Bhagavad Gītā

Chapter 17: Śraddhā Traya Vibhāga Yoga

— begin anuṣṭubh meter (4x8) —

Śloka 17.1

अर्जुन उवाच
arjuna uvāca
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य
ye śāstravidhimutsṛjya
यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ।
yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ |
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण
teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa
सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥ १ ॥
sattvamāho rajastamaḥ ‖ 1 ‖

~~~

arjuna: Arjuna; uvāca: he said; ye: those who; śāstravidhim-utsṛjya: rules of scriptures + having abandoned; yajante: they worship; śraddhayā-anvitāḥ: with faith + endowed; teṣām: of those; niṣṭhā: state; tu: but; kā: what; kṛṣṇa: O Kṛṣṇa; sattvam-āho: mind + is it; rajaḥ-tamaḥ: emotion + physics

Arjuna said: “What is the state of those who have abandoned the rules of scriptures but faithfully worship, O Kṛṣṇa?  Is it mind, emotion, or physics?”

Śloka 17.2

श्रीभगवानुवाच
śrībhagavānuvāca
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा
trividhā bhavati śraddhā
देहिनां सा स्वभावजा ।
dehināṃ sā svabhāvajā |
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव
sāttvikī rājasī caiva
तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥ २ ॥
tāmasī ceti tāṃ śṛṇu ‖ 2 ‖

~~~

śrī-bhagavān-uvāca: The Blessed + Lord + he said; trividhā: three kinds; bhavati: it is; śraddhā: faith; dehinām: of embodied souls; sā: that; svabhāvajā: born of one’s nature; sāttvikī: mental; rājasī: emotional; ca-eva: and + certainly; tāmasī: physical; ca-iti: and + thus; tām: that; śṛṇu: you should hear

The Blessed Lord said: “The faith of embodied souls is born of their nature and is of three kinds: mental, emotional, or physical.  Now hear about this.”

Śloka 17.3

सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य
sattvānurūpā sarvasya
श्रद्धा भवति भारत ।
śraddhā bhavati bhārata |
श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो
śraddhāmayo’yaṃ puruṣo
यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥ ३ ॥
yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ ‖ 3 ‖

~~~

sattvānurūpā: corresponding to one’s nature; sarvasya: of everyone; śraddhā: faith; bhavati: it is; bhārata: O Descendant of Bharata; śraddhā-mayaḥ-ayam: faith + composed of + this; puruṣaḥ: person; yaḥ: he who; yat-śraddhaḥ: whatever + faith; saḥ: he; eva: certainly; saḥ: he

“Everyone’s faith corresponds to their nature, O Descendant of Bharata.  Everyone is composed of faith.  Whatever their faith is, so they are.”

Śloka 17.4

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्-
yajante sāttvikā devān-
यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः ।
yakṣarakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ |
प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये
pretānbhūtagaṇāṃścānye
यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥ ४ ॥
yajante tāmasā janāḥ ‖ 4 ‖

~~~

yajante: they worship; sāttvikā: mental; devān-yakṣa-rakṣāṃsi: gods + Yakṣa demons + Rakṣasa demons; rājasāḥ: emotional; pretān-bhūta-gaṇāṃs-ca-anye: dead + ghosts + hosts + and + another; yajante: they worship; tāmasāḥ: physical; janāḥ: people

“Mental people worship the gods.  Emotional people worship the Yakṣa and Rakṣasa demons.  Physical people worship the hosts of the dead and ghosts.”

Śloka 17.5

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं
aśāstravihitaṃ ghoraṃ
तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः ।
tapyante ye tapo janāḥ |
दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः
dambhāhaṅkārasaṃyuktāḥ
कामरागबलान्विताः ॥ ५ ॥
kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ ‖ 5 ‖

~~~

aśāstravihitam: not prescribed by the scriptures; ghoram: terrible; tapyante: they perform; ye: those who; tapaḥ: austerity; janāḥ: people; dambha-ahaṅkāra-saṃyuktāḥ: pride + egotism + wed to; kāma-rāga-bala-anvitāḥ: desire + lust + power + possessed by

“Those people who perform terrible austerity not prescribed by the scriptures, wed to pride and egotism, possessed by desire and lust for power…”

Śloka 17.6

कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं
karṣayantaḥ śarīrasthaṃ
भूतग्राममचेतसः ।
bhūtagrāmamacetasaḥ |
मां चैवान्तः शरीरस्थं-
māṃ caivāntaḥ śarīrasthaṃ-
तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥ ६ ॥
tānviddhyāsuraniścayān ‖ 6 ‖

