Chapter 17: Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāg Yog – Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith
श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग · 28 verses
Chapter Summary
The seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna describes the three types of faith corresponding to the three modes of the material nature. Lord Krishna further reveals that it is the nature of faith that determines the quality of life and the character of living entities. Those who have faith in passion and ignorance perform actions that yield temporary, material results while those who have faith in goodness perform actions in accordance with scriptural instructions and hence their hearts get further purified.
Verses
- 17.1 — Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is the situation of those who, disregarding the injunctions of the scriptures,…
- 17.2 — Shri Krishna said: The faith of the embodied souls is of three kinds, according to their nature—sattvic…
- 17.3 — O Arjuna, the faith of each individual is in accordance with their nature. A person is made of their faith;…
- 17.4 — Shri Krishna says: Men of sattva (goodness) worship the devas (demigods); men of rajas (passion) worship the…
- 17.5 — Those who perform severe austerities not ordained by the scriptures, being deluded by hypocrisy and egoism,…
- 17.6 — Know those individuals to be of demoniac resolves who senselessly torture the elements comprising the body,…
- 17.7 — The food that is dear to each is threefold, as well as sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Hear now the…
- 17.8 — Foods that promote longevity, purity, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction—foods that are…
- 17.9 — Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning are dear to those in the mode of…
- 17.10 — Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, refuse, and impure is dear to those who are in the mode of…
- 17.11 — That sacrifice which is performed by those who seek no reward, in accordance with scriptural injunctions,…
- 17.12 — O Arjuna, know that the sacrifice which is performed for the sake of reward and with ostentation, is…
- 17.13 — Shri Krishna declares that sacrifice performed without adherence to scriptural ordinances, in which no food…
- 17.14 — Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers, and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and…
- 17.15 — Speech that causes no agitation, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, and the regular recitation of the…
- 17.16 — Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-restraint, and purity of heart—this is declared to be the…
- 17.17 — This threefold austerity, performed with utmost faith by men who are steadfast, without desire for any…
- 17.18 — Austerity that is performed to gain respect, honor, and adoration, and also out of hypocrisy, is declared to…
- 17.19 — That austerity which is performed out of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the purpose of…
- 17.20 — Charity given as a duty, to a worthy person, at a proper time and place, and to one who cannot return the…
- 17.21 — But the gift that is given with the expectation of a return, or with a desire for a reward, or given…
- 17.22 — The gift that is given in the wrong place and at the wrong time, to unworthy persons, without respect or…
- 17.23 — “Om Tat Sat”: this is declared to be the threefold designation of the Supreme Absolute, Brahman. By this,…
- 17.24 — Therefore, with the utterance of 'Om,' the acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity, as enjoined in the…
- 17.25 — Uttering the word 'Tat,' without desire for fruits, the various acts of sacrifice, austerity, and charity…
- 17.26 — The word 'Sat' is used in the sense of reality and of goodness; and so also, O Arjuna, the word 'Sat' is…
- 17.27 — Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is also called 'Sat', and likewise, any action performed…
- 17.28 — Whatever sacrifice, charity, or austerity is performed without faith, O son of Pritha, is declared to be…