17.19 Self-torture and harming others Krishna speaks
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्
mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ
parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā tat tāmasam udāhṛitam
Austerity performed out of confused notions, with self-torture, or in order to ruin another, is said to be of inertia.
Explanation
Self-torture and ruining another, in the same category.
Confused notions, self-harm, or austerity undertaken in order to destroy someone else — all of it inertia.
Putting those two in one grade is the chapter's sharpest structural claim, and 17.6 already explained why: what dwells in the body being tormented is the same thing that dwells in the other person.
Going further
Word by word
- mūḍha
- those with confused notions
- grāheṇa
- with endeavor
- ātmanaḥ
- one’s own self
- yat
- which
- pīḍayā
- torturing
- kriyate
- is performed
- tapaḥ
- austerity
- parasya
- of others
- utsādana-artham
- for harming
- vā
- or
- tat
- that
- tāmasam
- in the mode of ignorance
- udāhṛitam
- is described to be
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Austerity performed with self-torture, or in order to ruin another, is of inertia.
The chapter puts self-harm and harming others in the same category, and gives the same verdict. Severity toward oneself is not treated as a lesser fault or a misguided virtue; it is classed with cruelty.