Bhagavadgita Parayana - Chapter 17

śrī bhagavānuvācha

trividhā bhavati śraddhā dēhināṃ sā svabhāvajā । sāttvikī rājasī chaiva tāmasī chēti tāṃ śṛṇu ॥2

The 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 them."

sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata । śraddhāmayō'yaṃ puruṣaḥ yō yachChraddhaḥ sa ēva saḥ ॥3॥

The 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.

yajantē sāttvikā dēvān yakṣarakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ । prētānbhūtagaṇāṃśchānyē yajantē tāmasā janāḥ ॥4॥

The 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 hosts of nature-spirits.

aśāstravihitaṃ ghōraṃ tapyantē yē tapō janāḥ । dambhāhaṅkārasaṃyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ ॥5॥

Those men who practice terrific austerities not prescribed by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, driven by the force of lust and attachment.

karśayantaḥ śarīrasthaṃ bhūtagrāmamachētasaḥ । māṃ chaivāntaḥ śarīrasthaṃ tānviddhyāsuraniśchayān ॥6॥

Know thou these to be of demonical resolves, senselessly torturing all the elements in the body and Me who dwell in the body.

āhārastvapi sarvasya trividhō bhavati priyaḥ । yajñastapastathā dānaṃ tēṣāṃ bhēdamimaṃ śṛṇu ॥7॥

The food that is dear to each is threefold, as well as sacrifice, austerity, and almsgiving. Hear the distinction of these.

āyuḥsattvabalārōgya-sukhaprītivivardhanāḥ । rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyāḥ āhārāḥ sāttvikapriyāḥ ॥8॥

The foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness (good appetite), which are savory, oily, substantial, and agreeable, are dear to the Sattvic (pure) people.

kaṭvamlalavaṇātyuṣṇa-tīkṣṇarūkṣavidāhinaḥ । āhārā rājasasyēṣṭāḥ duḥkhaśōkāmayapradāḥ ॥9॥

The 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.

yātayāmaṃ gatarasaṃ pūti paryuṣitaṃ cha yat । uchChiṣṭamapi chāmēdhyaṃ bhōjanaṃ tāmasapriyam ॥10॥

That which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, rejected, and impure is the food liked by the Tamasic.

aphalākāṅkṣibhiryajñaḥ vidhidṛṣṭō ya ijyatē । yaṣṭavyamēvēti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ ॥11॥

That 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 pure.

abhisandhāya tu phalaṃ dambhārthamapi chaiva yat । ijyatē bharataśrēṣṭha taṃ yajñaṃ viddhi rājasam ॥12॥

The sacrifice that is offered, O Arjuna, seeking a reward and for show, know that to be a Rajasic Yajna.

vidhihīnamasṛṣṭānnaṃ mantrahīnamadakṣiṇam । śraddhāvirahitaṃ yajñaṃ tāmasaṃ parichakṣatē ॥13॥

They 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, and faith.

dēvadvijaguruprājña-pūjanaṃ śauchamārjavam । brahmacharyamahiṃsā cha śārīraṃ tapa uchyatē ॥14॥

Worship 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.

anudvēgakaraṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priyahitaṃ cha yat । svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ chaiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa uchyatē ॥15॥

Speech that causes no excitement, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial; the practice of studying the Vedas is called austerity of speech.

manaḥ prasādaḥ saumyatvaṃ maunamātmavinigrahaḥ । bhāvasaṃśuddhirityētat tapō mānasamuchyatē ॥16॥

Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, self-control, and purity of nature—this is called mental austerity.

śraddhayā parayā taptaṃ tapastattrividhaṃ naraiḥ । aphalākāṅkṣibhiryuktaiḥ sāttvikaṃ parichakṣatē ॥17॥

This threefold austerity, practiced by steadfast men, with the utmost faith, desiring no reward, is called Sattvic.

satkāramānapūjārthaṃ tapō dambhēna chaiva yat । kriyatē tadiha prōktaṃ rājasaṃ chalamadhruvam ॥18॥

The 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.

mūḍhagrāhēṇātmanō yat pīḍayā kriyatē tapaḥ । parasyōtsādanārthaṃ vā tattāmasamudāhṛtam ॥19॥

That 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.

dātavyamiti yaddānaṃ dīyatē'nupakāriṇē । dēśē kālē cha pātrē cha taddānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam ॥20॥

That 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.

yattu pratyupakārārthaṃ phalamuddiśya vā punaḥ । dīyatē cha parikliṣṭaṃ taddānaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam ॥21॥

And, that gift which is given with the intention of receiving something in return, or expecting a reward, or begrudgingly, is considered to be Rajasic.

adēśakālē yaddānam apātrēbhyaścha dīyatē । asatkṛtamavajñātaṃ tattāmasamudāhṛtam ॥22॥

The 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.

ōṃ tatsaditi nirdēśaḥ brahmaṇastrividhaḥ smṛtaḥ । brāhmaṇāstēna vēdāścha yajñāścha vihitāḥ purā ॥23॥

"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.

tasmādōmityudāhṛtya yajñadānatapaḥkriyāḥ । pravartantē vidhānōktāḥ satataṃ brahmavādinām ॥24॥

Therefore, 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.

tadityanabhisandhāya phalaṃ yajñatapaḥkriyāḥ । dānakriyāścha vividhāḥ kriyantē mōkṣakāṅkṣibhiḥ ॥25॥

Uttering "Tat," without aiming for the fruits, are the acts of sacrifice, austerity, and the various acts of gifts performed by those seeking liberation.

sadbhāvē sādhubhāvē cha sadityētatprayujyatē । praśastē karmaṇi tathā sachChabdaḥ pārtha yujyatē ॥26॥

The word "Sat" is used to refer to reality and goodness; likewise, O Arjuna, the word "Sat" is used to refer to an auspicious act.

yajñē tapasi dānē cha sthitiḥ saditi chōchyatē । karma chaiva tadarthīyaṃ sadityēvābhidhīyatē ॥27॥

Steadfastness 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'.

aśraddhayā hutaṃ dattaṃ tapastaptaṃ kṛtaṃ cha yat । asadityuchyatē pārtha na cha tatprētya nō iha ॥28॥

Whatever 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 death).

॥ ōṃ tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsu upaniṣatsu brahmavidyāyāṃ yōgaśāstrē śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvādē śraddhātrayavibhāgayōgō nāma saptadaśō'dhyāyaḥ ॥

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