|| Verse: 1 ||
अर्जुन उवाच ।
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ।
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥ १ ॥
Translation
Arjuna said:
Those, endowed with faith, who worship gods and others, disregarding the injunctions of the scriptures, where they stand, Krishna in Sattva, Rajas, or Tamas?
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|| Verse: 2 ||
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा ।
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥ २ ॥
Translation
Sri Bhagavan said:
That the untutored innate faith of men is of three kinds-Sattvika, Rajasika, and Tamasika. Hear of it from Me.
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|| Verse: 3 ||
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत ।
श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥ ३ ॥
Translation
The faith of all men conforms to their mental disposition, Arjuna. Faith constitutes a man; whatever the nature of his faith, verily he is that.
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|| Verse: 4 ||
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः ।
प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥ ४ ॥
Translation
Men of Sattvika disposition worship gods; those of Rajasika temperament worship demigods, the demons; while others, who are of Tamasika disposition, worship the spirits of the dead and ghosts.
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|| Verse: 5, 6 ||
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः ।
दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥ ५ ॥
कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः ।
मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥ ६ ॥
Translation
Men who practice severe penance of an arbitrary type, not sanctioned by the scriptures, and who are full of hypocrisy and egotism and are obsessed with desire, attachment, and pride in power; And who emaciate the elements constituting their body as well as Me, the Supreme Spirit, dwelling in their heart-know those senseless people to have a demoniac disposition.
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|| श्लोक : ७ ||
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः ।
यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ॥ ७ ॥
Translation
Food also, which is agreeable to different men according to their innate disposition is of three kinds. And likewise, sacrifice, penance, and charity to are of three kinds each; hear their distinction as follows.
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|| श्लोक : ८ ||
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः ।
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥८॥
Translation
Foods that promote longevity, intelligence, vigour, health, happiness, and cheerfulness, and which are juicy, succulent, substantial, and naturally agreeable, are liked by men of Sattvika nature.
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|| श्लोक : ९ ||
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः ।
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥ ९ ॥
Translation
Foods which are bitter, sour, salty, overhot, pungent, dry, and burning, and which cause suffering, grief, and sickness, are dear to the Rajasika.
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|| श्लोक : १० ||
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् ।
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥ १० ॥
Translation
Food which is ill-cooked or not fully ripe, insipid, putrid, stale, and polluted, and which is impure too, is dear to men of Tamasika disposition.
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|| श्लोक : ११ ||
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते ।
यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥ ११ ॥
Translation
The sacrifice which is offered, as ordained by scriptural injunctions, by men who expect no return and who believe that such sacrifices must be performed, is Sattvika in character.
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|| श्लोक : १२ ||
अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् ।
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥ १२ ॥
Translation
That sacrifice, however, which is offered for the sake of mere show or even with an eye to its fruit, know it to be Rajasika, Arjuna.
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|| श्लोक : १३ ||
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् ।
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥ १३ ॥
Translation
A sacrifice, which is not in conformity with scriptural injunctions, in which no food is offered, and no sacrificial fees are paid, which is without sacred chant of hymns and devoid of faith, is said to be Tamasika.
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|| श्लोक : १४ ||
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥ १४ ॥
Translation
Worship of gods, the Brahmanas, one’s guru, elders, and wise men, purity, straightforwardness, continence, and non-violence-these are called penance of the body.
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|| श्लोक : १५ ||
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् ।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥ १५ ॥
Translation
Words that cause no annoyance to others and are truthful, agreeable, and beneficial, as well as the study of the Vedas and other Sastras and the practice of the chanting of the Divine Name- this is known as penance of speech.
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|| श्लोक : १६ ||
मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः ।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥ १६ ॥
Translation
Cheerfulness of mind, placidity, the habit of contemplation on God, control of the mind, and perfect purity of inner feelings-all are called austerity of the mind.
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|| श्लोक : १७ ||
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः ।
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥ १७ ॥
Translation
This threefold penance performed with supreme faith by Yogis expecting no return is called Sattvika.
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|| श्लोक : १८ ||
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् ।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥ १८ ॥
Translation
The austerity which is performed for the sake of renown, honor, or adoration, as well as for any other selfish gain, either in all sincerity or by way of ostentation, and yields an uncertain and momentary fruit, has been spoken of here as Rajasika.
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|| श्लोक : १९ ||
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः ।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ १९ ॥
Translation
The penance that is resorted to out of foolish notion and is accompanied by self-mortification, or is intended to harm others, such penance has been declared as Tamasika.
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|| श्लोक : २० ||
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥ २० ॥
Translation
A gift that is bestowed with a sense of duty on one from whom no return is expected, at an appropriate time and place, and to a deserving person, that gift has been declared as Sattvika.
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|| श्लोक : २१ ||
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥ २१ ॥
Translation
A gift that is bestowed in a grudging spirit and with the object of getting a service in return or in the hope of obtaining a reward is called Rajasika.
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|| श्लोक : २२ ||
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते ।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ २२ ॥
Translation
A gift that is made without good grace and in a disdainful spirit, out of time and place, and to undeserving persons, is said to be Tamasika.
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|| श्लोक : २३ ||
ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः ।
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥ २३ ॥
Translation
OM, TAT, and SAT(ॐ, तत्, सत्)-this has been declared as the triple appellation of Brahma, who is Truth, Consciousness, and Bliss. That was the Brahmanas and the Vedas as well as sacrifices created at the cosmic dawn.
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|| श्लोक : २४ ||
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः ।
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ २४ ॥
Translation
Therefore, acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity, as enjoined by sacred precepts, are always commenced by noble persons, used to the recitation of Vedic chants, with the invocation of the divine name ‘OM’.
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|| श्लोक : २५ ||
तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः ।
दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥ २५ ॥
Translation
With the idea that all this belongs to God, who is denoted by the appellation TAT, acts of sacrifice and austerity as well as acts of charity of various kinds, are performed by the seekers of liberation, expecting no return for them.
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|| श्लोक : २६, २७ ||
सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते ।
प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥ २६ ॥
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते ।
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥ २७ ॥
Translation
The name of God, ‘SAT’, is used in the sense of reality and goodness. And the word ‘SAT’ is also used in the sense of a praiseworthy, auspicious action, Arjuna.
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|| श्लोक : २८ ||
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् ।
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥ २८ ॥
Translation
An oblation which is offered, a gift given, an austerity practiced, and whatever good deed is performed, if it is without faith, it is termed as naught i.e., ‘asat’; therefore, it is of no avail here or hereafter.