Chapter 17 · 28 verses

The Three Kinds of Faith श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग

According to the three qualities, faith, food, sacrifice, austerity and charity are each of three kinds. The meaning of "Om Tat Sat" is also explained.

This English meaning is newly written by Bhajan Dhun and is still being reviewed by scholars.

1. 17.1

   अर्जुन उवाच

   ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः ।
   तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥१७.१॥

   Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is the standing of those who set aside the scriptural rules but worship with faith — is it sattva, rajas or tamas?

2. 17.2

   श्री भगवानुवाच

   त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा ।
   सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां श्रृणु ॥१७.२॥

   The Lord said: The faith of embodied beings, born of their nature, is of three kinds — sattvic, rajasic and tamasic. Hear about it.

3. 17.3

   सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत ।
   श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥१७.३॥

   Everyone's faith accords with their inner nature, O Bharata. A person is made of faith; as one's faith is, so one is.

4. 17.4

   यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः ।
   प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥१७.४॥

   Sattvic people worship the gods, rajasic people worship yakshas and rakshasas, and tamasic people worship ghosts and hosts of spirits.

5. 17.5

   अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः ।
   दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥१७.५॥

   Those who practise severe austerities not prescribed by scripture, driven by hypocrisy and ego, and full of desire, attachment and the arrogance of strength —

6. 17.6

   कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः ।
   मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥१७.६॥

   senselessly tormenting the elements in the body and me who dwell within the body — know them to be of demonic resolve.

7. 17.7

   आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः ।
   यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं श्रृणु ॥१७.७॥

   The food dear to each person is also of three kinds, as are sacrifice, austerity and charity. Hear about their distinctions.

8. 17.8

   आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः ।
   रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥१७.८॥

   Foods that increase life, clarity, strength, health, happiness and cheerfulness, and that are juicy, smooth, nourishing and pleasing to the heart, are dear to the sattvic.

9. 17.9

   कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः ।
   आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥१७.९॥

   Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry and burning are liked by the rajasic; they cause pain, grief and disease.

10. 17.10

    यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् ।
    उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥१७.१०॥

    Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, left over, already eaten by others and impure is dear to the tamasic.

11. 17.11

    अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते ।
    यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥१७.११॥

    Sacrifice offered according to scripture by those who seek no reward, with the mind resolved that "this ought to be done," is sattvic.

12. 17.12

    अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् ।
    इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥१७.१२॥

    But sacrifice offered with an eye on the reward, or for show, O best of the Bharatas, know it to be rajasic.

13. 17.13

    विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् ।
    श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥१७.१३॥

    Sacrifice performed without scriptural rule, without distributing food, without mantras, without offering to the priests and without faith is called tamasic.

14. 17.14

    देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।
    ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥१७.१४॥

    Worship of the gods, the twice-born, teachers and the wise; purity, uprightness, celibacy and non-violence — these are called austerity of the body.

15. 17.15

    अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् ।
    स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥१७.१५॥

    Speech that causes no distress, that is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, and the regular recitation of scripture — these are called austerity of speech.

16. 17.16

    मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः ।
    भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥१७.१६॥

    Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control and purity of feeling — these are called austerity of the mind.

17. 17.17

    श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः ।
    अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥१७.१७॥

    This threefold austerity, practised with supreme faith by disciplined people who seek no reward, is called sattvic.

18. 17.18

    सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् ।
    क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥१७.१८॥

    Austerity performed to gain respect, honour and reverence, or for show, is called rajasic here; it is unstable and fleeting.

19. 17.19

    मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः ।
    परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥१७.१९॥

    Austerity performed out of foolish obstinacy, by self-torture, or to harm another, is called tamasic.

20. 17.20

    दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
    देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥१७.२०॥

    A gift given because giving is a duty, to one who will not return the favour, at the right place and time and to a worthy person, is considered sattvic.

21. 17.21

    यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।
    दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥१७.२१॥

    But a gift given in expectation of a return, or with an eye to reward, or given grudgingly, is considered rajasic.

22. 17.22

    अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते ।
    असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥१७.२२॥

    A gift given at the wrong place and time, to unworthy people, without respect or with contempt, is called tamasic.

23. 17.23

    ॐ तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः ।
    ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥१७.२३॥

    "Om Tat Sat" — this is declared the threefold name of Brahman. By it the Brahmins, the Vedas and sacrifices were created in the beginning.

24. 17.24

    तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः ।
    प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥१७.२४॥

    Therefore, acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity prescribed by scripture are always begun by the followers of the Veda with the utterance of "Om".

25. 17.25

    तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः ।
    दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥१७.२५॥

    Uttering "Tat" (all is That), without seeking reward, those who long for liberation perform various acts of sacrifice, austerity and charity.

26. 17.26

    सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते ।
    प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥१७.२६॥

    The word "Sat" is used to mean reality and goodness; and, O Partha, "Sat" is also used for praiseworthy deeds.

27. 17.27

    यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते ।
    कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥१७.२७॥

    Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity and charity is also called "Sat", and any action done for the sake of the Supreme is likewise called "Sat".

28. 17.28

    अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् ।
    असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥१७.२८॥

    Whatever is offered, given, practised as austerity or done without faith is called "asat", O Partha; it bears fruit neither here nor hereafter.