satkara-mana-pujartham tapo dambhena caiva yat kriyate tad iha proktam rajasam calam adhruvam
Translation
Penance performed out of pride and for the sake of gaining respect, honor and worship is said to be in the mode of passion. It is neither stable nor permanent.
Commentary by Srila Prabhupada
Sometimes penance and austerity are executed to attract people and receive honor, respect and worship from others. Persons in the mode of passion arrange to be worshiped by subordinates and let them wash their feet and offer riches. Such arrangements artificially made by the performance of penances are considered to be in the mode of passion. The results are temporary; they can be continued for some time, but they are not permanent.
Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur
The austerity performed with ostentation, for the purpose of verbal respect by others who will say he is a great man, for the purpose of gaining bodily respect from others by having them stand up when he approaches, and for the purpose of gaining mental respect from others which will manifest in the future as gifts of money and other things, is rajasic austerity. Its results are very temporary (calam) if they appear at all, and uncertain (adhruvam) that they will appear.
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