Chapter 17
The Divisions of Faith
- arjun kahilen:
- śāstra-vidhi nāhi jāne kintu śraddhānvita
- yajana karaye yārā kivā tār hita
- kivā niṣṭhā tār kṛṣṇa sattva, rajotam
- vistāra kaha'ta sei śuni icchā mama
Text 1: Arjuna inquired: O Kṛṣṇa, what is the situation of those who do not follow the principles of scripture but worship according to their own imagination? Are they in goodness, in passion or in ignorance?
- śrī-bhagavān kahilen:
- svabhāvaja tin niṣṭhā śraddhā se dehīra
- sāttvikī, rājasī ār tāmasī gabhīra
- vivaraṇ kahi tār śuna diyā man
- yār yebā śraddhā hay guṇera kāraṇ
Text 2: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: According to the modes of nature acquired by the embodied soul, one's faith can be of three kinds—in goodness, in passion or in ignorance. Now hear about this.
- nija sattvā anurūpā śraddhā se bhārata
- śraddhāmay puruṣa ye śraddhā ye temata
Text 3: O son of Bharata, according to one's existence under the various modes of nature, one evolves a particular kind of faith. The living being is said to be of a particular faith according to the modes he has acquired.
- sāttvikī ye śraddhā sei pūje devatāre
- rājasī ye śraddhā pūje yakṣa rākṣasere
- tāmasī ye śraddhā tāhe bhūt pret pūje
- yār sei śraddhā hay sei tathā bhaje
Text 4: Men in the mode of goodness worship the demigods; those in the mode of passion worship the demons; and those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits.
- śāstra-bidhi tyāg kari ye tapasyā kare
- dambha darpa kām rāg yukta ahaṅkāre
- vṛthā upavāsa kare kleś sahivāre
- śarīrete bhūtgaṇe mūrkha karśivāre
- āmākeo antaryāmī śarīra bhitare
- āsurik jāna sei tār vyavahāre
Texts 5-6: Those who undergo severe austerities and penances not recommended in the scriptures, performing them out of pride and egoism, who are impelled by lust and attachment, who are foolish and who torture the material elements of the body as well as the Supersoul dwelling within, are to be known as demons.
- āhāra-o trividha se yathāyatha priya
- sāttvikī, rājasī ār tāmasī ye heya
- yajña, jap, tap, dān se-o se trividha
- yār yevā bhed guṇ bhinna vahuvidha
Text 7: Even the food each person prefers is of three kinds, according to the three modes of material nature. The same is true of sacrifices, austerities and charity. Now hear of the distinctions between them.
- āyu sattva valārogya sukha prīti bāḍe
- rasya snigdha sthir hṛdya sāttvika āhāre
- kaṭu amla lavaṇākta ati uṣṇa yei
- jvālā poḍā āmayī rājasika sei
- vāsī śaitya gataras pacā vā durgandha
- ucchiṣṭa amedhya yei khādya tamasāndha
Text 8: Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one's existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart.
Text 9: Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distress, misery and disease.
Text 10: Food prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is tasteless, decomposed and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and untouchable things is dear to those in the mode of darkness.
- aphalākāṅkṣī ye yajña vidhi-mata hay
- kartavya ye mane kare sāttvikī se kay
Text 11: Of sacrifices, the sacrifice performed according to the directions of scripture, as a matter of duty, by those who desire no reward, is of the nature of goodness.
- mūle abhisandhi yār ākāṅkṣā phalete
- rājasik yajña hay dambhera sahite
Text 12: But the sacrifice performed for some material benefit, or for the sake of pride, O chief of the Bhāratas, you should know to be in the mode of passion.
- vidhi annahīna nāi mantra vā dakṣiṇā
- śraddhā-hīn yajña sei tamasā ācchannā
Text 13: Any sacrifice performed without regard for the directions of scripture, without distribution of prasādam (spiritual food), without chanting of Vedic hymns and remunerations to the priests, and without faith is considered to be in the mode of ignorance.
- dev dvija guru prājña ye saba pūjan
- śouca saralatā brahmacaryera pālan
- sei sab siddha hay śarīra tapasyā
- anudveg-kara vākya kiṁbā priya poṣya
Text 14: Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Supreme Lord, the brāhmaṇas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence.
