Chapter 17, Verse 28 (Bhagavad Gita 17.28)
Chapter 17: Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāg Yog – Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith
Sanskrit Shloka
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्।असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह
Transliteration
aśhraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ tapas taptaṁ kṛitaṁ cha yat asad ity uchyate pārtha na cha tat pretya no iha
Word Meanings
aśhraddhayā—without faith; hutam—sacrifice; dattam—charity; tapaḥ—penance; taptam—practiced; kṛitam—done; cha—and; yat—which; asat—perishable; iti—thus; uchyate—are termed as; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; na—not; cha—and; tat—that; pretya—in the next world; na u—not; iha—in this world
Translation
Whatever sacrifice, charity, or austerity is performed without faith, O son of Pritha, is declared to be 'Asat' (non-existent or false); it is of no use here in this life nor after death, O Arjuna.
Meaning & Commentary
Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, reveals that the essence of all spiritual practice is not merely the ritualistic act, but the purity of the seeker's faith. Without faith in the Divine and the path of dharma, the most opulent sacrifices or austerities become hollow rituals that yield no spiritual fruit. Lord Krishna emphasizes that faith is the vital bridge connecting the soul to the eternal; when this bridge is absent, the actions remain trapped in the material realm. By declaring such actions 'Asat', the Supreme Lord guides humanity toward genuine devotion, where every deed is a sincere offering at His lotus feet. True liberation begins when one aligns their entire existence with unwavering faith in the Supreme, turning mere actions into transcendental offerings.