Chapter 17
Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga
श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग
The Yoga of Threefold Faith · 28 verses
Summary · Path of Knowledge
Faith takes the color of one's nature — sattvic, rajasic or tamasic. Even food, sacrifice, austerity and gifts differ by the guna that molds them. Austerity of speech, body and mind; charity given at the right place and time, to a worthy person — such acts are done not for reward but from truth.
threefold faithausteritytrue charity
1 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga अर्जुन उवाच |
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः |
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ||१७-१|| 17.1 Arjuna said Now what, O Krsna, is the position or basis of those who leave aside the injunction of the Sastra, yet worship with faith? Is it Sattva, Rajas or Tamas? ›2 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga श्रीभगवानुवाच |
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा |
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ||१७-२|| 17.2 The Lord said Threefold is the faith of embodied beings, born of their own nature, constituted of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Listen now about it. ›3 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत |
श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ||१७-३|| 17.3 The faith of everyone, O Arjuna, is in accordance with his internal organ (Antahkarana). Man consists of faith. Whatever his faith is, that verily is he. ›4 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः |
प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ||१७-४|| 17.4 The Sattvika types worship the gods. The Rajasa types worship Yaksas and Raksasas. And the others, the Tamasa types, worship the departed ancestors and hosts of Bhutas. ›5 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः |
दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ||१७-५|| 17.5 Those men who practise terrible austerity not enjoined by the Sastras, given to ostentation and conceit, and prompted by the force of sensual desires and passion; ›6 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः |
मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ||१७-६|| 17.6 These foolish men, torturing the group of elements in their bodies and Me also who dwell within the body - know them to be demoniacal in their resolves. ›7 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः |
यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ||१७-७|| 17.7 Even the food which is dear to all is threefold. So are sacrifices, austeritty and gifts. Listen about this distinction among them. ›8 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः |
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ||१७-८|| 17.8 Foods which promote longevity, intellectual alertness, strength, health, pleasure and happiness and those that are sweet, oil, substantial and agreeable, are dear to Sattvika men. ›9 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः |
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ||१७-९|| 17.9 Foods that are bitter, sour, very salty, exceedingly heating, very pungent, dry and burning, are all dear to Rajasika men; they produce pain, sorrow and disease. ›10 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् |
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ||१७-१०|| 17.10 That food which is stale, tasteless, putrid, decayed, refuse, unclean, is dear to Tamasika men. ›11 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga अफलाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते |
यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ||१७-११|| 17.11 The sacrifice (worship) marked by Sattva is what is offered by those desiring no fruit, and having the conviction that it should be performed as enjoined in the Sastras. ›12 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् |
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ||१७-१२|| 17.12 But that sacrifice which is offered with the fruit in view and for the sake of ostentation, know it, O Arjuna, to be Rajasika. ›13 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् |
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ||१७-१३|| 17.13 That sacrifice which is bereft of authority, which uses offerings not sanctioned by the Sastras, which is performed without recitation of hymns and bereft of gifts and faith - that, they say, is marked by Tamas. ›14 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् |
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ||१७-१४|| 17.14 Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the preceptors, the enlightened ones, purity, uprightness, continence and non-injury, these are called austerity of the body. ›15 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् |
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ||१७-१५|| 17.15 Speech that causes no shock (hurt and fear etc.) and which is true, pleasant and beneficial, and also the practice of recitation of the scriptures are called the austerity of speech. ›16 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः |
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ||१७-१६|| 17.16 Serenity of mind, benevolence, silence, self-control, purity of mind - these are called austerity of the mind. ›17 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः |
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ||१७-१७|| 17.17 The threefold austerity, practised with supreme faith by men who desire no fruit and are devoted - they call it austerity of Sattva. ›18 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् |
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ||१७-१८|| 17.18 That austerity, pracitsed with ostentation for the sake of gaininng respect, praise and reverence, is here said to be Rajasa. It is unsteady and impermanent. ›19 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः |
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ||१७-१९|| 17.19 That austerity which is practised from deluded notions by means of self-torture or in order to injure another is said to be Tamasika. ›20 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे |
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ||१७-२०|| 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. ›21 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः |
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ||१७-२१|| 17.21 But that which is given as a consideration for something receievd or in expectation of future reward, or grudgingly, is called Rajasika gift. ›22 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते |
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ||१७-२२|| 17.22 That gift which is given at the wrong place and wrong time to unworthy recipients, without due respect and with contempt, is called the gift of Tamasa nature. ›23 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः |
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ||१७-२३|| 17.23 Om, Tat, Sat - thus Brahman is denoted by this threefold expression. Associated with these, Brahmanas, the Vedas and sacrifices were ordained in the past. ›24 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः |
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ||१७-२४|| 17.24 Therefore, the Veda-enjoined sacrificial acts, gifts and austerity by these expounders of the Veda, or those belonging to the first three stations are always and at all times begun after pronouncing Om at the beginning. ›25 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः |
दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ||१७-२५|| 17.25 Acts of sacrifice, of austeritty and of various gifts are performed without aiming at reward by those who seek release, after pronouncing Tat. ›26 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते |
प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ||१७-२६|| 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. ›27 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते |
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ||१७-२७|| 17.27 Devotion to sacrifice, austerities and gifts is also called Sat; and so any act for such purposes is named Sat. ›28 Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् |
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ||१७-२८|| 17.28 Whatever offering or gift is made, whatever austerity is practised and whatever action is performed without faith, that is called Asat, O Arjuna. It is naught here or hereafter. ›