Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 17 of 18 · 28 verses
Threefold Faith
Śraddhātraya Vibhāga Yoga
What this chapter teaches
The nature of inner faith (śraddhā) as expressed through diet, worship, austerity, and generosity — and how sincerity of heart far outweighs mere ritual performance.
Arjuna asks: what about people who perform worship without scriptural knowledge but with sincere faith? Krishna replies that faith (śraddhā) is naturally of three kinds — sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic — corresponding to a person's dominant guṇa. Even food preferences reveal inner nature: sattvic food increases vitality, vigor, and joy; rajasic food causes pain, bitterness, and disease; tamasic food is stale, putrid, and impure. The chapter ends with the powerful formula: 'Oṁ Tat Sat' — the triple designation of Brahman, the truth underlying all sacred action.
All 28 verses — Sanskrit, transliteration, English
अर्जुन उवाचये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः।तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः॥
arjuna uvācaye śāstravidhimutsṛjya yajante śraddhayā'nvitāḥ|teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvamāho rajastamaḥ ||
Arjuna said But, ['But' is used to present a standpoint distinct from the earlier ones understand from 16.23-4.-S.] O Krsna, what is the state [i.e., where do the rites undertaken by them end?] of those who, endued with faith, adore [Adore-perform sacrifices, distribute wealth etc. in honour of gods and others.] by ignoring the injunctions of the scriptures? Is it sattva, rajas or tamas?
श्री भगवानुवाचत्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा।सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां श्रृणु॥
śrī bhagavānuvācatrividhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāvajā|sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṁ śrṛṇu ||
The Blessed Lord said That faith of the embodied beings, born of their own nature, is threefold-born of sattva, rajas and tamas. Hear about it.
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत।श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः॥
sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata|śraddhāmayo'yaṁ puruṣo yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ ||
O scion of the Bharata dynasty, the faith of all beings is in accordance with their minds. This person is made up of faith as the dominant factor. He is verily what his faith is.
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः॥
yajante sāttvikā devānyakṣarakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ|pretānbhūtagaṇāṁścānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ ||
Those having the sattva ality worship the gods; those having rajas, the demi-gods and ogres; and other people possessed of tamas worship ghosts and the hosts of spirits.
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः॥
aśāstravihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ|dambhāhaṅkārasaṁyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ ||
Those persons who, given to ostentation and pride, and possessed of passion, attachment and strength, undertake severe austerities not sanctioned in the scriptures;
कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः।मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्॥
karṣayantaḥ śarīrasthaṁ bhūtagrāmamacetasaḥ|māṁ caivāntaḥśarīrasthaṁ tānviddhyāsuraniścayān ||
(And who,) being non-discriminating, torture, all the organs in the body as also even Me who reside in the body,-know them as possessed of demoniacal conviction.
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः।यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं श्रृणु॥
āhārastvapi sarvasya trividho bhavati priyaḥ|yajñastapastathā dānaṁ teṣāṁ bhedamimaṁ śrṛṇu ||
Food also, which is dear to all, is of three kinds; and so also are sacrifices, austerity and charity. Listen to this classification of them.
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः।रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः॥
āyuḥsattvabalārogyasukhaprītivivardhanāḥ|rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvikapriyāḥ ||
Foods that augment life, firmless of mind, strength, health, happiness and delight, and which are succulent, oleaginous, substantial and agreeable, are dear to one endowed with sattva.
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः।आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः॥
kaṭvamlalavaṇātyuṣṇatīkṣṇarūkṣavidāhinaḥ|āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkhaśokāmayapradāḥ ||
Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry and burning, and which production pain, sorrow and disease, are dear to one having rajas.
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्।उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्॥
yātayāmaṁ gatarasaṁ pūti paryuṣitaṁ ca yat|ucchiṣṭamapi cāmedhyaṁ bhojanaṁ tāmasapriyam ||
Food which is not properly cooked, lacking in essence, putrid and stale, and even ort and that which is unfit for sacrifice, is dear to one possessed of tamas.
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः॥
aphalākāṅkṣibhiryajño vidhidṛṣṭo ya ijyate|yaṣṭavyameveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ ||
That sacrifice which is in accordance with the injunctions, (and is) performed by persons who do not hanker after results, and with the mental conviction that it is surely obligatory, is done through sattva.
अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्।इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्॥
abhisaṁdhāya tu phalaṁ dambhārthamapi caiva yat|ijyate bharataśreṣṭha taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam ||
But that sacrifice which is performed having in veiw a result, as also for ostentation,-know that sacrifice to be done through rajas, O greatest among the descendants of Bharata.
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्।श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते॥
vidhihīnamasṛṣṭānnaṁ mantrahīnamadakṣiṇam|śraddhāvirahitaṁ yajñaṁ tāmasaṁ paricakṣate ||
They declare that sacrifice as 'done through tamas' which is contrary to injunction, in which food is not distributed, in which mantras are not used, in which offerings are not made to priests, and which is devoid of faith.
