Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 17, Verse 13

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् । श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते

vidhihīnamasṛṣṭānnaṃ mantrahīnamadakṣiṇam | śraddhāvirahitaṃ yajñaṃ tāmasaṃ paricakṣate

Translation

They declare that worship to be Tāmasic which is contrary to the ordinances, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid of mantras and gifts, and which is devoid of faith.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

vidhihīnam

by rule, wanting

asṛṣṭānnam

not, given, food, in which, that

mantrahīnam

mantra, without

adakṣiṇam

giftless

śraddhāvirahitam

by faith, devoid

yajñam

sacrifice

tāmasam

tāmasic

paricakṣate

(they) declare

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

"Distributed": to brāhmaṇas. "Devoid of mantras": with hymns defective in utterance and accent. "Gifts": prescribed fees to priests.