Synopsis
This Chapter is called “Division of Tripartite Faith”.
Sacrifice, Charity, Penance and actions if done without trust in God are of no use.
Any action forsaking desire for fruit and done with devotion and trust in God helps in reaching the Almighty.
Chapter 17.1
अर्जुन उवाच
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः।
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः।।17.1।।
ARJUN SAID
O’ Krishna, those ones,
Who do not follow the scriptures way,
But worship with faith
Satvik, Rajas or Tamas what are they?
Chapter 17.2
श्री भगवानुवाच
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा।
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां श्रृणु।।17.2।।
Chapter 17.3
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत।
श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः।।17.3।।
Difference of faith
Is according to mental state that one is at.
Whatever is the nature of faith,
Invariably he behaves like that.
Chapter 17.4
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।
प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः।।17.4।।
God worship
Do men of Satvik status,
Elves and Asurs are worshipped by Rajas,
Spirits of the dead and ghosts,
Are worshipped by Tamas.
Chapter 17.5
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।
शदम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः।।17.5।।
Those who practice torturous penance,
Full of hypocrisy and abstinence,
Which is not approved by scriptures
Such are Rajas, proud of power and obsessed with desires.
Chapter 17.6
कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः।
मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्।।17.6।।
Those who torture the body,
The senseless ones with demonic tendency,
Who trouble the soul of their own,
Are the ones of Tamas disposition.
Chapter 17.7
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः।
यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं श्रृणु।।17.7।।
Food also is different for all these three.
Also sacrifice penance,
And charities too are of kinds three,
Listen about all these three.
Chapter 17.8
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः।
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः।।17.8।।
Satvik foods are succulent and juicy,
Substantial and agreeable naturally,
These promote intelligence, cheerfulness,
Vigor health and happiness.
Chapter 17.9
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः।
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः।।17.9।।
Foods very hot, pungent dry or burning,
Which, generate sickness, grief or suffering,
Which are sour, salty and are bitter,
Such foods to Rajas are dear.
Chapter 17.10
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्।
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्।।17.10।।
Ill cooked, not fully ripe or putrid,
Also stale, polluted and insipid,
As well as which are impure,
With Tamas, such foods find favour.
Chapter 17.11
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।
यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः।।17.11।।
Sacrifice done with scriptural procedure,
By men expecting no return or favour,
Such sacrifices are considered
Having Satvik character.
Chapter 17.12
अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्।
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्।।17.12।।
Sacrifice done with desirous input,
Or with an eye on fruit,
Or done for sake of show,
O’ Arjun, these are Rajas you must know.
Chapter 17.13
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्।
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते।।17.13।।
Sacrifice done not as per scriptures,
Or without any food offers,
With no sacred chant and fees without,
Devoid of faith, that is Tamas throughout.
Chapter 17.14
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते।।17.14।।
Worship of Gods Gurus and Brahmins,
Straight forwardness and respect for elders,
Celibacy nonviolence and purity,
These are called penance of body.
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।
शस्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते।।17.15।।
Words which cause no hurt and wishing well,
Which are truthful and agreeable,
Also recital of scriptures as such,
These are considered penance of speech.
मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते।।17.16।।
Cheerful, peaceful, and content,
Self-realization and restraint,
Control and purity of mind,
Is considered penance of mind.
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्ित्रविधं नरैः।
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते।।17.17।।
Keeping the desire of fruit on hold,
Penance of body, speech and mind,
Such penances threefold,
Satvik these are called.
Chapter 17.18
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्।।17.18।।
Penance done to get honour, felicitations,
Adulation or for other selfish gains,
Fruit of which is temporary and uncertain,
Know that penance is Rajas, for certain.
Chapter 17.19
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्।।17.19।।
Penance with foolish obstinacy,
Or self-inflicting pain tendency,
Or with intention to harm others,
Such penance is called Tamas.
Chapter 17.20
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्।।17.20।।
Charity which is done as duty,
Without expecting return any,
At right time, right place and to right person,
That charity is Satvik for certain.
Chapter 17.21
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्।।17.21।।
Charity done, expecting return,
Or done grudgingly as obligation,
Is charity the Rajas one.
Chapter 17.22
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्।।17.22।।
Charity is called Tamas when,
Given to undeserving person,
At inappropriate time and place,
And that too without good grace.
Chapter 17.23
ॐ तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः।
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा।।17.23।।
Chapter 17.24
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः।
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्।।17.24।।
Therefore acts of charity, Sacrifice and austerity,
Yogees start by chanting, “Om" invariably.
Chapter 17.25
तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः।
दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षि।।17.25।।
Sacrifice charity and penance, all these acts,
Conducted by freedom seekers,
From worldly bondages, and without expecting any fruit,
Are conducted pronouncing the word “Tat".
Chapter 17.26
सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते।
पप्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते।।17.26।।
“Sat” word denotes truth and goodness,
With truth and intentions pious,
The one who acts O’ Parth,
To praise him also is used the word “Sat”.
Chapter 17.27
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते।
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते।।17.27।।
Actions such as sacrifice, penance,
And charity are called Sat,
Actions conducted for the sake of God,
Are also similarly called Sat.
Chapter 17.28
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्।
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह।।17.28।।
Penance, Charity and sacrifice though are Sat,
Yet if performed without faith,
All come to naught, and are called Asat,
During this life as well as after death.
