Chapter 17
Shraddhā-Traya-Vibhāg-Yoga
Shlok 17.1
Arjun said
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः।
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः॥
ye shāstravidhimutsrujya yajante shraddhayā’nvitāhā;
teshām nishṭhā tu kā krushṇa sattvamāho rajastamaha.
O Krishna! What happens to those who, despite having faith, lapse in following scriptural injunctions when performing yagna? Are they sāttvikī, rājasī, or tāmasī?[113]
Shlok 17.2
Shrī Bhagwān said
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा।
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु॥
trividhā bhavati shraddhā dehinām sā swabhāvajā;
sāttvikī rājasī chaiva tāmasī cheti tām shruṇu.
There are three types of naturally occurring faiths among people: sāttvikī, rājasī, or tāmasī. Listen as I describe them.
Shlok 17.3
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत।
श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः॥
sattvānurūpā sarvasya shraddhā bhavati bhārata;
shraddhāmayo’yam purusho yo yachchhraddhah sa eva saha.
O Arjun! Each person’s faith is according to their internal faculties. This person possesses immense faith; whatever one’s faith, that will be their disposition.
Shlok 17.4
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।
प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चाऽन्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः॥
yajante sāttvikā devānyaksharakshānsi rājasāhā;
pretānbhūtagaṇānshchā’nye yajante tāmasā janāhā.
People with sāttvik[114] faith worship sāttvik deities, those with rājasī faith worship the Yakshas and Rākshases,[115] and those with tāmasī faith worship the prets[116] and various spirits.
Shlok 17.5-6
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।
दम्भाऽहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः॥
ashāstravihitam ghoram tapyante ye tapo janāhā;
dambhā’hankārasanyuktāh kāmarāgabalānvitāhā.
कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः।
मां चैवाऽन्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्॥
karshayantah sharīrastham bhūtagrāmamachetasaha;
mām chaivā’ntahsharīrastham tānviddhyāsuranishchayān.
Those who perform austerities that oppose scriptural precepts or cause suffering to themselves or others possess hypocrisy and pride and are filled with lust, desire, and virility. Those who lack spiritual reflection strain the physical elements of the body and torment me, who resides within the ātmā of the body. Recognize such persons as having āsurī dispositions.
Shlok 17.7
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः।
यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु॥
āhārastvapi sarvasya trividho bhavati priyaha;
yajnastapastathā dānam teshām bhedamimam shruṇu.
There are three types of food which are liked by each. There are also three types of yagnas, austerities, and charities. Listen to the differences between them.
Shlok 17.8
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्य - सुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः।
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः॥
āyuhsattvabalārogya - sukhaprītivivardhanāhā;
rasyāh snigdhāh sthirā hrudyā āhārāh sāttvikapriyāhā.
Food that increases one’s lifespan, vitality, strength, health, happiness, or love or that is savory, viscous, non-perishable, or agreeable is liked by those who are sāttvik.
Shlok 17.9
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः।
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः॥
kaṭvamlalavaṇātyushṇatīkshṇarūkshavidāhinaha;
āhārā rājasasyeshṭā duhkhashokāmayapradāhā.
Food that is excessively bitter, sour, salty, hot, spicy, dry, agitates the stomach, or incites pain, grief, or sickness is liked by those who are rājasī.
Shlok 17.10
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्।
उच्छिष्टमपि चाऽमेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्॥
yātayāmam gatarasam pūti paryushitam cha yat;
uchchhishṭamapi chā’medhyam bhojanam tāmasapriyam.
Food that is stale, has become tasteless, is putrid, was cooked on the previous day, has been eaten by others, or is impure is liked by those who are tāmasī.
Shlok 17.11
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।
यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः॥
afalākānkshibhiryajno vidhidrushṭo ya ijyate;
yashṭavyameveti manah samādhāya sa sāttvikaha.
A sāttvik yagna is one that is performed according to scriptural injunctions by those who do not desire fruits and who possess conviction that a yagna should be performed.
Shlok 17.12
अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्।
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्॥
abhisandhāya tu falam dambhārthamapi chaiva yat;
ijyate bharatashreshṭha tam yajnam viddhi rājasam.
O Arjun! Understand a yagna that is performed to acquire worldly fruits or only out of pretense as rājasī.
Shlok 17.13
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्।
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते॥
vidhihīnamasrushṭānnam mantrahīnamadakshiṇam;
shraddhāvirahitam yajnam tāmasam parichakshate.
A yagna that is not performed according to scriptural injunctions, does not gift alms, in which mantras are not appropriately recited, is without dakshinā,[117] or done without faith is said to be a tāmasī.
Shlok 17.14
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते॥
devadvijaguruprājnapūjanam shauchamārjavam;
brahmacharyamahinsā cha shārīram tapa uchyate.
(1) Honoring deities, brāhmans, the brahmaswarūp guru, or the wise, (2) purity, (3) agreeableness, (4) celibacy, and (5) non-violence are described as physical austerities.