~~~

karṣayantaḥ: torturing; śarīrastham: dwelling in the body; bhūtagrāmam-acetasaḥ: aggregate of elements + senseless; mām: me; ca-eva-antaḥ: and + certainly + within; śarīrastham-tān-viddhi-āsura-niścayān: dwelling in the body + them + you should know + demoniac + intention

“…they senselessly torture the aggregate of elements and me dwelling within their bodies.  Know them to have demoniac intentions.”

Śloka 17.7

आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य
āhārastvapi sarvasya
त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः ।
trividho bhavati priyaḥ |
यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं
yajñastapastathā dānaṃ
तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ॥ ७ ॥
teṣāṃ bhedamimaṃ śṛṇu ‖ 7 ‖

~~~

āhāraḥ-tu-api: food + but + also; sarvasya: of everyone; trividhaḥ: three kinds; bhavati: it is; priyaḥ: favored; yajñaḥ-tapaḥ-tathā: sacrifice + austerity + as well as; dānam: charity; teṣām: of them; bhedam-imam: distinctions + this; śṛṇu: you should hear

“The food favored by everyone is also of three kinds, as well as the sacrifice, austerity, and charity.  Now hear of the distinctions between them.”

Śloka 17.8

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्य-
āyuḥsattvabalārogya-
सुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः ।
sukhaprītivivardhanāḥ |
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या
rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā
आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥ ८ ॥
āhārāḥ sāttvikapriyāḥ ‖ 8 ‖

~~~

āyuḥ-sattva-bala-ārogya-sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ: longevity + vitality + strength + health + happiness + satisfaction + promoting; rasyāḥ: juicy; snigdhāḥ: mild; sthirāḥ: wholesome; hṛdyāḥ: pleasant; āhārāḥ: foods; sāttvika-priyāḥ: mental + preferred

“Juicy, mild, wholesome, pleasant foods which promote longevity, vitality, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction are preferred by mental people.”

Śloka 17.9

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्ण-
kaṭvamlalavaṇātyuṣṇa-
तीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः ।
tīkṣṇarūkṣavidāhinaḥ |
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा
āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā
दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥ ९ ॥
duḥkhaśokāmayapradāḥ ‖ 9 ‖

~~~

kaṭu-amla-lavaṇa-ati-uṣṇa-tīkṣṇa-rūkṣa-vidāhinaḥ: bitter + sour + salty + overly + hot + pungent + dry + burning; āhārāḥ: foods; rājasasya-iṣṭāḥ: for (to) emotional + palatable; duḥkha-śoka-āmaya-pradāḥ: distress + pain + indigestion + producing

“Overly bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry, and burning foods producing distress, pain, and indigestion are palatable to emotional people.”

Śloka 17.10

यातयामं गतरसं
yātayāmaṃ gatarasaṃ
पूति पर्युषितं च यत् ।
pūti paryuṣitaṃ ca yat |
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं
ucchiṣṭamapi cāmedhyaṃ
भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥ १० ॥
bhojanaṃ tāmasapriyam ‖ 10 ‖

~~~

yātayāmam: stale; gatarasam: flavorless; pūti: spoiled; paryuṣitam: leftover; ca: and; yat: which; ucchiṣṭam-api: unclean + also; ca-amedhyam: and + impure; bhojanam: foods; tāmasa-priyam: physical + dear

“Stale, flavorless, spoiled, leftover, unclean, and impure foods are dear to physical people.”

