16.17 Offerings in name only Krishna speaks

आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः
यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्

ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhana-māna-madānvitāḥ
yajante nāma-yajñais te dambhenāvidhi-pūrvakam

Self-important, stubborn, full of the pride of wealth, they make offerings in name only, for show, and not as the scriptures direct.

Explanation

Offerings made in name only.

dambhena — for show. The sacrifices happen; the forms are performed; and they are performed not as the scriptures direct.

This is where chapter 17 begins. The question of whether an offering counts, and what makes it count, is about to become a whole chapter's subject — and it starts from the observation that the act alone settles nothing.

Word by word

ātma-sambhāvitāḥ: self-conceited
stabdhāḥ: stubborn
dhana: wealth
māna: pride
mada: arrogance
anvitāḥ: full of
yajante: perform sacrifice
nāma: in name only
yajñaiḥ: sacrifices
te: they
dambhena: ostentatiously
avidhi-pūrvakam: with no regards to the rules of the scriptures