- svādhyāya abhyās yata ved uccāraṇ
- vāṅmaya tapasyā se śāstrera vacan
Text 15: Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature.
- cittera prasannatā ye ār saralatā
- ātma-nigrahādi mouna bhāva pravaṇatā
- sei saba mānasika tapa nāme khyāta
- uparokta saba tapa triguṇa prakhyāta
Text 16: And satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purification of one's existence are the austerities of the mind.
- trividha tapasyā yadi parā-śraddhā-yukta
- phalākāṅkṣā yadi nahe sāttvikī se ukta
Text 17: This threefold austerity, performed with transcendental faith by men not expecting material benefits but engaged only for the sake of the Supreme, is called austerity in goodness.
- lābh pūjā sammānera janya dambhera sahit
- ye tapasyā sādhe loka tāhā rājasik
- se tapasyāra ye phal tāhā aniścit
- antavat tāra phal haya śāstrete vidita
Text 18: Penance performed out of pride and for the sake of gaining respect, honor and worship is said to be in the mode of passion. It is neither stable nor permanent.
- mūḍha-buddhi yārā tape ātma-pīḍā dey
- aparera vināśārtha ye tapasyā karay
- tāmasī se saba yata tapasyā vahula
- alīka tāhāra nām nahe śāstra anukūl
Text 19: Penance performed out of foolishness, with self-torture or to destroy or injure others, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
- kartavya jāniyā yei dānakriy hay
- deśakāl pātra bujhi dātavya karay
- anupakārīke dān se sāttvika hay
Text 20: Charity given out of duty, without expectation of return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person is considered to be in the mode of goodness.
- pratyupakārera janya phalānusandhān
- kimbā dān kari hay anutāpavān
- rājasik dān sei śāstrera vicār
- tāmasika dān yāhā śuna ei vār
- adeśakāle ye dān apātrete hay
- asatkār avaktā yei tāmasika kay
Text 21: But charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood, is said to be charity in the mode of passion.
Text 22: And charity performed at an impure place, at an improper time, to unworthy persons, or without proper attention and respect is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
- yajña dān tapasyādi yāhā śāstrera nirṇay
- oṁ tat sat se uddeśye anya kichu naya
- se uddeśye pūrva-kāle brāhmanādigaṇ
- yajña dān tapa ādi karila pālan
Text 23: From the beginning of creation, the three words oṁ tat sat were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. These three symbolic representations were used by brāhmaṇas while chanting the hymns of the Vedas and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme.
- sejanya brāhmaṇagaṇ 'om' uccāraṇe
- yajñādi vidhān kare brahma ācaraṇe
Text 24: Therefore, transcendentalists undertaking performances of sacrifice, charity and penance in accordance with scriptural regulations begin always with 'oṁ', to attain the Supreme.
- ataeva yajña dān tapasyāra phal
- anyābhilāṣ nahe bhaktira kāraṇ
- mokṣā-kāṅkṣī sejanya yajña dāna kare
- sei se yajñādi phal vidita saṁsāre
Text 25: Without desiring fruitive results, one should perform various kinds of sacrifice, penance and charity with the word 'tat'. The purpose of such transcendental activities is to get free from material entanglement.
- sat se śavdera artha brahma brahma-par
- se uddeśye yata karma saba brahma-par
- yajña dān tap kārya se uddeśye kare
- loukika vaidika karma brahma nām dhare
Texts 26-27: The Absolute Truth is the objective of devotional sacrifice, and it is indicated by the word 'sat'. The performer of such sacrifice is also called 'sat', as are all works of sacrifice, penance and charity which, true to the absolute nature, are performed to please the Supreme Person, O son of Pṛthā.
- se śraddhā vinā yāhā karmakṛta hay
- asat karma tār nām śāstrete nirṇay
- asat karma śuddha nahe iha parakāle
- śāstra-vidhi parityāge sei phal phale
Text 28: Anything done as sacrifice, charity or penance without faith in the Supreme, O son of Pṛthā, is impermanent. It is called 'asat' and is useless both in this life and the next.
- bhaktivedānta kahe śrī-gītāra gān
- śune yadi śuddha bhakta kṛṣṇagata-prāṇ
Thus Bhaktivedānta sings the song of Śrī Gītā, with the hope that hearing this, Kṛṣṇa conscious pure devotees will be pleased.