Srimad Bhagawad Gita – सप्तदशोऽध्यायः । श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगः
atha saptadaśo’ dhyāyaḥ | śraddhātrayavibhāgayogaḥ
अर्जुन उवाच ।
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ।
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥ १७- १ ॥
Arjuna said:
Those who setting aside the ordinances of the Scriptures perform sacrifices with faith (Shraddhā) – What is their status, O Krishna? Is it Sattva, or Rajas, or Tamas?
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा ।
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥ १७- २ ॥
The Blessed Lord Said:
Threefold is that natural faith of embodied beings – Sāttvika, Rājasika or Tāmasika. Hear about it.
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत ।
श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥ १७- ३ ॥
The faith of each person is according to his stuff, O descendant of Bharata. A man is made up of his faith: he verily is what his faith is.
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः ।
प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥ १७- ४ ॥
The Sāttvika worship the gods, the Rājasika (worship) the Yakshas and Rākshasas, while others, the Tāmasika men, worship spirits and goblins.
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः ।
दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥ १७- ५ ॥
कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः ।
मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥ १७- ६ ॥
Those men who practice severe austerities not enjoined by the Scriptures, being given to ostentation and self – conceit, possessed of desire, attachment and pertinacity, and senseless, torture the elements in the body, as also Me residing within it – know them to be of demoniac resolves.
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः ।
यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ॥ १७- ७ ॥
The food also liked by each is threefold, as also sacrifice, austerity and gift. Listen about these distinctions among them.
Srimad Bhagawad Gita – सप्तदशोऽध्यायः -श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगः
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः ।
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥ १७- ८ ॥
The foods that augment life, energy, strength, health, happiness and joy, and which are savoury, oleaginous, nourishing and agreeable, are liked by the Sāttvika.
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः ।
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥ १७- ९ ॥
The foods that are very bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are liked by the Rājasika and are productive of pain, grief and disease.
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् ।
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥ १७- १० ॥
The food that is pretty cold, worthless, putrid, stale, partly eaten and impure is liked by the Tamasika.
अफलाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते ।
यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥ १७- ११ ॥
That sacrifice which is performed according to scriptural injunctions by men desiring no fruit and with their mind fixed on it for its own sake is Sāttvika.
अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् ।
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥ १७- १२ ॥
But know that sacrifice to be Rājasika, O best of the Bharatas, which is performed aiming at its fruit, as also for ostentation.
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् ।
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥ १७- १३ ॥
The sacrifice which is contrary to ordinance, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid of Mantras, gifts to the priests and faith, is said to be Tāmasika.
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥ १७- १४ ॥
Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the preceptor and the wise, purity, straightforwardness, continence and non-injury, are said to be physical austerity.
Srimad Bhagawad Gita – सप्तदशोऽध्यायः -श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगः
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् ।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥ १७- १५ ॥
Speech that causes no worry and is also truthful, agreeable and beneficial, as also study of the Vedas, are said to be verbal austerity.
मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः ।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥ १७- १६ ॥
Serenity of mind, kindliness, silence, self-control and purity of heart, are said to be mental austerity.
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः ।
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥ १७- १७ ॥
This threefold austerity practiced with great faith by men who desire no fruit and are steadfast, is said to be Sāttvika.
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् ।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥ १७- १८ ॥
That austerity which is practiced to gain respect, honour and adoration, and that with ostentation, and which is transitory and unstable, is here said to be Rājasika.
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः ।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ १७- १९ ॥
That austerity which is practiced out of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the purpose of ruining another, is called Tāmasika.
Srimad Bhagawad Gita – सप्तदशोऽध्यायः -श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगः
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥ १७- २० ॥
To give is a duty – a gift given with this idea to one who will do no service in return, in a fit place and time and to a worthy person, is known to be Sāttvika.
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥ १७- २१ ॥
That gift, however, which is given with a view to receiving in return, or looking for its fruit, or grudgingly, is said to be Rājasika.
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते ।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ १७- २२ ॥
The gift that is given at the wrong place and time and to unworthy persons, without regard and disdainfully, is said to be Tāmasika.
ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः ।
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥ १७- २३ ॥
‘Om Tat Sat’ – this is considered to be the threefold designation of Brahman. By that were fashioned, of old the Brāhmanas, the Vedas and sacrifices.
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः ।
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ १७- २४ ॥
Therefore the acts of sacrifice, gift and austerity enjoyed by the ordinance, on the part of the followers of the Vedas, by uttering the word ‘Om’, are always begun well.
तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः ।
दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥ १७- २५ ॥
Uttering ‘Tat’, the various acts of sacrifice, austerity and charity are performed by the seekers of Liberation without aiming at their fruit.
Srimad Bhagawad Gita – सप्तदशोऽध्यायः -श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगः
सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते ।
प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥ १७- २६ ॥
‘Sat’ is used to denote existence and goodness; so also, O Pārtha, the word ‘Sat’ is used for any auspicious act.
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते ।
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥ १७- २७ ॥
Steadiness in sacrifice, austerity and gift is also called ‘Sat’; as also work even done indirectly for the sake of the Lord is verily called ‘Sat’.
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् ।
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥ १७- २८ ॥
Offering oblations, making gifts, austerities practised, or anything else done – without faith, are called ‘Asat’ O Pārtha; they fructify neither hereafter nor here.
One who renounces Rājasika and Tāmasika faith and takes recourse to Sāttvika faith, is fit for realization of the Truth – this is established in the seventeenth chapter.
ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे
श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगो नाम सप्तदशोऽध्यायः ॥ १७ ॥
