Chapter 17

Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga

श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग

Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāg Yog•“Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith”•28 Verses

A Reading - Rantideb

Chapter 16 ended by naming scripture, or any considered framework, as the actual authority for determining right conduct. Chapter 17 immediately complicates that with Arjuna's fair follow-up question, what about people who worship with faith but ignore the prescribed framework entirely, are they acting from goodness, passion, or ignorance? Krishna's answer is that faith itself takes three different shapes depending on a person's inner nature, and traces that same threefold split through the food people prefer, the sacrifices they perform, the austerities they practice, and even the way they give charity. Why this matters: it suggests that the quality behind an action, the spirit in which food is eaten or a gift is given, matters as much as the action's outward form, since the same outward behavior can spring from genuinely different inner places. In life, this is the chapter for noticing that two people can attend the same event, give to the same cause, or eat the same meal, and be doing something entirely different depending on what's actually driving them underneath. The teaching is to examine your own motivations behind ordinary, repeated behaviors, not just whether you're doing the right thing, but why, since that underlying why is what this chapter treats as the real substance of the act.

Chapter Summary

The seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna describes the three types of faith corresponding to the three modes of the material nature. Lord Krishna further reveals that it is the nature of faith that determines the quality of life and the character of living entities. Those who have faith in passion and ignorance perform actions that yield temporary, material results while those who have faith in goodness perform actions in accordance with scriptural instructions and hence their hearts get further purified.

Verses in this Chapter (28)

Verse 1

अर्जुन उवाचये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः।तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः।।17.1।।

Arjuna said, "Now, O Krsna, what is the position or basis of those who, despite leaving aside the injunction of the Sastra, still worship with faith? Is it Sattva, Rajas, or Tamas?"

Verse 2

श्री भगवानुवाचत्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा।सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां श्रृणु।।17.2।।

The Lord said, "The faith of embodied beings is threefold, born of their own nature and constituted of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. Now, listen to me about it."

Verse 3

सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत।श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः।।17.3।।

O Arjuna, the faith of everyone is in accordance with their inner organ (Antahkarana). Each person consists of faith; whatever their faith is, that is who they are.

Verse 4

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः।।17.4।।

The sattvic types worship the gods; the rajasic types worship yaksas and rakshasas; and the others, the tamasic types, worship the departed ancestors and hosts of bhutas.

Verse 5

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः।।17.5।।

Those men who practice terrible austerities not enjoined by the scriptures, given to ostentation and conceit, and prompted by the force of sensual desires and passions;

Verse 6

कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः।मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्।।17.6।।

These foolish men, who torture the group of elements in their bodies and Me, who dwell within the body - know them to be demoniacal in their resolves.

Verse 7

आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः।यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं श्रृणु।।17.7।।

Even the food that is dear to all is threefold; so too are sacrifices, austerities, and gifts. Listen to this distinction among them.

Verse 8

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः।रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः।।17.8।।

Foods that promote longevity, intellectual alertness, strength, health, pleasure, and happiness, and those that are sweet, oily, substantial, and agreeable, are dear to sattvic men.

Verse 9

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः।आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः।।17.9।।

Foods that are bitter, sour, very salty, excessively heating, highly pungent, dry, and burning are all dear to Rajasika men; they cause pain, sorrow, and disease.

Verse 10

यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्।उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्।।17.10।।

That food which is stale, tasteless, putrid, decayed, rejected, unclean, is dear to those of a Tamasic nature.

Verse 11

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः।।17.11।।

The sacrifice (worship) marked by Sattva is what is offered by those who desire no fruit and have the conviction that it should be performed as prescribed in the scriptures.

Verse 12

अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्।इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्।।17.12।।

But that sacrifice which is offered with the intention of gaining a reward and for the sake of show, know it, O Arjuna, to be Rajasic.

Verse 13

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्।श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते।।17.13।।

That sacrifice which is devoid of authority, which uses offerings not sanctioned by the Sastras, which is performed without recitation of hymns and devoid of gifts and faith - that, they say, is marked by Tamas.

Verse 14

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते।।17.14।।

Worshiping the gods, the twice-born, the preceptors, the enlightened ones, practicing purity, uprightness, continence, and non-injury - these are called austerity of the body.

Verse 15

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते।।17.15।।

Speech that causes no shock, is true, pleasant, and beneficial, and also the practice of reciting scriptures, is called the austerity of speech.

Verse 16

मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते।।17.16।।

Serenity of mind, benevolence, silence, self-control, and purity of mind - these are known as austerity of the mind.

Verse 17

श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्ित्रविधं नरैः।अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते।।17.17।।

The threefold austerity, practiced with supreme faith by men who desire no fruit and are devoted - they call it austerity of Sattva.

Verse 18

सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्।।17.18।।

That austerity, practiced with ostentation for the sake of gaining respect, praise, and reverence, is here said to be Rajasa. It is unsteady and impermanent.

Verse 19

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्।।17.19।।

That austerity which is practised from deluded notions by means of self-torture or to injure another is said to be Tamasika.

Verse 20

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे।देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्।।17.20।।

Gifts given with the feeling that it is one's own duty to give, to one who makes no return, at the proper place and time to the deserving person - that is said to be sattvika.

Verse 21

यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः।दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्।।17.21।।

But that which is given as a consideration for something received or in expectation of a future reward, or grudgingly, is called a Rajasika gift.

Verse 22

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्।।17.22।।

That gift which is given at the wrong place, wrong time, to an unworthy recipient, without due respect and with contempt, is called the gift of a Tamasa nature.

Verse 23

तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः।ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा।।17.23।।

Om, Tat, Sat - thus, Brahman is denoted by this threefold expression. In the past, Brahmanas, the Vedas, and sacrifices were ordained in association with these.

Verse 24

तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः।प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्।।17.24।।

Therefore, the Veda-enjoined sacrificial acts, gifts, and austerities, expounded by the Vedas, or those belonging to the first three stations, are always begun after pronouncing Om at the beginning.

Verse 25

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः।दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षि।।17.25।।

Acts of sacrifice, austerity, and various gifts are performed without aiming at a reward by those who seek release, after pronouncing Tat.

Verse 26

सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते।प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते।।17.26।।

This term "Sat" is used in the sense of existence and goodness. And so also, O Arjuna, the word "Sat" is applied to an auspicious action.

Verse 27

यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते।कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते।।17.27।।

Devotion to sacrifice, austerity, and gifts is also referred to as Sat; and thus, any action for such purposes is known as Sat.

Verse 28

अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्।असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह।।17.28।।

Whatever offering or gift is made, whatever austerity is practiced, and whatever action is performed without faith, that is called Asat, O Arjuna. It is of no value here or hereafter.

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