Chapter 17 - Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāg Yog

Shloka अर्जुन उवाच | ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः | तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ||१७-१|| Transliteration arjuna uvāca . ye śāstravidhimutsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ . teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvamāho rajastamaḥ ||17-1|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.1. Arjuna said Those who remain with faith, but neglecting the scriptural injunction, - what is their state ? Is it Sattva, Rajas or Tamas ? O Krsna ! Shri Purohit Swami 17.1 “Arjuna asked: My Lord!...

Shloka श्रीभगवानुवाच | त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा | सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ||१७-२|| Transliteration śrībhagavānuvāca . trividhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṃ sā svabhāvajā . sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṃ śṛṇu ||17-2|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.2. The Bhagavat said The faith of the embodied persons is born of their nature and is of three kinds [viz৷৷] that which is made of the Sattva ; that which is made of the Rajas ; and that which is made of the Tamas....

Shloka सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत | श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ||१७-३|| Transliteration sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata . śraddhāmayo.ayaṃ puruṣo yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ ||17-3|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.3. Corresponding to one’s own sattva everybody has faith, O descendant of Bharata ! The person predominantly consists of the faith. What one has faith in, that he is (becomes) certainly. Shri Purohit Swami 17.3 The faith of every man conforms to his nature....

Shloka यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः | प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ||१७-४|| Transliteration yajante sāttvikā devānyakṣarakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ . pretānbhūtagaṇāṃścānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ ||17-4|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.4. The men of the Sattva (Strand) perform sacrifice intending for the gods ; the men of the Rajas (Strand) do for the spirits and the demons; and the men of the Tamas (Strand) perform sacrifices intending for the imps, the dead, and the ghosts. Shri Purohit Swami 17....

Shloka अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः | दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ||१७-५|| Transliteration aśāstravihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ . dambhāhaṃkārasaṃyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ ||17-5|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.5. Those men, who practise terrible austerities, not as enjoined in the scriptures; who are bound to hypocricy and conceit, and are endowed with (i.e. impelled by) the force of passion for the desired objects; Shri Purohit Swami 17.5 Those who practise austerities not commanded by scripture, who are slaves to hypocrisy and egotism, who are carried away by the fury of desire and passion,...

Shloka कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः | मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ||१७-६|| Transliteration karṣayantaḥ śarīrasthaṃ bhūtagrāmamacetasaḥ . māṃ caivāntaḥśarīrasthaṃ tānviddhyāsuraniścayān ||17-6|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.6. Who emaciate unintelligently the conglamoration of elements in their physic and emaciate Me too, dwelling within the physic-know them to be of a demoniac resolve. Shri Purohit Swami 17.6 They are ignorant. They torment the organs of the body; and they harass Me also, Who lives within. Know that they are devoted to evil....

Shloka आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः | यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ||१७-७|| Transliteration āhārastvapi sarvasya trividho bhavati priyaḥ . yajñastapastathā dānaṃ teṣāṃ bhedamimaṃ śṛṇu ||17-7|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.7. Further, the food also, which is dear to all, is of three kinds. So are [their] sacrifice, austerity and charity. Listen to this distinction of them. Shri Purohit Swami 17.7 The food which men enjoy is also threefold, like the ways of sacrifice, austerity and almsgiving....

Shloka आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः | रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ||१७-८|| Transliteration āyuḥsattvabalārogyasukhaprītivivardhanāḥ . rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvikapriyāḥ ||17-8|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.8. The foods that increase life, energy, strength, good health, happiness and satisfaction; and which are delicious, soft, substantial and pleasant to heart (stomach) - they are dear to the men of the Sattva (Strand). Shri Purohit Swami 17.8 The foods that prolong life and increase purity, vigour, health, cheerfulness and happiness are those that are delicious, soothing, substantial and agreeable....

Shloka कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः | आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ||१७-९|| Transliteration kaṭvamlalavaṇātyuṣṇatīkṣṇarūkṣavidāhinaḥ . āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkhaśokāmayapradāḥ ||17-9|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.9. The foods that are killed by men of the Rajas (Strand) are those which are bitter, sour, saltish, very hot, harsh, dry, and burning; and which cause pain, grief and disease. Shri Purohit Swami 17.9 Those in whom Passion is dominant like foods that are bitter, sour, salty, over-hot, pungent, dry and burning. These produce unhappiness, repentance and disease....

Shloka यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् | उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ||१७-१०|| Transliteration yātayāmaṃ gatarasaṃ pūti paryuṣitaṃ ca yat . ucchiṣṭamapi cāmedhyaṃ bhojanaṃ tāmasapriyam ||17-10|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.10. What is old, bereft of taste, ill-smelling, and stale; what is also left after eating, and is impure - such a food is dear to the men of the Tamas (Strand). Shri Purohit Swami 17.10 The Ignorant love food which is stale, not nourishing, putrid and corrupt, the leavings of others and unclean....

Shloka अफलाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते | यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ||१७-११|| Transliteration aphalāṅkṣibhiryajño vidhidṛṣṭo ya ijyate . yaṣṭavyameveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ ||17-11|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.11. That sacrifice is of the Sattva (Strand), which is offered, as found in the injunction, by men craving for no fruit, by stabilizing their mind with the thought that it is just a thing to be offered. Shri Purohit Swami 17.11 Sacrifice is Pure when it is offered by one who does not covet the fruit thereof, when it is done according to the commands of scripture, and with implicit faith that the sacrifice is a duty....

Shloka अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् | इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ||१७-१२|| Transliteration abhisandhāya tu phalaṃ dambhārthamapi caiva yat . ijyate bharataśreṣṭha taṃ yajñaṃ viddhi rājasam ||17-12|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.12. What is offered aiming at fruit and also only for the sake of display-know that sacrifice to be of the Rajas (Strand) and to be transitary and impermanent. Shri Purohit Swami 17.12 Sacrifice which is performed for the sake of its results, or for self-glorification - that, O best of Aryans, is the product of Passion....

Shloka विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् | श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ||१७-१३|| Transliteration vidhihīnamasṛṣṭānnaṃ mantrahīnamadakṣiṇam . śraddhāvirahitaṃ yajñaṃ tāmasaṃ paricakṣate ||17-13|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.13. That sacrifice they declare to be of the Tamas (Strand) which is devoid of scriptural injunction, in which there is no [recitation of] Vedic hymns, where no food and [sacrifical] fee are distributed, and which is totally devoid of faith. Shri Purohit Swami 17.13 Sacrifice that is contrary to scriptural command, that is unaccompanied by prayers or gifts of food or money, and is without faith - that is the product of Ignorance....

Shloka देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् | ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ||१७-१४|| Transliteration devadvijaguruprājñapūjanaṃ śaucamārjavam . brahmacaryamahiṃsā ca śārīraṃ tapa ucyate ||17-14|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.14. The worship to the gods, to the twice-born, to the elders and to the wise; the purity, the honesty, the state of continence, and the harmlessness-all this is said to be bodily austerity. Shri Purohit Swami 17.14 Worship of God and the Master; respect for the preacher and the philosopher; purity, rectitude, continence and harmlessness - all this is physical austerity....

Shloka अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् | स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ||१७-१५|| Transliteration anudvegakaraṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priyahitaṃ ca yat . svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate ||17-15|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 17.15. The unoffending speech which is true, and which is pleasant and beneficial; and also the practice of regular recitation of the Vedas - all this is said to be an austerity by the speech-sense. Shri Purohit Swami 17.15 Speech that hurts no one, that is true, is pleasant to listen to and beneficial, and the constant study of the scriptures - this is austerity in speech....