Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17, Verse 1

Chapter 17 – Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit verse

अर्जुन उवाच ।
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ।
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca .
ye śāstravidhimutsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ .
teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvamāho rajastamaḥ ॥

Meaning

Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is the standing of those who set aside the injunctions of scripture yet worship with faith? Is it sattva, rajas or tamas?

Word meanings

अर्जुन उवाच – Arjuna said
ये – those who
शास्त्रविधिम् – the injunctions of scripture
उत्सृज्य – setting aside
यजन्ते – worship, sacrifice
श्रद्धया – with faith
अन्विताः – endowed
तेषाम् – their
निष्ठा – standing, basis
तु – indeed
का – what
कृष्ण – O Krishna
सत्त्वम् – sattva
आहो – or
रजः – rajas
तमः – tamas

Anvaya (word order)

अर्जुनः उवाच — कृष्ण, ये शास्त्रविधिम् उत्सृज्य श्रद्धया अन्विताः यजन्ते, तेषां निष्ठा तु का — सत्त्वम् आहो रजः तमः?

Explanation

Chapter 17 is called Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga, the yoga of distinguishing the three kinds of faith. It begins with a subtle and practical question from Arjuna.

At the end of Chapter 16 Krishna said that one who abandons scriptural injunctions and acts on whim attains no perfection (16.23). Arjuna now wonders: that verse spoke of kama-kara, conduct driven by desire. But what of those who do not know or cannot follow the scriptural rules, yet worship with genuine shraddha, faith? Think of a simple village devotee who knows nothing of scripture but calls on God with all his heart.

Shankara clarifies that the verse concerns people who set scripture aside not out of deliberate contempt but through ignorance or lack of effort, while still worshipping with faith by following the example of elders. Their actions have faith but lack the foundation of scripture. What, then, is their nishtha, their basis or standing?

Arjuna asks specifically: is it sattva, rajas or tamas? Having learned the science of the gunas in Chapter 14, he now wants to see every question in its light. This shows how his understanding has grown.

The question remains highly relevant. Many people follow religious traditions without knowing their scriptural basis. What is the worth of their faith? Krishna's answer will show that faith too is of three kinds, and that its quality decides the matter.

Context

Chapter 16 ended with the teaching that scripture is the authority in deciding duty (16.24). From the question this raises, Arjuna begins Chapter 17. From the next verse Krishna describes the three kinds of faith.

Life lesson

Having faith is not enough by itself; we also need to see what kind of faith we have and what it rests on. Keep examining your beliefs with knowledge and discernment.

Key terms

Shraddha: Faith; conviction in something as true, together with dedication to it
Nishtha: Standing, basis, firm grounding
Shastra-vidhi: The procedures of worship and conduct prescribed in scripture