Chapter 17 · 28 verses

श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग

Śraddhātraya Vibhāga Yoga

The Yoga of the Threefold Faith

Krishna explains how faith (shraddha) takes three forms according to the gunas, and classifies food, sacrifice, austerity and charity accordingly. He explains the sacred utterance 'Om Tat Sat'.

Theme: Faith, food, sacrifice and austerity by the three gunas

All Shlokas (Shloka 1–28)

28 verses

17.1
अर्जुन उवाचये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः।तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः॥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?"
17.2
श्री भगवानुवाचत्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा।सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां श्रृणु॥The Blessed Lord said, "There are threefold faiths inherent in the nature of the embodied: the sattvic (pure), the rajasic (passionate), and the tamasic (dark). Hear of them."
17.3
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत।श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः॥The faith of each is in accordance with their nature, O Arjuna. People consist of their faith; as a person's faith is, so are they.
17.4
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः॥The sattvic, or pure, men worship the gods; the rajasic, or passionate, worship the yakshas and rakshasas; the others, the tamasic or deluded people, worship ghosts and hosts of nature-spirits.
17.5
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः॥Those men who practice terrific austerities not prescribed by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, driven by the force of lust and attachment.
17.6
कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः।मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्॥Know thou these to be of demonical resolves, senselessly torturing all the elements in the body and Me who dwell in the body.
17.7
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः।यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं श्रृणु॥The food that is dear to each is threefold, as well as sacrifice, austerity, and almsgiving. Hear the distinction of these.
17.8
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः।रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः॥The foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness (good appetite), which are savory, oily, substantial, and agreeable, are dear to the Sattvic (pure) people.
17.9
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः।आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः॥The foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning are liked by the Rajasic and are productive of pain, grief, and disease.
17.10
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्।उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्॥That which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, rejected, and impure is the food liked by the Tamasic.
17.11
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः॥That sacrifice which is offered by men without desire for reward, as enjoined by the ordinance (scripture), with a firm faith that doing so is their duty, is Sattvic or pure.
17.12
अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्।इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्॥The sacrifice that is offered, O Arjuna, seeking a reward and for show, know that to be a Rajasic Yajna.
17.13
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्।श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते॥They declare that sacrifice to be Tamasic which is contrary to the ordinances of the scriptures, in which no food is distributed, and which is devoid of mantras, gifts, and faith.
17.14
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते॥Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers, and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-injury are all called the austerities of the body.
17.15
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते॥Speech that causes no excitement, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial; the practice of studying the Vedas is called austerity of speech.
17.16
मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते॥Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, self-control, and purity of nature—this is called mental austerity.
17.17
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्ित्रविधं नरैः।अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते॥This threefold austerity, practiced by steadfast men, with the utmost faith, desiring no reward, is called Sattvic.
17.18
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्॥The austerity that is practiced with the aim of gaining good reception, honor, and worship, and with hypocrisy, is said to be Rajasic, unstable, and transient.
17.19
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥That austerity which is practised out of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the purpose of destroying another, is declared to be of the Tamasic nature.
17.20
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे।देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्॥That gift which is given to one who does nothing in return, knowing it to be a duty to give in a suitable place and time to a worthy person, is held to be Sattvic.
17.21
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः।दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्॥And, that gift which is given with the intention of receiving something in return, or expecting a reward, or begrudgingly, is considered to be Rajasic.
17.22
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥The gift that is given in the wrong place and at the wrong time, to unworthy persons, without respect or with insult, is declared to be of a Tamasic nature.
17.23
तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः।ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा॥"Om Tat Sat": This has been declared to be the triple designation of Brahman. By that, the Brahmanas, the Vedas, and the sacrifices were created formerly.
17.24
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः।प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्॥Therefore, with the utterance of "Om," the acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity, as enjoined in the scriptures, are always begun by the students of Brahman.
17.25
तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः।दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षि॥Uttering "Tat," without aiming for the fruits, are the acts of sacrifice, austerity, and the various acts of gifts performed by those seeking liberation.
17.26
सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते।प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते॥The word "Sat" is used to refer to reality and goodness; likewise, O Arjuna, the word "Sat" is used to refer to an auspicious act.
17.27
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते।कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते॥Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and gift is also called 'Sat', and action in connection with these, or for the sake of the Supreme, is also called 'Sat'.
17.28
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्।असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह॥Whatever is sacrificed, given, or performed, and whatever austerity is practiced without faith, it is called 'Asat', O Arjuna; it is of no value here or hereafter (after death).

✦ Authoritative sources ✦

Official sites of the scriptural traditions and publishing trusts behind the editions and commentaries cited on this page.

The Divine Life Society (Swami Sivananda)
The Divine Life Society — institutional home of Swami Sivananda, whose English translation is cited on this site.
Divine Life Society →
Gita Press, Gorakhpur
Publisher of the Hindi translation of the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Ramsukhdas cited on this site.
Gita Press →
Bhagavad Gita — Encyclopædia Britannica
Bhagavad Gita — Encyclopædia Britannica.
Britannica →