Bodily discipline should express reverence and non-harm.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् |ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ||१७-१४||
devadvijaguruprājñapūjanaṃ śaucamārjavam . brahmacaryamahiṃsā ca śārīraṃ tapa ucyate ||17-14||
Use this verse to build physical discipline.
Meaning
Honoring the Divine, learned persons, teachers, and the wise, along with purity, straightforwardness, self-restraint, and non-violence, is called bodily austerity.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Physical tapas means respectful, pure, restrained, and non-harmful conduct.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna defines tapas of the body. It is not body-torture; it is disciplined conduct: respect for sacred sources, purity, simplicity, self-restraint, and non-violence.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna now defines tapas — austerity — in a way that redeems the word from images of harsh self-torture. The austerity of the body (sharira tapa) consists of reverence toward the divine, the learned, teachers, and the wise; of shaucha (purity), arjava (straightforwardness), brahmacharya (self-restraint), and ahimsa (non-violence). These are not punishments inflicted on the flesh but noble disciplines lived through it.
The teaching reframes spiritual effort as cultivation rather than mortification. Bodily tapas means using the body to honour others, to remain clean and honest, to master one's impulses, and to harm no one. It is austerity as integrity — a life of dignity, restraint, and respect.
Through such practice the body becomes an instrument of virtue, and discipline is shown to be an expression of love and reverence, not violence against oneself.
In daily life
Use the body to show respect, cleanliness, restraint, and care.
A person can practice bodily tapas by keeping space clean, bowing respectfully, and avoiding harmful habits.
Try this today
Do one act of bodily discipline with reverence.
My body becomes an instrument of respect and purity.Reflect
How can my body express respect today?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘आर्जवम्’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on austerity, in other chapters
- Verse 4.28Generosity, discipline, practice, and study are all sacred offerings — every sincere effort to grow is a form of sacrifice.
- Verse 18.51Realizing the Absolute begins with a purified mind, disciplined will, and freedom from attraction and aversion.
- Verse 10.5Cultivating virtues like non-violence and contentment is really aligning yourself with their Divine source.
- Verse 13.29When you see the one Self in all, harming others becomes harming yourself — and this very vision leads to the highest freedom.
Swipe left for 17.15 · Speech should be true and healing.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 17.14
Who says Bhagavad Gita 17.14, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 17.14, in Chapter 17, Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga (Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 17.14 mean?
Honoring the Divine, learned persons, teachers, and the wise, along with purity, straightforwardness, self-restraint, and non-violence, is called bodily austerity. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 17.14 for daily life?
Use the body to show respect, cleanliness, restraint, and care. A person can practice bodily tapas by keeping space clean, bowing respectfully, and avoiding harmful habits.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 17.14 mean?
देव द्विज गुरु प्राज्ञ पूजनम् — worship of the gods, the twice-born, teachers, and the wise; शौचम् — purity, cleanliness; आर्जवम् — straightforwardness, honesty; ब्रह्मचर्यम् — continence, celibacy; अहिंसा च — and non-injury.
Where does verse 17.14 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 14 of 28 in Chapter 17, Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga. The next verse is 17.15.