That austerity which is practised with self-torture, out of some foolish notion, for the purpose of destroying another, is declared to be TAMASIC.

mūḍha = foolish; grāheṇa = with endeavor; ātmanaḥ = of one’s own self; yat = which; pīḍayā = by torture; kriyate = is performed; tapaḥ = penance; parasya = to others; utsādanārthaṃ = for the sake of causing annihilation; vā = or; tat = that; tāmasaṃ = in the mode of darkness; udāhṛtaṃ = is said to be.;