OM
17.
Yoga of the Threefold Faith
1)
ARJUNA:
Those who setting aside the ordinances of
the scriptures, perform sacrifice with faith, what is their condition O
Krishna? Is it Sattva, Rajas or Tamas?
2)
SRI KRISHNA:
Threefold is the faith of the embodied,
which is inherent in their nature – the Sattvic (pure), the Rajasic
(passionate) and the Tamasic (dull, dark). Thus thou hear of it.
3)
The faith of each is in accordance with his
nature, O Bharata (Arjuna.) Man consists of his faith; as a man’s faith is, so
is he.
4)
The Sattvic, or ‘pure’ men, worship the gods
(Devas); the Rajasic or the ‘passionate’, the Yakshas and the Rakshasas; the
others – Tamasic people, or the ‘dark or dull’ folk, worship the ghosts
(Pretas) and hosts of Bhutas, or the nature/spirits.
5)
Those men who practice terrible austerities, not
enjoined by the scriptures, given by hypocrisy and egoism, impelled by the
forces of lust and attachment…
6)
Senselessly torturing all the elements in the
body, and Me also who dwells within the body – you may know these to be of
‘demonaical’ resolves.
7)
The food also which is dear to each is
threefold, as also sacrifice, austerity and alms giving. You may now hear the
distinction of these.
8)
The food which increase life, purity, strength,
health, joy and cheerfulness (good appetite), which are savory and oleaginous
(rich in oil), substantial and agreeable, are dear to the Sattvic (pure.)
9)
The foods that are bitter, sour, saline,
excessively hot, pungent, dry and burning, are liked by the Rajasic, and are
productive of pain, grief, and disease.
10)
That which is stale, tasteless, putrid and
rotten, refuse and impure, is the food liked by the ‘Tamasic.’
11)
That sacrifice which is offered by men without
desire for fruit, and as enjoined by ordinance, with a firm faith that
sacrifice is a duty, is Sattvic or ‘pure’.
12)
The sacrifice which is offered, O Best of
Bharatas (Arjuna), seeking fruit and for ostentation, you may know that to be a
Rajasic Yajna.
13)
They declare that sacrifice to be Tamasic, which
is contrary to the ordinances, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid
of mantras and gifts, and which is devoid of faith.
14)
Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the
teachers and the ‘wise’; purity, straight forwardness, celibacy, and non-injury;
these are called the ‘austerity’ of the body’.
15)
Speech which causes no excitement, and is
truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, and the practice of the study of the Vedas,
these constitute the ‘austerity of speech’.
16)
Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, silence,
self-control, purity of nature – these together are called ‘mental austerity’.
17)
This three-fold austerity, practiced by
steadfast men, with the utmost faith, desiring no fruit, they call ‘Sattvic’.
18)
The austerity which is practiced with the object
of gaining good reception, honor and worship, and with hypocrisy, is here said
to be Rajasic, unstable and transitory.
19)
That austerity which is practiced with
self-torture, out of some foolish notion, for the purpose of destroying another,
is declared to be Tamasic.
20)
That gift which is given, knowing it to be a
duty, in a fit time and place, to a worthy person, from whom we expect nothing
in return, is held to be Sattvic.
21)
And that gift which is given with a view to
receiving in return, or looking for fruit again, or reluctantly is held to be
Rajasic.
22)
The gift that is given at a wrong place and
time, to unworthy persons, without respect, or with insult, is declared to be
Tamasic.
23)
“Om Tat Sat” – this has been declared to be the
triple designation of Brahman. By that were created formerly created formerly,
the Brahmanas, Vedas and Yajnas (sacrifices.)
24)
Therefore, with the utterance of ‘OM’ are begun
the acts of sacrifice, gifts, and austerity as enjoyed in scriptures, always by
the students of Brahman.
25)
Uttering ‘Tat’ without aiming at the fruits, are
the acts of sacrifice and austerity and the various acts of gift performed by
the seekers of liberation.
26)
The word ‘Sat’ is used in the sense of Reality
and of Goodness; and also, O Partha, the word ‘Sat’ is used in the sense of an
auspicious act.
27)
Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity and gift
is also called ‘Sat’ and also, action in connection with these (for the sake of
the Supreme) is called ‘Sat’.
28)
Whatever is sacrificed, given or performed, and
whatever austerity is practiced without faith, it is called ‘A-sat’, O Partha
(Arjuna); it is not for here or hereafter (after death.)
Thus ends the 17th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
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