with what? – requires instrumental);

*****

karśayantaḥ	–	karśayant (√kṛś – to become lean, emaciated) caus. PPr 1n.3 m. – who are making emaciated;
śarīra-stham	–	śarīra-stha 2n.1 m.; yaḥ śarīre tiṣṭhati tam – one situated in the body (from: √śri – to lean on, to rest on; or from: √śṝ – to break, to crush, śarīra – easy to be destroyed, the body; √sthā – to stand, -stha – suffix: being in);
bhūta-grāmam	–	bhūta-grāma 2n.1 m.; TP: bhūtānāṁ grāmam iti – hosts of beings, pile of elements (from: √bhū – to be, PP bhūta – been, real, world; grāma – collection, multitude, village);
acetasaḥ	–	a-cetas 1n.3 m. – unconscious, insensible, unthinking (from: √cit – to perceive, to think; cetas – mind, thought, heart, consciousness);
mām	–	asmat sn. 2n.1 – me;
ca	–	av. – and;
eva	–	av. – certainly, just, merely;
antaḥ-śarīra-stham	–	antaḥ-śarīra-stha 2n.1 m.; yaḥ śarīrasyāntaḥ tiṣṭhati tam – one who is situated inside the body (from: av. antar – inside, within, pośrodku; √śri – to lean on, to rest on; or from: √śṝ – to break, to crush, śarīra – easy to be destroyed, the body; √sthā – to stand, -stha – suffix: being in);
tān	–	tat sn. 2n.3 m. – them;
viddhi	–	√vid (to know, to understand) Imperat. P 2v.1 – you must know;
āsura-niścayān	–	āsura-niścaya 2n.3 m.; BV: yeṣām āsuro niścayo ‘sti tān – whose resolves are demoniac (from: asura – opponent of the heavenly, demon; āsura – demoniac, pertaining to the opponents of divinites; niś-√ci – to ascertain, to determine, niś-caya – certainty, fixed opinion);

textual variants

tapyante ye tapo janāḥ → taps tapyaṁti ye janāḥ / taps tapsyaṁti ye janāḥ (those people who undergo austerity / those people who will undergo austerity);
dambhāhaṁkāra-saṁyuktāḥ → dambho ‘haṁkāra-saṁyuktāḥ (deceit, endowed with egotism);
karśayantaḥ → karṣayaṁtaḥ (dragging, torturing);
acetasaḥ → acetanaṁ / acetasaṁ / acetanāḥ (mindless [pile of elements] / mindless [pile of elements] / they mindless);

Śāṃkara

evaṃ kāryato nirṇītāḥ sattvādi-niṣṭhāḥ śāstra-vidhy-utsarge | tatra kaścid eva sahasreṣu deva-pūjādi-paraḥ sattva-niṣṭho bhavati, bāhulyena tu rajo-niṣṭhās tamo-niṣṭhāś caiva prāṇino bhavanti | kathaṃ ?—
aśāstra-vihitaṃ na śāstra-vihitam aśāstra-vihitaṃ ghoraṃ pīḍā-karaṃ prāṇinām ātmanaś ca tapas tapyante nirvartayanti ye janās te ca dambhāhaṃkāra-saṃyuktāḥ | dambhaś cāhaṃkāraś ca dambhāhaṃkārau, tābhyāṃ saṃyuktāḥ dambhāhaṃkāra-saṃyuktāḥ, kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ kāmaś ca rāgaś ca kāma-rāgau tat-kṛtaṃ balaṃ kāma-rāga-balaṃ tenānvitāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ |

karśayantaḥ kṛśī-kurvantaḥ śarīra-sthaṃ bhūta-grāmaṃ karaṇa-samudāyam acetaso ’vivekinaḥ māṃ caiva tat-karma-buddhi-sākṣi-bhūtam antaḥ-śarīra-sthaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ karśayantaḥ, mad-anuśāsanākaraṇam eva mat-karśanam | tān viddhy āsura-niścayān āsuro niścayo yeṣāṃ te āsura-niścayās tān pariharaṇārthaṃ viddhīti upadeśaḥ

