Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 17 of 18

Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga

श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग — The Three Kinds of Faith · 28 verses

All 28 verses

Sanskrit, transliteration and English meaning for every verse.

1. 17.1 · Arjuna

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

   ye śāstravidhimutsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ |
   teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvamāho rajastamaḥ ||

   Arjuna said: Krishna, what is the standing of those who set aside the injunctions of scripture yet offer worship filled with faith? Is it sattva (goodness), rajas (passion) or tamas (dullness)?

2. 17.2 · Krishna

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

   trividhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṃ sā svabhāvajā |
   sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṃ śṛṇu ||

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

3. 17.3 · Krishna

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

   sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata |
   śraddhāmayo’yaṃ puruṣo yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ ||

   Everyone’s faith, Bharata, takes the shape of their inner nature. A person is made of faith: whatever one’s faith is, that is what one is.

4. 17.4 · Krishna

   यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः ।
   प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥

   yajante sāttvikā devānyakṣarakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ |
   pretānbhūtagaṇāṃścānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ ||

   Sattvic people worship the gods; rajasic people worship yakshas and rakshasas (spirits of wealth and power); and the others, the tamasic, worship ghosts and hosts of spirits.

5. 17.5 · Krishna

   अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः ।
   दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥

   aśāstravihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ |
   dambhāhaṃkārasaṃyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ ||

   Those people who practise fierce austerities not prescribed by scripture, driven by hypocrisy and egotism, and impelled by the force of desire and attachment —

6. 17.6 · Krishna

   कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः ।
   मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥

   karṣayantaḥ śarīrasthaṃ bhūtagrāmamacetasaḥ |
   māṃ caivāntaḥśarīrasthaṃ tānviddhyāsuraniścayān ||

   — senseless, tormenting the elements that make up their bodies, and me too, who dwell within the body — know them to be of demonic resolve.

7. 17.7 · Krishna

   आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः ।
   यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ॥

   āhārastvapi sarvasya trividho bhavati priyaḥ |
   yajñastapastathā dānaṃ teṣāṃ bhedamimaṃ śṛṇu ||

   Even the food that each person likes is of three kinds, and so are yajna (sacrifice), tapas (austerity) and dana (charity). Hear how they differ.

8. 17.8 · Krishna

   आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः ।
   रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥

   āyuḥsattvabalārogyasukhaprītivivardhanāḥ |
   rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvikapriyāḥ ||

   Foods that increase life, vitality, strength, health, happiness and contentment — foods that are flavourful, rich, sustaining and pleasing to the heart — are dear to the sattvic.

9. 17.9 · Krishna

   कट्‌वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः ।
   आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥

   kaṭ‌vamlalavaṇātyuṣṇatīkṣṇarūkṣavidāhinaḥ |
   āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkhaśokāmayapradāḥ ||

   Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, harsh and burning are favoured by the rajasic; they bring pain, sorrow and sickness.

10. 17.10 · Krishna

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

    yātayāmaṃ gatarasaṃ pūti paryuṣitaṃ ca yat |
    ucchiṣṭamapi cāmedhyaṃ bhojanaṃ tāmasapriyam ||

    Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid and left overnight, as well as leftovers and what is impure, is dear to the tamasic.

11. 17.11 · Krishna

    अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते ।
    यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥

    aphalākāṅkṣibhiryajño vidhidṛṣṭo ya ijyate |
    yaṣṭavyameveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ ||

    The sacrifice that is offered according to scriptural rule by those who seek no reward, with the mind settled in the conviction “this ought to be offered” — that sacrifice is sattvic.

12. 17.12 · Krishna

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

    abhisaṃdhāya tu phalaṃ dambhārthamapi caiva yat |
    ijyate bharataśreṣṭha taṃ yajñaṃ viddhi rājasam ||

    But the sacrifice offered with an eye on its reward, or simply for show, best of the Bharatas — know that to be rajasic.

13. 17.13 · Krishna

    विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् ।
    श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥

    vidhihīnamasṛṣṭānnaṃ mantrahīnamadakṣiṇam |
    śraddhāvirahitaṃ yajñaṃ tāmasaṃ paricakṣate ||

    A sacrifice performed without regard for the rules, without distributing food, without sacred chants, without gifts to the priests and without faith is called tamasic.

