Bhagavad Gita 17.5
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः॥
aśhāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ dambhāhankāra-sanyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ
Translation
The men who perform severe austerities, unenjoined by the Scriptures, wedded to vanity and egoism, impelled by the force of their desires and passions,
What it means
Those who practice severe austerities not enjoined by scripture, joined to hypocrisy and egoism, driven by the force of desire and attachment. Extreme self-denial can be vanity in disguise. Suffering itself becomes a display.
Try this today
Austerity can be vanity in costume: severity driven by ego rather than discipline.
Something to reflect on
Where has my self-denial become a display?
Read it in Yathora