Shlok 17.15
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते॥
anudvegakaram vākyam satyam priyahitam cha yat;
swādhyāyābhyasanam chaiva vānmayam tapa uchyate.
(1) Speaking in a manner that does not cause distress, (2) speaking that which is truthful, agreeable, and beneficial, and (3) repeatedly studying and revising scriptures are described as the austerities of speech.
Shlok 17.16
मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते॥
manahprasādah saumyatvam maunamātmavinigrahaha;
bhāvasanshuddhirityetattapo mānasamuchyate.
Being delighted and pleasant, observing silence and self-control, and possessing pure intentions—these are described as mental austerities.
Shlok 17.17
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तित्त्रिविधं नरैः।
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते॥
shraddhayā parayā taptam tapastattrividham naraihi;
afalākānkshibhiryuktaih sāttvikam parichakshate.
These three austerities are said to be sāttvik when performed with great faith by those who do not desire reward and have controlled their senses.
Shlok 17.18
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्॥
satkāramānapūjārtham tapo dambhena chaiva yat;
kriyate tadiha proktam rājasam chalamadhruvam.
Austerity performed for acclaim, out of pride, to gain reverence, or out of pretense is unstable and uncertain. It is described in this world as rājasī.
Shlok 17.19
मूढग्राहेणाऽऽत्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥
mūḍhagrāheṇā’’tmano yatpīḍayā kriyate tapaha;
parasyotsādanārtham vā tattāmasamudāhrutam.
Austerity that is forcefully self-torturing or performed to harm others is called tāmasī.
Shlok 17.20
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्॥
dātavyamiti yaddānam dīyate’nupakāriṇe;
deshe kāle cha pātre cha taddānam sāttvikam smrutam.
Charity given at a pure location and an appropriate time, to a worthy recipient, out of duty, and without expecting recompense is said to be sāttvik.
Shlok 17.21
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्॥
yattu pratyupakārārtham falamuddishya vāpunaha;
dīyate cha pariklishṭam taddānam rājasam smrutam.
Charity given with the expectation of something in return, with the desire for reward, or reluctantly is said to be rājasī.
Shlok 17.22
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥
adeshakāle yaddānamapātrebhyashcha dīyate;
asatkrutamavajnātam tattāmasamudāhrutam.
Charity given at an impure location or inappropriate time, to an unworthy recipient, disrespectfully, or out of disdain is said to be tāmasī.
Shlok 17.23
ॐ तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः।
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा॥
aum tatsaditi nirdesho brahmaṇastrividhah smrutaha;
brāhmaṇāstena vedāshcha yajnāshcha vihitāh purā.
‘Aum,’ ‘tat,’ and ‘sat’—these three words refer to Aksharbrahma and Parabrahma. In the past, during creation, the brāhmans, Vedas, and yagnas were created by them.
Shlok 17.24
तस्माद् ॐ इत्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः।
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्॥
tasmād aum ityudāhrutya yajnadānatapahkriyāhā;
pravartante vidhānoktāh satatam brahmavādinām.
For that reason, those who discourse on brahmavidyā always perform yagna, charity, austerities, and other prescribed scriptural injunctions by first reciting ‘Aum’.
Shlok 17.25
तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः।
दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः॥
tadityanabhisandhāya falam yajnatapahkriyāhā;
dānakriyāshcha vividhāh kriyante mokshakānkshibhihi.
Aspirants desiring liberation perform various yagnas, austerities, and acts of charity upon renouncing the desire for reward and reciting ‘tat’.
Shlok 17.26
सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते।
प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते॥
sadbhāve sādhubhāve cha sadityetatprayujyate;
prashaste karmaṇi tathā sachchhabdah pārtha yujyate.
O Arjun! The word ‘sat’ is used to affirm the existence of objects and to express virtues. It is also uttered during auspicious actions.
Shlok 17.27
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते।
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाऽभिधीयते॥
yajne tapasi dāne cha sthitih saditi chochyate;
karma chaiva tadarthīyam sadityevā’bhidhīyate.
The state of one who performs yagnas, austerities, and charity is called sat. The actions required to perform these are also only known as sat.
Shlok 17.28
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्।
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह॥
ashraddhayā hutam dattam tapastaptam krutam cha yat;
asadityuchyate pārtha na cha tatpretya no iha.
Arjun! That which is offered or gifted or austerity or any act that is performed without faith is called asat. It neither causes happiness in this world nor the next.
॥इति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे
श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगो नाम सप्तदशोऽध्यायः॥
iti shrīmadbhagavadgītāsūpanishatsu brahmavidyāyām yogashāstre shrīkrushṇārjunasamvāde shraddhātrayavibhāgayogo nāma saptadasho’dhyāyaha
In this way, within the Upanishad-like Shrīmad-Bhagavad-Gītā, which is brahmavidyā and a sacred text on yoga, and in the dialogue between Shrī Krishna and Arjun, this concludes the seventeenth chapter titled “Shraddhā-traya-vibhāg-yoga.”