Rāmānuja

evaṃ śāstrīyeṣv eva yāgādiṣu śraddhāyukteṣu guṇataḥ phalaviśeṣaḥ. aśāstrīyeṣu tapoyāgaprabhṛtiṣu madanuśāsanaviparītatvena na kaścid api sukhalavaḥ, api tv anartha eveti hṛdi nihitaṃ vyañjayan āha
aśāstravihitam atighoram api tapo ye janāḥ tapyante / pradarśanārtham idam / aśāstravihitaṃ bahvāyāsaṃ yāgādikaṃ ye kurvate, dambhāhaṃkārasaṃyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ śarīrasthaṃ pṛthivyādibhūtasamūhaṃ karśayantaḥ, madaṃśabhūtaṃ jīvaṃ cāntaśśarīrasthaṃ karśayanto ye tapyante, yāgādikaṃ ca kurvate; tān āsuraniścayān viddhi / asurāṇāṃ niścaya āsuro niścayaḥ; asurā hi madājñāviparītakāriṇaḥ; madājñāviparītakāritvāt teṣāṃ sukhalavasaṃbandho na vidyate; api tvananarthavrāte patantīti pūrvam evoktam, „patanti narake ‚ścau” iti

Śrīdhara

rājasa-tāmaseṣv api punar viśeṣāntaram āha aśāstra-vihitam iti dvābhyām | śāstra-vidhim ajānanto ‚pi kecit prācīna-puṇya-saṃskāreṇa uttamāḥ sāttvikā eva bhavanti | kecin madhyamā rājasā bhavanti | adhamās tu tāmasā bhavanti | ye punar atyantaṃ manda-bhāgyās te gatānugatyā pāṣaṇḍa-saṅgena ca tad-ācārānuvartinaḥ santo ‚śāstra-vihitaṃ ghoraṃ bhūta-bhayaṅkaraṃ tapas tapyante kurvanti | tatra hetavaḥ dambhāhaṅkārābhyāṃ saṃyuktāḥ | tathā kāmo ‚bhilāṣaḥ | rāga āsaktiḥ | balam āgrahaḥ | etair anvitāḥ santaḥ | tān āsura-niścayān vidvīty uttareṇānvayaḥ |

kiṃ ca karśayanta iti | śarīra-sthaṃ prārambhakatvena dehe sthitaṃ bhūtānāṃ pṛthivy-ādīnāṃ grāmaṃ samūhaṃ karśayanto vṛthaiva upavāsādibhiḥ kṛśaṃ kurvanto ‚cetaso ‚vivekinaḥ | māṃ cāntaryāmitayāntaḥ-śarīra-sthaṃ deha-madhye sthitaṃ mad-ājñā-laṅghanenaiva karśayantaḥ | evaṃ ye tapaś caranti tān āsura-niścayān | āsuro ‚tikrūro niścayo yeṣāṃ tān viddhi

Madhusūdana

evam anādṛta-śāstrāṇāṃ sattvādi-niṣṭhā kāryato nirṇītā | tatra kecid rājasa-tāmasā api prāg-bhavīya-puṇya-paripākāt sāttvikā bhūtvā śāstrīya-sādhane ‚dhikriyante | ye tu durāgraheṇa durdaiva-paripāka-prāpta-durjana-saṅgādi-doṣeṇa ca rājasa-tāmasatāṃ na muñcanti te śāstrīya-mārgād bhraṣṭā asan-mārgānusaraṇeneha loke paratra ca duḥkha-bhāgina evety āha dvābhyām |
aśāstra-vihitaṃ śāstreṇa vedena pratyakṣeṇānumitena vā na vihitam aśāstreṇa buddhādy-āgamena bodhitaṃ vā ghoraṃ parasyātmanaḥ pīḍā-karaṃ tapas tapta-śilā-rohaṇādi tapyante kurvanti ye janāḥ | dambho dhārmikatva-khyāpanam ahaṃkāro ‚ham eva śreṣṭha iti durabhimānas tābhyāṃ samyag yuktāḥ, yogasya samyaktvam anāyāsena viyoga-jananā-sāmarthyaṃ kāme kāmyamāna-viṣaye yo rātgas tan-nimittaṃ balam atygra-duḥkha-sahana-sāmarthyaṃ tenānvitāḥ | kāmo viṣaye ‚bhilāṣaḥ | rāgaḥ sadā-tad-abhiniviṣṭatva-rūpo ‚bhiṣvaṅgaḥ | balam avaśyam idaṃ sādhayiṣyāmīty āgrahaḥ | tair anvitā iti vā | ata eva balad-duḥkha-darśane ‚py anivartamānāḥ, karśayantaḥ kṛśī-kurvanto vṛthopavāsādinā śarīra-sthaṃ bhūta-grāmaṃ dehendriya-saṃghātākāreṇa pariṇataṃ pṛthivyādi-bhūta-samudāyam acetaso viveka-śūnyā māṃ cāntaḥ-śarīra-sthaṃ bhoktṛ-rūpeṇa sthitaṃ bhogyasya śarīrasya kṛśīkaraṇena kṛśīkurvanta eva | māma antaryāmitvena śarīrāntaḥ-sthitaṃ buddhi-tad-vṛtti-sākṣi-bhūtam īśvaram ājñā-laṅghanena karśayanta iti vā | tān aihika-sarva-bhoga-vimukhān paratra cādhama-gati-bhāginaḥ sarva-puruṣārtha-bhraṣṭān āsura-niścayān āsuro viparyāsa-rūpo vedārtha-virodhī niścayo yeṣāṃ tān manuṣyatvena pratīyamānān apy asura-kārya-kāritvād asurān viddhi jānīhi pariharaṇāya | niścayasyāsuratvāt tat-pūrvikāṇāṃ sarvāsām antaḥ-karaṇa-vṛttīnām āsuratvam | asuratva-jāti-rahitānāṃ ca manuṣyāṇāṃ karmaṇaivāsuratvāt tān asurān viddhīti sākṣān noktam iti ca draṣṭavyam

