Chapter 17
Śraddhātraya-vibhāga-yoga
The Three Divisions of Faith
Arjuna said: What is the standing of those who disregard the rules of scripture yet worship with faith, O Kṛṣṇa? Is it in sattva, rajas, or tamas?
arjuna uvāca ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ | teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ || 1 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Lord Kṛṣṇa said: The faith of embodied beings, arising from their inherent nature, is of three types, namely sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Hear My description of them.
śrī-bhagavān uvāca tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā | sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṁ śṛṇu || 2 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
O descendant of Bharata, everyone’s faith is in accordance with their being. A person is made of faith—whatever their faith, that is what they become.
sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata | śraddhā-mayo ’yaṁ puruṣo yo yac-chraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ || 3 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Those of sattvic nature worship the devas. Those of rajasic nature worship Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, while others, those persons with a tamasic nature, worship ghosts and spirits.
yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ | pretān bhūta-gaṇāṁś cānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ || 4 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Those who practice severe austerities not ordained by scripture, filled with hypocrisy and egoism, driven by desire and attachment, and lacking wisdom—they torture the elements within their body as well as Me, who dwells within the body. Know such people have a demonic resolve.
aśāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ | dambhāhaṅkāra-saṁyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ || 5 || karṣayantaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ bhūta-grāmam acetasaḥ | māṁ caivāntaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ tān viddhy āsura-niścayān || 6 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
The food that is dear to all is also of three types, as are sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Listen to the distinction between them.
āhāras tv api sarvasya tri-vidho bhavati priyaḥ | yajñas tapas tathā dānaṁ teṣāṁ bhedam imaṁ śṛṇu || 7 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Foods that increase longevity, alertness, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction, that are tasty, smooth, crisp, and pleasant, are dear to those of sattvic temperament.
āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ | rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ || 8 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Foods that are bitter, sour, very salty, very hot, pungent, dry, and burning, and that produce pain, sorrow, and disease, are liked by those of rajasic temperament.
kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣṇa-tīkṣṇa-rūkṣa-vidāhinaḥ | āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkha-śokāmaya-pradāḥ || 9 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Food that is stale, tasteless, foul, putrid, leftover, and impure is dear to those of tamasic temperament.
yāta-yāmaṁ | gata-rasaṁ pūti paryuṣitaṁ ca yat ucchiṣṭam api cāmedhyaṁ bhojanaṁ tāmasa-priyam || 10 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Sacrifice performed as prescribed by scripture by those without any desire for reward, who have mental resolve that it is to be performed out of duty alone, is sattvic in nature.
aphalākāṅkṣibhir yajño vidhi-diṣṭo ya ijyate | yaṣṭavyam eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ || 11 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
But know that sacrifice performed with an aim for the reward and with the aim of deceiving is rajasic in nature, O best of the Bharatas.
abhisandhāya tu | phalaṁ dambhārtham api caiva yat ijyate bharata-śreṣṭha taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam || 12 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Sacrifice not based on scriptural authority, without the offering of food, without recitation of mantras, lacking faith, and devoid of gifts to brāhmaṇas, is considered to be tamasic in nature.
vidhi-hīnam asṛṣṭānnaṁ mantra-hīnam adakṣiṇam | śraddhā-virahitaṁ yajñaṁ tāmasaṁ paricakṣate || 13 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
The worship of the devas, brāhmaṇas, teachers, and enlightened beings, as well as purity, honesty, celibacy, and non-violence—this is said to be bodily austerity.
deva-dvija-guru-prājña-pūjanaṁ śaucam ārjavam | brahmacaryam ahiṁsā ca śārīraṁ tapa ucyate || 14 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Speech that does not cause distress to others, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, as well as the recitation of the Vedas—this is said to be verbal austerity.
anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat | svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate || 15 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Calmness of mind, benevolence, silence, self-restraint, and purity of being—this is said to be mental austerity.
manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ | bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat tapo mānasam ucyate || 16 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
When practiced with supreme faith by those who are disciplined and don’t desire any reward, this threefold austerity is considered sattvic in nature.
śraddhayā parayā taptaṁ tapas tat tri-vidhaṁ naraiḥ | aphalākāṅkṣibhir yuktaiḥ sāttvikaṁ paricakṣate || 17 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Austerity that is performed with hypocrisy, for the sake of honor, praise, and good reputation alone, is said to be rajasic, unsteady, and impermanent in this world.
satkāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ tapo dambhena caiva yat | kriyate tad iha proktaṁ rājasaṁ calam adhruvam || 18 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Austerity practiced with a deluded notion, for the sake of torturing oneself or inflicting harm on others, is considered tamasic.
mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ | parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā tat tāmasam udāhṛtam || 19 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Charity that is given for the sake of giving, to someone from whom no benefit is expected, and according to the proper place, time, and recipient, is said to be sattvic in nature.
dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ dīyate ’nupakāriṇe deśe kāle | ca pātre ca tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam || 20 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
But charity that is given for the sake of receiving in return, or in hope of some other result, or done grudgingly, is considered rajasic.
yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ phalam uddiśya vā punaḥ | dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam || 21 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Charity that is given at the wrong place and time, to unworthy recipients, with contempt and without respect, is considered tamasic.
adeśa-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaś ca dīyate | asat-kṛtam avajñātaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛtam || 22 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
“Oṁ tat sat”—this is considered the threefold indication of Brahman by which the brāhmaṇas, the Vedas, and yajñas were established in former times.
oṁ tat sad iti nirdeśo brahmaṇas tri-vidhaḥ smṛtaḥ | brāhmaṇās tena vedāś ca yajñāś ca vihitāḥ purā || 23 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Therefore, the acts of worship, charity, and austerity prescribed by scripture are always begun with the chanting of oṁ by the followers of the Vedas.
tasmād oṁ ity udāhṛtya yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ | pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṁ brahma-vādinām || 24 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Without expecting the fruit of their action, the seekers of liberation chant “tat” when performing various acts of sacrifice, austerity, and charity.
tad ity anabhisandhāya phalaṁ yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ | dāna-kriyāś ca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣa-kāṅkṣibhiḥ || 25 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
The term “sat” is used in the sense of “existence” and “virtue”. It is also used for an auspicious action, O Pārtha.
sad-bhāve sādhu-bhāve ca sad ity etat prayujyate | praśaste karmaṇi tathā sac-chabdaḥ pārtha yujyate || 26 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Perseverance in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is called “sat”; and any action performed for the sake of these is also termed “sat”.
yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ sad iti cocyate | karma caiva tad-arthīyaṁ sad ity evābhidhīyate || 27 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
O Pārtha, whatever is offered as sacrifice, given in charity, practiced as austerity, and whatever else is carried out—if it is devoid of faith, it is called “asat.” It is worthless in this world and the next.
aśraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ tapas taptaṁ kṛtaṁ ca yat | asad ity ucyate pārtha na ca tat pretya no iha || 28 ||
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Continue to the next chapter or move into chanting and reflection.