Chapter 17 of 18

श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga

Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith. 28 verses.

About this chapter

The seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna describes the three types of faith corresponding to the three modes of the material nature. Lord Krishna further reveals that it is the nature of faith that determines the quality of life and the character of living entities. Those who have faith in passion and ignorance perform actions that yield temporary, material results while those who have faith in goodness perform actions in accordance with scriptural instructions and hence their hearts get further purified.

17.1अर्जुन उवाचये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः।arjuna uvāchaArjuna said, "What is the condition of those who, disregarding the injunctions of the scriptures, perform sacrifice with faith—is it Sattva, Rajas, or Tamas, O Krishna?"
17.2श्री भगवानुवाचत्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा।śhrī-bhagavān uvāchaThe Blessed Lord said, "There are threefold faiths inherent in the nature of the embodied: the sattvic (pure), the rajasic (passionate), and the tamasic (dark). Hear of…
17.3सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत।sattvānurūpā sarvasya śhraddhā bhavati bhārataThe faith of each is in accordance with their nature, O Arjuna. People consist of their faith; as a person's faith is, so are they.
17.4यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣha-rakṣhānsi rājasāḥThe sattvic, or pure, men worship the gods; the rajasic, or passionate, worship the yakshas and rakshasas; the others, the tamasic or deluded people, worship ghosts and…
17.5अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।aśhāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥThose men who practice terrific austerities not prescribed by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, driven by the force of lust and attachment.
17.6कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः।karṣhayantaḥ śharīra-sthaṁ bhūta-grāmam achetasaḥKnow thou these to be of demonical resolves, senselessly torturing all the elements in the body and Me who dwell in the body.
17.7आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः।āhāras tv api sarvasya tri-vidho bhavati priyaḥThe food that is dear to each is threefold, as well as sacrifice, austerity, and almsgiving. Hear the distinction of these.
17.8आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः।āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥThe foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness (good appetite), which are savory, oily, substantial, and agreeable, are dear to the…
17.9कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः।kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣhṇa- tīkṣhṇa-rūkṣha-vidāhinaḥThe foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning are liked by the Rajasic and are productive of pain, grief, and disease.
17.10यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्।yāta-yāmaṁ gata-rasaṁ pūti paryuṣhitaṁ cha yatThat which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, rejected, and impure is the food liked by the Tamasic.
17.11अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।aphalākāṅkṣhibhir yajño vidhi-driṣhṭo ya ijyateThat sacrifice which is offered by men without desire for reward, as enjoined by the ordinance (scripture), with a firm faith that doing so is their duty, is Sattvic or…
17.12अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्।abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ dambhārtham api chaiva yatThe sacrifice that is offered, O Arjuna, seeking a reward and for show, know that to be a Rajasic Yajna.
17.13विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्।vidhi-hīnam asṛiṣhṭānnaṁ mantra-hīnam adakṣhiṇamThey declare that sacrifice to be Tamasic which is contrary to the ordinances of the scriptures, in which no food is distributed, and which is devoid of mantras, gifts…
17.14देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।deva-dwija-guru-prājña- pūjanaṁ śhaucham ārjavamWorship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers, and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-injury are all called the austerities of the body.
17.15अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ cha yatSpeech that causes no excitement, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial; the practice of studying the Vedas is called austerity of speech.
17.16मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥSerenity of mind, good-heartedness, self-control, and purity of nature—this is called mental austerity.
17.17श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्ित्रविधं नरैः।śhraddhayā parayā taptaṁ tapas tat tri-vidhaṁ naraiḥThis threefold austerity, practiced by steadfast men, with the utmost faith, desiring no reward, is called Sattvic.
17.18सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।satkāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ tapo dambhena chaiva yatThe austerity that is practiced with the aim of gaining good reception, honor, and worship, and with hypocrisy, is said to be Rajasic, unstable, and transient.
17.19मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥThat austerity which is practised out of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the purpose of destroying another, is declared to be of the Tamasic nature.
17.20दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे।dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ dīyate ‘nupakāriṇeThat gift which is given to one who does nothing in return, knowing it to be a duty to give in a suitable place and time to a worthy person, is held to be Sattvic.
17.21यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः।yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ phalam uddiśhya vā punaḥAnd, that gift which is given with the intention of receiving something in return, or expecting a reward, or begrudgingly, is considered to be Rajasic.
17.22अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।adeśha-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaśh cha dīyateThe gift that is given in the wrong place and at the wrong time, to unworthy persons, without respect or with insult, is declared to be of a Tamasic nature.
17.23तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः।oṁ tat sad iti nirdeśho brahmaṇas tri-vidhaḥ smṛitaḥ"Om Tat Sat": This has been declared to be the triple designation of Brahman. By that, the Brahmanas, the Vedas, and the sacrifices were created formerly.
17.24तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः।tasmād oṁ ity udāhṛitya yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥTherefore, with the utterance of "Om," the acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity, as enjoined in the scriptures, are always begun by the students of Brahman.
17.25तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः।tad ity anabhisandhāya phalaṁ yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥUttering "Tat," without aiming for the fruits, are the acts of sacrifice, austerity, and the various acts of gifts performed by those seeking liberation.
17.26सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते।sad-bhāve sādhu-bhāve cha sad ity etat prayujyateThe word "Sat" is used to refer to reality and goodness; likewise, O Arjuna, the word "Sat" is used to refer to an auspicious act.
17.27यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते।yajñe tapasi dāne cha sthitiḥ sad iti chochyateSteadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and gift is also called 'Sat', and action in connection with these, or for the sake of the Supreme, is also called 'Sat'.
17.28अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्।aśhraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ tapas taptaṁ kṛitaṁ cha yatWhatever is sacrificed, given, or performed, and whatever austerity is practiced without faith, it is called 'Asat', O Arjuna; it is of no value here or hereafter (after…