Śloka 17.11

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो
aphalākāṅkṣibhiryajño
विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते ।
vidhidṛṣṭo ya ijyate |
यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः
yaṣṭavyameveti manaḥ
समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥ ११ ॥
samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ ‖ 11 ‖

~~~

aphalākāṅkṣibhiḥ-yajñaḥ: without expectation of reward + sacrifice; vidhidṛṣṭaḥ: prescribed by scripture; yaḥ: which; ijyate: it is performed; yaṣṭavyam-eva-iti: it must be performed + certainly + thus; manaḥ: mind; samādhāya: having resolved; saḥ: he; sāttvikaḥ: mental

“Sacrifice prescribed by scripture, performed without expectation of reward, having resolved in their mind that, ‘It must be performed,’ is mental.”

Śloka 17.12

अभिसन्धाय तु फलं
abhisandhāya tu phalaṃ
दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् ।
dambhārthamapi caiva yat |
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ
ijyate bharataśreṣṭha
तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥ १२ ॥
taṃ yajñaṃ viddhi rājasam ‖ 12 ‖

~~~

abhisandhāya: with the expectation of; tu: but; phalam: reward; dambha-artham-api: pride + sake + also; ca-eva: and + certainly; yat: which; ijyate: it is performed; bharataśreṣṭha: O Best of the Bhāratas; tam: that; yajñam: sacrifice; viddhi: you should know; rājasam: emotional

“But sacrifice performed with expectation of reward or for the sake of pride, O Best of the Bhāratas, know that to be emotional.”

Śloka 17.13

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं
vidhihīnamasṛṣṭānnaṃ
मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् ।
mantrahīnamadakṣiṇam |
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं
śraddhāvirahitaṃ yajñaṃ
तामसं परिचक्षते ॥ १३ ॥
tāmasaṃ paricakṣate ‖ 13 ‖

~~~

vidhihīnam-asṛṣṭānnam: not prescribed by scripture + without distribution of food; mantrahīnam-adakṣiṇam: without reciting mantras + without giving gifts to priests; śraddhāvirahitam: without faith; yajñam: sacrifice; tāmasam: physical; paricakṣate: it is considered

“And that sacrifice not prescribed by scripture, without distribution of food, without reciting mantras, without giving gifts to the priests, and without faith, is considered physical.”

Śloka 17.14

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञ-
devadvijaguruprājña-
पूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।
pūjanaṃ śaucamārjavam |
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च
brahmacaryamahiṃsā ca
शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥ १४ ॥
śārīraṃ tapa ucyate ‖ 14 ‖

~~~

deva-dvija-guru-prājña-pūjanam: gods + twice-born + teachers + wise people + worship; śaucam-ārjavam: purity + directness; brahmacaryam-ahiṃsā: celibacy + non-harming; ca: and; śārīram: body; tapaḥ: austerity; ucyate: it is called

“Purity, directness, celibacy, non-harming, and worship of the gods, twice-born, teachers, and wise people is called austerity of the body.”

Śloka 17.15

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं
anudvegakaraṃ vākyaṃ
सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् ।
satyaṃ priyahitaṃ ca yat |
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव
svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva
वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥ १५ ॥
vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate ‖ 15 ‖

~~~

anudvegakaram: inoffensive; vākyam: words; satyam: truthful; priya-hitam: pleasant + beneficial; ca: and; yat: which; svādhyāya-abhyasanam: self-study + repeated; ca-eva: and + certainly; vāṅmayam: of speech; tapaḥ: austerity; ucyate: it is called

“Inoffensive, truthful, pleasant, beneficial words, and repeated self-study is called austerity of speech.”

Śloka 17.16

मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं
manaḥprasādaḥ saumyatvaṃ
मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः ।
maunamātmavinigrahaḥ |
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्-
bhāvasaṃśuddhirityetat-
तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥ १६ ॥
tapo mānasamucyate ‖ 16 ‖

~~~

manaḥ-prasādaḥ: mind + tranquility; saumyatvam: gentleness; maunam-ātmavinigrahaḥ: silence + self-control; bhāvasaṃśuddhiḥ-iti-etat-tapaḥ: purity of heart + thus + this + austerity; mānasam-ucyate: of the mind + it is called

“Tranquility of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control, and purity of heart is called austerity of the mind.”

