Chapter 17श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगःShraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga
About this chapter
The question and shraddha (17.1–17.6). The standing of those who act without the injunctions of scripture, yet with faith (17.1); shraddha (faith) is of three kinds, born of one's nature (17.2); śraddhāmayo 'yaṃ puruṣaḥ — as a person's faith is, so is the person (17.3); three forms of worship (17.4); fierce austerity out of ostentation — tormenting the body and the Lord within (17.5–17.6).
Food (17.7–17.10). Food that increases life, strength and health, and is full of flavour — sattvic (17.8); excessively bitter, excessively pungent, burning — rajasic (17.9); stale, rotten, leftover — tamasic (17.10).
Yajna (17.11–17.13). "It simply must be done" — sattvic; for reward or for show — rajasic; without proper procedure, without giving food, without faith — tamasic.
Tapas (17.14–17.19). Of the body — reverence, purity, straightforwardness, brahmacharya, non-violence (17.14); of speech — words that do not agitate, truthful, pleasant, beneficial, and self-study (17.15); of the mind — serenity, gentleness, silence, self-restraint, purity of feeling (17.16); with faith and without desire for reward — sattvic; for honour — rajasic and unsteady; torturing oneself or destroying another — tamasic (17.17–17.19).
Giving (17.20–17.22). "It ought to be given", to one who has done nothing for us, at the right place, time and to the right recipient — sattvic; for a return or for reward, or grudgingly — rajasic; at the wrong place and time, to the wrong recipient, without respect, with contempt — tamasic.
Om Tat Sat (17.23–17.28). The threefold name of Brahman (17.23); beginning with Om (17.24); Tat — renouncing the fruit (17.25); Sat — existence, goodness, auspicious action, steadfastness (17.26–17.27); all that is done without faith is asat (17.28).
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.
28 shlokas
- 17.1ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताःArjuna said: "O Krishna, those who set aside the injunctions of scripture but worship filled with faith — what is their…
- 17.2त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजाThe Blessed Lord said: "The faith of embodied beings, born of their nature, is of three kinds — sattvic, rajasic and…
- 17.3सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारतO Bharata, everyone's faith accords with their inner being. This person is made of faith — as one's faith is, so one is.
- 17.4यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान् यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाःSattvic people worship the devas, rajasic people the yakshas and rakshasas, and the others, the tamasic, worship ghosts…
- 17.5अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाःThose who practise fierce austerities not sanctioned by scripture — full of ostentation and ego, driven by desire…
- 17.6कर्शयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः— emaciating the elements gathered in the body, and Me too, who dwell within the body — know these undiscerning people…
- 17.7आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियःThe food dear to each is also of three kinds; so too are yajna, tapas and giving. Hear of these distinctions.
- 17.8आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाःFoods that increase life, sattva, strength, health, happiness and cheerfulness — flavourful, smooth, sustaining and…
- 17.9कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनःFoods that are excessively bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to the rajasic — they bring…
- 17.10यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्Food that has been lying a long time, tasteless, foul-smelling, stale, leftover and impure is dear to the tamasic.
- 17.11अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यतेThe yajna performed by those who do not desire its fruit, according to the injunctions, with the mind made firm in the…
- 17.12अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्But, O best of the Bharatas, the yajna performed with an eye on its fruit, or for show — know that to be rajasic yajna.
- 17.13विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्Yajna without proper procedure, without distribution of food, without mantras, without dakshina (offering to the…
- 17.14देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the guru and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, brahmacharya and non-violence…
- 17.15अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्Words that cause no agitation, that are truthful, pleasant and beneficial — and the regular practice of self-study …
- 17.16मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहःSerenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control and purity of feeling — this is called austerity of the mind.
- 17.17श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत् त्रिविधं नरैःThis threefold austerity (of body, speech and mind), practised with supreme faith by people steadfast in yoga who…
- 17.18सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्Austerity practised to gain respect, honour and reverence, and out of ostentation, is here called rajasic, unsteady and…
- 17.19मूढग्राहेणाऽऽत्मनो यत् पीडया क्रियते तपःAusterity practised out of deluded obstinacy, by torturing oneself, or for the destruction of another — that is called…
- 17.20दातव्यमिति यद् दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणेThe gift given in the spirit of 'it ought to be given', to one who has done nothing for us, at the proper place and…
- 17.21यत् तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनःBut the gift given for a return, or with an eye on reward, or reluctantly (grudgingly) — that is held to be rajasic.
- 17.22अदेशकाले यद् दानम् अपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयतेThe gift given at the wrong place and time, to unworthy recipients, without respect and with contempt — that is called…
- 17.23ॐ तत् सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः'Om Tat Sat' — this is held to be the threefold designation (name) of Brahman. By it, in the beginning, the brahmins…
- 17.24तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाःTherefore the acts of yajna, giving and austerity enjoined by the scriptures, of those who expound Brahman, always…
- 17.25तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाःUttering 'Tat', without aiming at the fruit, those who seek liberation perform the various acts of yajna, austerity and…
- 17.26सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत् प्रयुज्यतेO Partha, the word 'Sat' is used in the sense of existence and of goodness; likewise the word 'sat' is used for…
- 17.27यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यतेSteadfastness (nishtha) in yajna, austerity and giving is also called 'sat'; and action done for their sake is likewise…
- 17.28अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्O Partha, whatever offering is made, gift given, austerity practised or action done without faith — that is called…