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TEXT 5-6 asastra-vihitam ghoram
karsayantah sarira-stham
SYNONYMS  asastra--not
mentioned in the scriptures; vihitam--directed; ghoram--harmful
to others; tapyante--undergo penances; ye--those; tapah--austerities;
janah--persons; dambha--pride; ahankara--egoism; samyuktah--engaged;
kama--lust; raga--attachment; bala--force; anvitah--impelled
by; karsayantah--tormenting; sarira-stham--situated within
the body; bhuta-gramam--combination of material elements; acetasah--by
such a misled mentality; mam--to Me; ca--also; eva--certainly;
antah--within; sarira-stham--situated in the body; tan--them;
viddhi--understand; asura--demons; niscayan--certainly.
TRANSLATION Those who
undergo severe austerities and penances not recommended in the scriptures,
performing them out of pride, egoism, lust and attachment, who are impelled
by passion and who torture their bodily organs as well as the Supersoul
dwelling within are to be known as demons.
PURPORT There are persons
who manufacture modes of austerity and penances which are not mentioned
in the scriptural injunctions. For instance, fasting for some ulterior
purpose, such as to promote a purely political end, is not mentioned in
the scriptural directions. The scriptures recommend fasting for spiritual
advancement, not for some political end or social purpose. Persons who
take to such austerities are, according to Bhagavad-gita, certainly
demoniac. Their acts are against the scriptural injunctions and are not
beneficial for the people in general. Actually, they act out of pride,
false ego, lust and attachment for material enjoyment. By such activities,
not only are the combination of material elements of which the body is
constructed disturbed, but also the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself
living within the body. Such unauthorized fasting or austerities for some
political end are certainly very disturbing to others. They are not mentioned
in the Vedic literature. A demoniac person may think that he can force
his enemy or other parties to comply with his desire by this method, but
sometimes one dies by such fasting. These acts are not approved by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He says that those who engage in them
are demons. Such demonstrations are insults to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead because they are enacted in disobedience to the Vedic scriptural
injunctions. The word acetasah is significant in this connection--persons
of normal mental condition must obey the scriptural injunctions. Those
who are not in such a position neglect and disobey the scriptures and manufacture
their own way of austerities and penances. One should always remember the
ultimate end of the demoniac people, as described in the previous chapter.
The Lord forces them to take birth in the womb of demoniac persons. Consequently
they will live by demoniac principles life after life without knowing their
relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If, however, such
persons are fortunate enough to be guided by a spiritual master who can
direct them to the path of Vedic wisdom, they can get out of this entanglement
and ultimately achieve the supreme goal.
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