Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 – Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga
The three divisions of faith.
28 verses
All verses of this chapter
- 17.1 – अर्जुन उवाच – Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is the standing of those who set aside the injunctions of scripture yet worship…
- 17.2 – श्रीभगवानुवाच – The Blessed Lord said: The faith of embodied beings, born of their own nature, is of three kinds: sattvic…
- 17.3 – सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति – The faith of each person accords with his inner nature, O Bharata.
- 17.4 – यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः – Sattvic people worship the gods; rajasic people worship the yakshas and rakshasas; and the others, the…
- 17.5 – अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये – Those who practise terrible austerities not sanctioned by scripture, full of hypocrisy and egoism, driven by…
- 17.6 – कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः – — senselessly tormenting the elements that make up the body, and Me too who dwell within the body: know them…
- 17.7 – आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति – Even the food that each person likes is of three kinds, and so are sacrifice, austerity and charity.
- 17.8 – आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः – Foods that promote long life, purity of mind, strength, health, happiness and cheerfulness, and that are…
- 17.9 – कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः – Foods that are excessively bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning, which cause pain, grief and…
- 17.10 – यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं – Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, left overnight, the leftovers of others and impure is dear to the…
- 17.11 – अफलाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते – That sacrifice is sattvic which is offered according to scriptural injunction by those who desire no reward…
- 17.12 – अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि – But the sacrifice that is offered with an eye on its reward, or merely for show, O best of the Bharatas…
- 17.13 – विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् – A sacrifice performed without regard to scriptural procedure, in which no food is distributed, no mantras…
- 17.14 – देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् – Worship of the gods, the twice-born, teachers and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, continence and…
- 17.15 – अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं – Speech that causes no distress, that is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, together with the regular…
- 17.16 – मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः – Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control and purity of heart: this is called austerity of the mind.
- 17.17 – श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं – This threefold austerity, practised with supreme faith by steadfast people who desire no reward, is called…
- 17.18 – सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव – Austerity practised to gain respect, honour and reverence, and with ostentation, is said here to be rajasic…
- 17.19 – मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः – Austerity practised out of deluded obstinacy, with self-torture, or for the purpose of harming another, is…
- 17.20 – दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे – A gift given because it is right to give, to one from whom nothing is expected in return, at the proper…
- 17.21 – यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा – But a gift given in expectation of a return favour, or with a reward in view, or given grudgingly, is held…
- 17.22 – अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते – A gift given at the wrong place and time, to unworthy recipients, without respect or with contempt, is…
- 17.23 – ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः – 'Om Tat Sat': this is declared to be the threefold designation of Brahman.
- 17.24 – तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः – Therefore the acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity enjoined by scripture are always begun by the…
- 17.25 – तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः – Uttering 'Tat', seekers of liberation perform the various acts of sacrifice, austerity and charity without…
- 17.26 – सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते – The word 'Sat' is used in the sense of reality and of goodness; and likewise, O Partha, the word 'Sat' is…
- 17.27 – यज्ञे तपसि दाने च – Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity and charity is also called 'Sat', and any action performed for the…
- 17.28 – अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं – Whatever is offered in sacrifice, given in charity, practised as austerity or done in any other way without…