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते॥
devadvijaguruprājñapūjanaṁ śaucamārjavam|brahmacaryamahiṁsā ca śārīraṁ tapa ucyate ||
The worship of gods, twice-borns, venerable persons and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy and non-injury,-are said to be bodily austerity.
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते॥
anudvegakaraṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priyahitaṁ ca yat|svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva vāṅmayaṁ tapa ucyate ||
That speech which causes no pain, which is true, agreeable and beneficial; as well as the practice of study of the scriptures,-is said to be austerity of speech.
मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते॥
manaḥprasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunamātmavinigrahaḥ|bhāvasaṁśuddhirityetattapo mānasamucyate ||
Tranillity of mind, gentleness, reticence, withdrawal of the mind, purity of heart,-these are what is called mental austerity.
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्ित्रविधं नरैः।अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते॥
śraddhayā parayā taptaṁ tapastatitravidhaṁ naraiḥ|aphalākāṅkṣibhiryuktaiḥ sāttvikaṁ paricakṣate ||
When that threefold austerity is undertaken with supreme faith by people who do not hanker after results and are self-controlled, they speak of it as born of sattva.
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्॥
satkāramānapūjārthaṁ tapo dambhena caiva yat|kriyate tadiha proktaṁ rājasaṁ calamadhruvam ||
That austerity which is undertaken for earning a name, being honoured and worshipped, and also ostentatiously,-that is spoken of as born of rajas, belonging to this world, uncertain and transitory.
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥
mūḍhagrāheṇātmano yatpīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ|parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā tattāmasamudāhṛtam ||
That austerity which is undertaken with a foolish intent, by causing pain to oneself, or for the destruction of others-that is said to be born of tamas.
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे।देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्॥
dātavyamiti yaddānaṁ dīyate'nupakāriṇe|deśe kāle ca pātre ca taddānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam ||
That gift is referred to as born of sattva which gift is given with the idea that it ought to be given, to one who will not serve in return, and at the (proper) place, (proper) time and to a (proper) person.
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः।दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्॥
yattu pratyupakārārthaṁ phalamuddiśya vā punaḥ|dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ taddānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam ||
But the gift which is given expecting reciprocation, or again, with a desire for its result, and which is given grudgingly,- that is considered to be born of rajas.
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥
adeśakāle yaddānamapātrebhyaśca dīyate|asatkṛtamavajñātaṁ tattāmasamudāhṛtam ||
The gift which is made at an improper place and time, and to undeserving persons, without proper treatment and with disdain, is declared to be born of tamas.
तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः।ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा॥
tatsaditi nirdeśo brahmaṇastrividhaḥ smṛtaḥ|brāhmaṇāstena vedāśca yajñāśca vihitāḥ purā ||
'Om-tat-sat' ['Om, That, Existence': 'Om iti brahma, Om is Brahman' (Tai. 1.8.1); 'Tattvamasi, Thou art That' (Ch. 6.8.7); and 'Sadeva somya idamagra asit, This was Existence alone in the beginning, O amiable one' (Ch. 6.2.1)-in these texts Brahman is indicated by the words Om, tat, sat.]-this is considered to be the threefold designation of Brahman. The Brahmanas and Vedas and the sacrifices were ordanined by that in the days of yore.
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः।प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्॥
tasmādomityudāhṛtya yajñadānatapaḥkriyāḥ|pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṁ brahmavādinām ||
Therefore, acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity as prescribed through injunctions, of those who study and expound the Vedas, always commence after uttering the syllable Om.
तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः।दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षि॥
tadityanabhisandhāya phalaṁ yajñatapaḥkriyāḥ|dānakriyāśca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣakāṅkṣi ||
After (uttering) the word tat, acts of sacrifice and austerity as also the various acts of charity are performed without regard for results by persons aspiring for Liberation.
सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते।प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते॥
sadbhāve sādhubhāve ca sadityetatprayujyate|praśaste karmaṇi tathā sacchabdaḥ pārtha yujyate ||
This word sat is used with regard to (something) coming into being and with regard to (someone) becoming good. So also, O son of Prtha, the word sat is used with regard to an auspicious rite.
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते।कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते॥
yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ saditi cocyate|karma caiva tadarthīyaṁ sadityevābhidhīyate ||
And the steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity and charity is spoken of as sat. And even the action meant for these is, verily, called as sat (good).
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्।असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह॥
aśraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ tapastaptaṁ kṛtaṁ ca yat|asadityucyate pārtha na ca tatpretya no iha ||
O son of Prtha, whatever is offered in sacrifice and given in charity, as also whatever austerity is undertakne or whatever is done without, faith, is said to be of on avail. And it is of no conseence after death, nor here.
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