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

arjuna uvācha ye śhāstra-vidhim utsṛijya yajante śhraddhayānvitāḥ teṣhāṁ niṣhṭhā tu kā kṛiṣhṇa sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 17, Verse 1
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
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?"

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: Arjuna asks what is the state of those who worship with faith but disregard the prescribed ordinances, whether their faith is of goodness, passion, or ignorance, spotting a genuine gap in the previous chapter's framework and asking about it directly.

In life: it's a good habit to notice gaps in a framework someone just gave you and ask about them directly, rather than assuming the framework accounts for every situation you can already think of.

Teaching: the next time you're given a rule or framework, actively look for the edge case it doesn't seem to cover, and ask about it directly, that's exactly the kind of question Arjuna asks here.

arjunaḥ uvāchaArjun said
yewho
śhāstra-vidhimscriptural injunctions
utsṛijyadisregard
yajanteworship
śhraddhayā-anvitāḥwith faith
teṣhāmtheir
niṣhṭhāfaith
tuindeed
kāwhat
kṛiṣhṇaKrishna
sattvammode of goodness
āhoor
rajaḥmode of passion
tamaḥmode of ignorance

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
17.1 ये who? शास्त्रविधिम् the ordinances of the scriptures? उत्सृज्य setting aside? यजन्ते perform sacrifice? श्रद्धया with faith? अन्विताः endowed? तेषाम् their? निष्ठा condition? तु verily? का what? कृष्ण O Krishna? सत्त्वम् Sattva? आहो or? रजः Rajas? तमः Tamas.Commentary This chapter deals with the three kinds of people who are endowed with three kinds of faith. Each of them follows a path in accordance with his inherent nature -- either Sattvic? Rajasic or Tamasic.Arjuna says to Krishna It is very difficult to grasp the meaning of the scriptures. It is still more difficult to get a spiritual preceptor who can teach the scriptures. The vast majority of persons are not endowed with a pure? subtle? sharp and onepointed intellect. The span of life is short. The scriptures are endless. The obstacles on the spiritual path are many. Facilities for learning are not always available.There are conflicting statements in the scriptures which have to be reconciled. Thou hast said that liberation is not possible without a knowledge of the scriptures. An ordinary man? though ignorant of or unable to follow this teaching? does charity? performs rituals? worships the Lord with faith? tries to follow the footsteps of sages and saints just as a child copies letters that have been written out for him as a model? or as a blind man makes hiw way by the aid of another who possesses sight. What faith is his How should the state of such a man be described -- Sattvic? Rajasic or Tamasic What is the fate of the believers who have no knowledge of the scriptures