14. 17.14 · Krishna

    देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।
    ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥

    devadvijaguruprājñapūjanaṃ śaucamārjavam |
    brahmacaryamahiṃsā ca śārīraṃ tapa ucyate ||

    Honouring the gods, the twice-born, teachers and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy and non-violence — this is called austerity of the body.

15. 17.15 · Krishna

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

    anudvegakaraṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priyahitaṃ ca yat |
    svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate ||

    Speech that causes no distress, that is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, along with the regular practice of sacred study — this is called austerity of speech.

16. 17.16 · Krishna

    मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः ।
    भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥

    manaḥ prasādaḥ saumyatvaṃ maunamātmavinigrahaḥ |
    bhāvasaṃśuddhirityetattapo mānasamucyate ||

    Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control and purity of heart — this is called austerity of the mind.

17. 17.17 · Krishna

    श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः ।
    अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥

    śraddhayā parayā taptaṃ tapastattrividhaṃ naraiḥ |
    aphalākāṅkṣibhiryuktaiḥ sāttvikaṃ paricakṣate ||

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

18. 17.18 · Krishna

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

    satkāramānapūjārthaṃ tapo dambhena caiva yat |
    kriyate tadiha proktaṃ rājasaṃ calamadhruvam ||

    Austerity practised to win respect, honour and reverence, or out of hypocrisy, is said here to be rajasic; it is unstable and fleeting.

19. 17.19 · Krishna

    मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः ।
    परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥

    mūḍhagrāheṇātmano yatpīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ |
    parasyotsādanārthaṃ vā tattāmasamudāhṛtam ||

    Austerity practised out of a deluded notion, by tormenting oneself, or for the purpose of ruining another, is declared to be tamasic.

20. 17.20 · Krishna

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

    dātavyamiti yaddānaṃ dīyate’nupakāriṇe |
    deśe kāle ca pātre ca taddānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam ||

    A gift given simply because giving is right, to one who can do nothing in return, at the proper place and time and to a worthy person — that gift is held to be sattvic.

21. 17.21 · Krishna

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

    yattu pratyupakārārthaṃ phalamuddiśya vā punaḥ |
    dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṃ taddānaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam ||

    But a gift given in expectation of something in return, or with a reward in view, or given grudgingly — that gift is held to be rajasic.

22. 17.22 · Krishna

    अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते ।
    असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥

    adeśakāle yaddānamapātrebhyaśca dīyate |
    asatkṛtamavajñātaṃ tattāmasamudāhṛtam ||

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

23. 17.23 · Krishna

    ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः ।
    ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥

    oṃtatsaditi nirdeśo brahmaṇastrividhaḥ smṛtaḥ |
    brāhmaṇāstena vedāśca yajñāśca vihitāḥ purā ||

    “Om Tat Sat” is remembered as the threefold designation of Brahman (the Absolute). By it, in ancient times, the brahmins, the Vedas and the sacrifices were ordained.

24. 17.24 · Krishna

    तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः ।
    प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥

    tasmādomityudāhṛtya yajñadānatapaḥkriyāḥ |
    pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṃ brahmavādinām ||

    Therefore those who expound Brahman always begin their acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity, as laid down in the scriptures, by uttering “Om”.

25. 17.25 · Krishna

    तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः ।
    दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥

    tadityanabhisandhāya phalaṃ yajñatapaḥkriyāḥ |
    dānakriyāśca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣakāṅkṣibhiḥ ||

    Uttering “Tat”, those who seek liberation perform the various acts of sacrifice, austerity and charity without aiming at any reward.

26. 17.26 · Krishna

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

    sadbhāve sādhubhāve ca sadityetatprayujyate |
    praśaste karmaṇi tathā sacchabdaḥ pārtha yujyate ||

    The word “Sat” is used in the sense of reality and of goodness; and likewise, son of Pritha, the word “Sat” is applied to a praiseworthy act.

27. 17.27 · Krishna

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

    yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ saditi cocyate |
    karma caiva tadarthīyaṃ sadityevābhidhīyate ||

    Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity and charity is also called “Sat”, and any action done for that purpose is likewise named “Sat”.

28. 17.28 · Krishna

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

    aśraddhayā hutaṃ dattaṃ tapastaptaṃ kṛtaṃ ca yat |
    asadityucyate pārtha na ca tatpretya no iha ||

    Whatever is offered, given or done, and whatever austerity is practised without faith, is called “asat” (unreal), son of Pritha. It is of no value either after death or here.