Bhagavad Gita · Shraddhatraya Vibhaga YogaChapter 17, Shloka 28 (17.28)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत् प्रेत्य नो इह
॥ 17.28 ॥
aśraddhayā hutaṃ dattaṃ tapastaptaṃ kṛtaṃ ca yat
asadityucyate pārtha na ca tat pretya no iha
Translation
"O Partha, whatever offering is made, gift given, austerity practised or action done without faith — that is called 'asat'; it (bears fruit) neither after death nor here."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. aśraddhayaiva kṛtaṃ yat stutinamaskārādi.
Acharya Ramanuja. aśraddhayā kṛtaṃ śāstrīyam api homādikam asad iti ucyate — even scriptural action done without faith is asat; na mokṣāya na sāṃsārikāya ca phalāya.
Shridhara Swami. The fruit of faithlessness: pretya lokāntare na phalati viguṇatvāt, no iha … ayaśaskaratvāt — no fruit in the other world (because it is defective), and none here either (it brings no good name).
Madhusudana Saraswati. A subtle argument: for those who acted śraddadhānasyaiva vṛddhavyavahāramātreṇa — with faith, following the conduct of their elders — their mistakes are removed by Om Tat Sat; but action done aśraddadhānatayā … kāmakāreṇa — without faith, at whim — is not set right by that remedy.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.