Śloka 17.17

श्रद्धया परया तप्तं
śraddhayā parayā taptaṃ
तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः ।
tapastattrividhaṃ naraiḥ |
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः
aphalākāṅkṣibhiryuktaiḥ
सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥ १७ ॥
sāttvikaṃ paricakṣate ‖ 17 ‖

~~~

śraddhayā: with faith; parayā: by supreme; taptam: performed; tapaḥ-tat-trividham: austerity + that + threefold; naraiḥ: by people; aphalākāṅkṣibhiḥ-yuktaiḥ: without expectation of reward + by meditative; sāttvikam: mental; paricakṣate: it is called

“That threefold austerity which is performed by meditative people with supreme faith and without expectation of reward is called mental.”

Śloka 17.18

सत्कारमानपूजार्थं
satkāramānapūjārthaṃ
तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् ।
tapo dambhena caiva yat |
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं
kriyate tadiha proktaṃ
राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥ १८ ॥
rājasaṃ calamadhruvam ‖ 18 ‖

~~~

satkāra-māna-pūjārtham: respect + honor + reverence; tapaḥ: austerity; dambhena: proudly; ca-eva: and + certainly; yat: which; kriyate: it is performed; tat-iha: that + in this world; proktam: called; rājasam: emotional; calam-adhruvam: unsteady + transitory

“That threefold austerity which is proudly performed for the sake of respect, honor, and reverence in this world is called emotional.  It is unsteady and transitory.”

Śloka 17.19

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्-
mūḍhagrāheṇātmano yat-
पीडया क्रियते तपः ।
pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ |
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा
parasyotsādanārthaṃ vā
तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ १९ ॥
tattāmasamudāhṛtam ‖ 19 ‖

~~~

mūḍhagrāheṇa-ātmanaḥ: foolishly + of himself; yat-pīḍayā: which + by torture; kriyate: it is performed; tapaḥ: austerity; parasya-utsādana-artham: of others + injuring + sake; vā: or; tat-tāmasam-udāhṛtam: that + physical + called

“That threefold austerity which is foolishly performed with the purpose of harming oneself or injuring others is called physical.”

Śloka 17.20

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं
dātavyamiti yaddānaṃ
दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
dīyate’nupakāriṇe |
देशे काले च पात्रे च
deśe kāle ca pātre ca
तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥ २० ॥
taddānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam ‖ 20 ‖

~~~

dātavyam-iti: must be given + thus; yat-dānam: which + charity; dīyate-anupakāriṇe: it is given + to without expectation of reward; deśe: in the proper place; kāle: at the proper time; ca: and; pātre: to a worthy recipient; ca: and; tat-dānam: that + charity; sāttvikam: mental; smṛtam: considered

“That charity which must be given, without expectation of reward, in the proper place and time, to a worthy recipient is considered mental.”

Śloka 17.21

यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं
yattu pratyupakārārthaṃ
फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।
phalamuddiśya vā punaḥ |
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं
dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṃ
तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥ २१ ॥
taddānaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam ‖ 21 ‖

~~~

yat-tu: which + but; pratyupakāra-artham: reward + for the sake of; phalam-uddiśya: compensation + having demanded; vā: or; punaḥ: in return; dīyate: it is given; ca: and; parikliṣṭam: reluctantly; tat-dānam: that + charity; rājasam: emotional; smṛtam: considered

“But that charity which is given for the sake of reward, having demanded compensation in return, or given reluctantly is considered emotional.”

Śloka 17.22

अदेशकाले यद्दानम्-
adeśakāle yaddānam-
अपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते ।
apātrebhyaśca dīyate |
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं
asatkṛtamavajñātaṃ
तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ २२ ॥
tattāmasamudāhṛtam ‖ 22 ‖

~~~

adeśa-kāle: not in the proper place + not at the proper time; yat-dānam-apātrebhyaḥ-ca: which + charity + for (to) an unworthy person + and; dīyate: it is given; asatkṛtam-avajñātam: disrespectfully + contemptuously; tat-tāmasam-udāhṛtam: that + physical + called

“And that charity which is given disrespectfully and contemptuously in the improper place and time to unworthy recipients is called physical.”