Viśvanātha

yas tvayā pṛṣṭhaṃ ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya kāma-bhoga-rahitāḥ śraddhayā yajante teṣāṃ kā niṣṭhā iti | tasyottaram adhunā śṛṇv ity āha aśāstreti dvābhyām | ghoraṃ prāṇi-bhayaṅkaraṃ tapas tapyante kurvantīty-upalakṣaṇam idaṃ japa-yāgādikam apy aśāstrīyaṃ kurvanti | kāmācaraṇa-rāhityaṃ śraddhānvitatvaṃ ca svata eva labhyate | dambhāhaṅkāra-saṃyuktā iti | dambhāhaṅkārābhyāṃ vinā śāstra-vidhy-ullaṅghanānupapatteḥ | kāmaḥ svasyājarāmaratva-rājyādy-abhilāṣo rāgas tapasy āsaktir balaṃ hiraṇyakaśipu-prabhṛtīnām iva tapaḥ-karaṇa-sāmarthyam | tair anvitāḥ śarīra-stham ayambhakatvena deha-sthitam | bhūtānāṃ pṛthivyādīnāṃ grāmaṃ samūhaṃ karśayantaḥ kṛśī-kurvanto māṃ ca mad-aṃśa-bhūtaṃ jīvaṃ ca duḥkhayantaḥ | āsūya-niścayān asurāṇām eva niṣṭhāyāṃ sthitām ity arthaḥ

Baladeva

veda-bāhyānāṃ kadācid api durgater nistāro neti pūrvādhyāyoktaṃ dṛḍhayann āha aśāstreti dvābhyām | aśāstreṇa veda-viruddhena svāgamena vihitaṃ ghoraṃ para-pīḍakaṃ tapo ye tapyante kurvanti kāma-rāgo viṣaya-spṛhā balaṃ ca mayā śakyam etat siddhaiḥ kartum iti durāgrahaḥ śarīrastham ārambhakatayā śarīraṃ sthitaṃ bhūta-grāmaṃ pṛthivyādi-saṅghātaṃ karṣayanto vṛthopavāsādinā kṛśaṃ kurvanto ‚ntaḥ-śarīra-sthaṃ śarīra-madhya-gatāntaryāmiṇaṃ māṃ cāvajñayā karṣayanto ‚cetasaḥ śāstrīya-viveka-saṃvid-vihīnās tān veda-bāhyān āsura-niścayān niścayenāsurān viddhīti pūrvoktānāṃ teṣāṃ durgatir avarjanīyaiveti bhāvaḥ | svabhāvajayā śraddhayā yakṣa-rakṣaḥ-pretādīn yajatāṃ balavad-vaidika-sad-anugrahe sati śāstrīya-śraddhayāsura-bhāva-vināśaḥ syād eva | devān yajatāṃ tu vastutaḥ sāttvikatvāt tad-anugrahe sati śāstrīyā sulabheti sthitam