Chapter 17

अर्जुन उवाच · arjuna uvāca

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

ye śāstravidhimutsṛjya yajante śraddhayā'nvitāḥ |teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvamāho rajastamaḥ ||

Arjuna 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?"

Arjuna asked, "My Lord, what is the condition of those who perform acts of sacrifice not according to the scriptures, but with implicit faith? Is it one of purity, passion, or ignorance?"

श्री भगवानुवाच · śrī bhagavānuvāca

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

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

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."

Lord Shri Krishna replied: Man has an inherent faith in one or another of the qualities—purity, passion, and ignorance. Now, listen.

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 ||

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.

Every person's faith conforms to their nature. By nature, they are full of faith. They are, in fact, what their faith makes them.

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः॥

yajante sāttvikā devānyakṣarakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ |pretānbhūtagaṇāṃścānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ ||

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.

The pure worship the true God; the passionate, the powers of wealth and magic; the ignorant, the spirits of the dead and lower orders of nature.

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः॥

aśāstravihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ |dambhāhaṅkārasaṃyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ ||

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

Those who practice austerities not commanded by scripture, who are enslaved to hypocrisy and egotism, who are carried away by the fury of desire and passion,

कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः।मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्॥

karṣayantaḥ śarīrasthaṃ bhūtagrāmamacetasaḥ |māṃ caivāntaḥśarīrasthaṃ tānviddhyāsuraniścayān ||

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

They are ignorant and torment the organs of the body, harassing Me who lives within. Know that they are devoted to evil.

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

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

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

The food that people enjoy is also threefold, like the ways of sacrifice, austerity, and almsgiving. Listen to the distinction.

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः।रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः॥

āyuḥsattvabalārogyasukhaprītivivardhanāḥ |rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvikapriyāḥ ||

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.

The foods that prolong life, increase purity, vigour, health, cheerfulness, and happiness are those that are delicious, soothing, substantial, and agreeable; these are loved by the pure.

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः।आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः॥

kaṭvamlalavaṇātyuṣṇatīkṣṇarūkṣavidāhinaḥ |āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkhaśokāmayapradāḥ ||

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.

Those in whom passion is dominant like foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning. These produce unhappiness, repentance, and disease.

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

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

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

The ignorant love food that is stale, not nourishing, putrid, and corrupt; the leftovers of others, and unclean.

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः॥

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

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.

Sacrifice is pure when it is offered by one who does not covet the fruit of it, when it is done according to the commands of scripture, and with implicit faith that the sacrifice is a duty.

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

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

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

Sacrifice which is performed for the sake of its results, or for self-glorification - that, O best of Aryans, is the product of passion.

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्।श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते॥

vidhihīnamasṛṣṭānnaṃ mantrahīnamadakṣiṇam |śraddhāvirahitaṃ yajñaṃ tāmasaṃ paricakṣate ||

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.

Sacrifice that is contrary to scriptural command, that is unaccompanied by prayers or gifts of food or money, and is without faith—that is the product of ignorance.

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते॥

devadvijaguruprājñapūjanaṃ śaucamārjavam |brahmacaryamahiṃsā ca śārīraṃ tapa ucyate ||

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.

Worship of God and the Master; respect for the preacher and the philosopher; purity, rectitude, continence, and harmlessness—all of these constitute physical austerity.

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 excitement, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial; the practice of studying the Vedas is called austerity of speech.

Speech that hurts no one, that is true, pleasant to listen to, and beneficial, and the constant study of the scriptures—this is austerity of speech.

मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते॥

manaḥprasādaḥ saumyatvaṃ maunamātmavinigrahaḥ |bhāvasaṃśuddhirityetattapo mānasamucyate ||

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

Serenity, kindness, silence, self-control, and purity—these are the austerities of the mind.

श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्ित्रविधं नरैः।अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते॥

śraddhayā parayā taptaṃ tapastatिtravidhaṃ naraiḥ |aphalākāṅkṣibhiryuktaiḥ sāttvikaṃ paricakṣate ||

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

These threefold austerities, performed with faith and without thought of reward, can truly be considered pure.

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

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

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.

Austerity coupled with hypocrisy, or performed for the sake of self-glorification, popularity, or vanity, comes from passion, and its result is always uncertain and temporary.

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥

mūḍhagrāheṇātmano yatpīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ |parasyotsādanārthaṃ vā tattāmasamudāhṛtam ||

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.

Austerity done under delusion, and accompanied with sorcery or the infliction of pain upon oneself or another, may be assumed to spring from ignorance.

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

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

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.

The gift that is given without thought of recompense, believing it should be made, in an appropriate place, at an opportune time, and to a deserving person—such a gift is pure.

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

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

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.

That which is given for the sake of the results it will produce, or with the hope of recompense, or grudgingly—that may truly be said to be the outcome of passion.

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥

adeśakāle yaddānamapātrebhyaśca dīyate |asatkṛtamavajñātaṃ tattāmasamudāhṛtam ||

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.

And that which is given at an inappropriate place or time or to one who is undeserving, or with disrespect or contempt - such a gift is the result of ignorance.

तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः।ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा॥

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

"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.

Om Tat Sat is the triple designation of the Eternal Spirit, by which the Vedic Scriptures, ceremonials, and sacrifices were ordained of old.

तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः।प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्॥

tasmādomityudāhṛtya yajñadānatapaḥkriyāḥ |pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṃ brahmavādinām ||

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.

Therefore, all acts of sacrifice, gifts, and austerities prescribed by the scriptures are always begun by those who understand the Spirit with the word "Om."

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः।दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षि॥

tadityanabhisandhāya phalaṃ yajñatapaḥkriyāḥ |dānakriyāśca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣakāṅkṣi ||

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

Those who desire deliverance begin their acts of sacrifice, austerity, or gift with the word "Tat" (meaning "That"), without thought of reward.

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

Sat' means Reality or the highest Good, and also, O Arjuna, it is used to denote an action of exceptional merit.

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 gift is also called 'Sat', and action in connection with these, or for the sake of the Supreme, is also called 'Sat'.

Conviction in sacrifice, austerity, and giving is also called Sat. So too, an action done only for the Lord's sake.

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 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).

Whatever is done without faith, whether it be sacrifice, austerity, gift, or anything else, is called Asat (meaning "Unreal"), for it is the negation of Sat, O Arjuna! Such an act has no significance, here or hereafter.