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Saarthi

Chapter 17 · 28 verses

Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga: The Three Kinds of Faith

अध्याय 17 — श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग

How faith, food, worship, discipline, speech and giving each take three forms according to the gunas.

श्रद्धा, भोजन, यज्ञ, तप, वाणी और दान — गुणों के अनुसार इनके तीन-तीन रूप।

  1. Verse 17.1ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः …Arjuna asks Krishna: what about people who set aside the rules of scripture but still worship with faith? Is their faith in goodness, passion or ignorance?
  2. Verse 17.2त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा …Krishna replies that the faith of every embodied person is of three kinds, born from their own nature: sattvic, rajasic and tamasic. He asks Arjuna to listen.
  3. Verse 17.3सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत …Everyone's faith matches their inner nature. A person is made of their faith: whatever they truly believe in, that is what they become.
  4. Verse 17.4यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः …People with sattvic nature worship the gods, those with rajasic nature worship powerful spirits and demons, and those with tamasic nature worship ghosts and spirits of the dead.
  5. Verse 17.5अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः …Some people put themselves through harsh, extreme austerities not taught in scripture, driven by hypocrisy, ego, desire, attachment and a show of strength.
  6. Verse 17.6कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः …Without thinking, they torment the elements of their own body and also the Divine who lives within it. Krishna says such people have a harmful resolve.
  7. Verse 17.7आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः …The food each person prefers is also of three kinds, and so are their worship, discipline and charity. Krishna now explains the differences.
  8. Verse 17.8आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः …Foods that increase life, clarity, strength, health, happiness and contentment, that are tasty, nourishing, wholesome and pleasing to the heart, are liked by people of sattvic nature.
  9. Verse 17.9कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः …Foods that are too bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry or burning are liked by people of rajasic nature. They bring pain, sorrow and illness.
  10. Verse 17.10यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् …Food that is stale, tasteless, rotten, left over from the day before, already eaten by others or impure is liked by people of tamasic nature.
  11. Verse 17.11अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते …Worship done as instructed, simply because it is right to do, by people not seeking any reward and with a focused mind, is sattvic.
  12. Verse 17.12अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् …Worship done with an eye on the reward, or just to show off, is rajasic.
  13. Verse 17.13विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् …Worship done without proper method, without sharing food, without sacred words, without giving to those who serve and without faith is called tamasic.
  14. Verse 17.14देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् …Respecting the divine, the wise, teachers and learned people, along with cleanliness, simplicity, self-restraint and non-violence, is called discipline of the body.
  15. Verse 17.15अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् …Speech that causes no distress and is truthful, kind and beneficial — this is the discipline of speech.
  16. Verse 17.16मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः …A cheerful mind, gentleness, silence, self-control and purity of intention together make up the discipline of the mind.
  17. Verse 17.17श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्ित्रविधं नरैः …When these three kinds of discipline are practised with deep faith by steady people who want no reward, it is called sattvic discipline.
  18. Verse 17.18सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् …Discipline done to gain respect, honour and admiration, or for show, is called rajasic. It is unstable and does not last.
  19. Verse 17.19मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः …Discipline done out of foolish stubbornness, by torturing oneself, or in order to harm someone else is called tamasic.
  20. Verse 17.20दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे …A gift given simply because giving is right, to someone who cannot return the favour, at the right place and time and to a deserving person, is sattvic charity.
  21. Verse 17.21यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः …A gift given expecting something in return, or hoping for some reward, or given reluctantly, is rajasic charity.
  22. Verse 17.22अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते …A gift given at the wrong place and time, to unworthy people, or given without respect and with contempt, is tamasic charity.
  23. Verse 17.23तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः …Om Tat Sat is said to be the threefold name of the Absolute. Through it the knowers of truth, the Vedas and sacred rituals were established long ago.
  24. Verse 17.24तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः …That is why those devoted to the Absolute always begin their worship, charity and discipline, as the scriptures describe, by saying Om.
  25. Verse 17.25तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः …Saying Tat, those who seek liberation perform worship, discipline and many kinds of charity without wanting anything in return.
  26. Verse 17.26सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते …The word Sat is used to mean what is real and what is good, and it is also used for any praiseworthy action.
  27. Verse 17.27यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते …Steadiness in worship, discipline and charity is also called Sat, and any action done for the sake of the Divine is called Sat as well.
  28. Verse 17.28अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् …Any offering, gift, discipline or action done without faith is called Asat, unreal. Krishna tells Arjuna it brings no benefit, either in this life or after it.