Śloka 17.23

ॐ तत्सदिति निर्देशो
om tatsaditi nirdeśo
ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः ।
brahmaṇastrividhaḥ smṛtaḥ |
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च
brāhmaṇāstena vedāśca
यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥ २३ ॥
yajñāśca vihitāḥ purā ‖ 23 ‖

~~~

om: om; tat-sat-iti: tat + sat + thus; nirdeśaḥ: designation; brahmaṇaḥ-trividhaḥ: of Brahman + triple; smṛtaḥ: considered; brāhmaṇāḥ-tena: priests + by that; vedāḥ-ca: Vedas + and; yajñāḥ-ca: sacrifice + and; vihitāḥ: ordained; purā: long ago

“‘Om tat sat’ is considered the triple designation of Brahman; by that, the priests, the Vedas, and sacrifices were ordained long ago.”

Śloka 17.24

तस्माद् ॐ इत्युदाहृत्य
tasmād om ityudāhṛtya
यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः ।
yajñadānatapaḥkriyāḥ |
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः
pravartante vidhānoktāḥ
सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ २४ ॥
satataṃ brahmavādinām ‖ 24 ‖

~~~

tasmāt: therefore; om: om; iti-udāhṛtya: thus + having uttered; yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ: sacrifice + charity + austerity + acts; pravartante: they commence; vidhānoktāḥ: ordained by scripture; satatam: always; brahmavādinām: expounders of the Vedas

“Therefore, expounders of the Vedas always commence ordained acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity, having uttered ‘om.’”

Śloka 17.25

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय
tadityanabhisandhāya
फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः ।
phalaṃ yajñatapaḥkriyāḥ |
दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः
dānakriyāśca vividhāḥ
क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥ २५ ॥
kriyante mokṣakāṅkṣibhiḥ ‖ 25 ‖

~~~

tat-iti-anabhisandhāya: tat + thus + without interest in; phalam: reward; yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ: sacrifice + austerity + acts; dāna-kriyāḥ-ca: charity + acts + and; vividhāḥ: various; kriyante: they are performed; mokṣakāṅkṣibhiḥ: by seekers of liberation

“Having uttered ‘tat’ without interest in reward, various acts of sacrifice, austerity, and charity are performed by seekers of liberation.”

Śloka 17.26

सद्भावे साधुभावे च
sadbhāve sādhubhāve ca
सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते ।
sadityetatprayujyate |
प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा
praśaste karmaṇi tathā
सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥ २६ ॥
sacchabdaḥ pārtha yujyate ‖ 26 ‖

~~~

sat-bhāve: true + in the sense of; sādhu-bhāve: good + in the sense of; ca: and; sat-iti-etat-prayujyate: sat + thus + this + it is used; praśaste: in auspicious; karmaṇi: in action; tathā: as well as; sat-śabdaḥ: sat + the word; pārtha: O Son of Pṛthā; yujyate: it is used

“The word ‘sat’ is used in the sense of ‘true’ and ‘good,’ O Son of Pṛthā.  It is also used to convey ‘auspicious action.’”

Śloka 17.27

यज्ञे तपसि दाने च
yajñe tapasi dāne ca
स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते ।
sthitiḥ saditi cocyate |
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं
karma caiva tadarthīyaṃ
सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥ २७ ॥
sadityevābhidhīyate ‖ 27 ‖

~~~

yajñe: in sacrifice; tapasi: in austerity; dāne: in charity; ca: and; sthitiḥ: steadfastness; sat-iti: sat + thus; ca-ucyate: and + it is called; karma: action; ca-eva: and + likewise; tat-arthīyam: that + toward an end; sat-iti-eva-abhidhīyate: sat + thus + certainly + it is called

“Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is also called ‘sat.’  Likewise, any action toward that end is also called ‘sat.’”

Śloka 17.28

अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं
aśraddhayā hutaṃ dattaṃ
तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् ।
tapastaptaṃ kṛtaṃ ca yat |
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ
asadityucyate pārtha
न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥ २८ ॥
na ca tatpretya no iha ‖ 28 ‖

~~~

aśraddhayā: without faith; hutam: performed; dattam: given; tapaḥ-taptam: austerity + practiced; kṛtam: performed; ca: and; yat: whatever; asat-iti-ucyate: asat + thus + it is called; pārtha: O Son of Pṛthā; na: not; ca: and; tat-pretya: that + after death; no: useless; iha: in this life

“Performed without faith, O Son of Pṛthā, whatever is sacrificed, given, or practiced as austerity, is called ‘asat.’  It is useless in this life and after death.”