LOTUS GITA- A PATH TO SALVATION

CHAPTER-XVII-THREEFOLD FAITH DESCRIBED (1-28)
1-6 About three kinds of FaithArjuna uvacha
17.1. ye shastra vidhin utsrijya
yajante shradhayanvitah
tesam nistha tu ka krishna
satnam aho rajah tamah
Aruna said:
Krishna! Those who leave aside the rules of conduct as laid down by the scriptures, faithfully worship dieties, where does their devotion stand - in Sattva, Rajas or Tamas?
Shri bhagavan uvacha
17.2. trividha bhavati shraddha
dehinam sa svabhavaja
satviki rajasi cha eva
tamasi cha iti tam shrinu
Sri Bhagavan said:
That natural devotion and faith of a person is of three kinds i.e. Sattviki, Rajasi and Tamasi. Hear that from Me.
17.3. satnanurupa sarvasya
shraddha bhavati bharata
shraddhamayah ayam purushah
yah yakshidrah sah eva sah
Arjun! The faith of all persons conforms to their inner mind. A man is full of faith; whatever the nature of his faith, he is resembles verily that.
17.4. yajante satvikah devan
yaksharakshansi rajasah
pretan bhutaganam cha anye
yajante tamasah janah
Sattvika persons worship deities; Rajasi persons worship demigods and demons; and Tamasi persons worship the spirits of the dead and groups of ghosts.
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17.5. ashastravinitam ghoram
tapyante ye tapo sanah
dambhahankarsanyuktah
kamaragabalanvitah
17.6. kavshayantah sharirastham
bhutagramam chetsah
mam chaivantah sharistham
tanvidhaya surnischayan
Persons who practise dire penance leaving aside the rules of conduct as laid down by the scriptures, and who are full of hypocrisy, proud and are attached with consumable materials, desire and aidament; who emaciate the five elements constituting their body as well as Me dwelling in their heart - know those senseless persons to have a demoniac faith.
7-10 About three kinds of interests in food
17.7. aharah tu api sarvasya
trividhah bhavati priyah
yagyah tapah tatha danam
tesam bhedam imam shrinu
Three types of food is also favourite to all and similarly sacrifice, penance and charity too are of three kinds that means acts according to the strictures also have three varieties in accordance with three Gunas. Now hear their distinction as follows.
17.8. ayuhsatyabalarogya
sukhapriti vivardhanah
rasyah snigdhah sthira hridya
aharah satvikpriyah
Foods that promote age, simplicity, vigour, health, happiness, cheerfulness, stability, strength to heart, juicy and buttery are , are dear to the Sattvika type of person.
17.9. katnamlalavanatyushantikshan
ruksavidahinah
aharah rajasasya istah
duhkha shokamayapradah
Foods that are bitter, acidic, salty, overhot, over pungent, over dry and over burning, and which cause suffering, grief and sickness are dear to the Rajasi type of person.
17.10. yatyamam gatarasam puti
paryushitam cha yat
uchhistam api cha amedhyama
bhojanam tamaspriyam
Food that is rotten, juiceless, having bed smell, time barred, used and impure too like meat and non vegitarian etc. is dear to men of a Tamasi faith.
11-22 About three kinds of activities
17.11. aphalakanchibhih yagyah
vidhidristah yah ijyate
yastavyam eva iti manah
samadhaya sah satvikah
The sacrifice without expectation of any return is duty of a person. Thus recognizing and approving that mentally sacrifice performed in accordance with the procedure laid down by scriptures is Sattvika in character.
17.12. abhisandhay tu phalam
dambhartham api cha eva yat
ijyate bharatashresta tam
yagyam viddhi rajasam
Arjun! The sacrifice which is offered for fulfilling desires or for the sake of mere show is known as Rajasi.
17.13. vidhihinam asristannam
mantrahinam adakshinam
shradhavirhitam yagyam
tamasam parichakshyate

A sacrifice inconsistent with the scriptural injunctions, where no food is offered, without sacred chants and consideration and devoid of faith, is said to be Tamasi.
17.14. devadvijgurupragyapujanam
shaucham arjavam
brahmacharyam ahimsa cha
shariram tapah uchyate

Reasonable worship of dieties, the Brahmanas, aged great wise men, keeping purity, having simplicity, obeying continence and avoidind violence – these are called bodily penance.
17.15. anudvegakaram vakyam
safyam priyahitam cha yat
svadhyaya bhyasanam cha eva
vangabhyam tapah uchyate
Words causing no annoyance to others, truthful, agreeable and beneficial, as well as the self study and the practice of repetition of the Divine Name - are known as the austerity of speech.
17.16. manah prasadah saumyatam
maunam atmavinigrahah
bhavasanshudhih eti etat
tapah mansam uchyate
Cheerfulness of mind, simplicity, habit of contemplation, disciplene of the mind and perfect purity of thoughts - all this is austerity of the mind.
17.17. ahradhya paraya taptam
tapah tat trividham naraih
aphalakanchhibhih yuktaih
satvikam parichakshyate
This threefold penance and austerity performed with absolute faith by persons expecting no return is called Sattvika.
17.18. satkarman pujartham tapah
dambhena cha eva yat
kriyate tat eh proktam
rajasam chalam adhruvam

The penance which is performed for the sake of honor, respect, worship and shows that yields an uncertain and momentary fruit and has been said as Rajasi.
17.19. mudhagrahena atmanah yat
pidya kriyate tapah
parsya utsadnartham va
tat tamasam udahritam
Austerity which is performed through perversity and arrogancy with self-mortification or is intended to injure others, such austerity has been said to be Tamasi.
17.20. datvayam iti yat danam
diyate anupakrine
deshe kale cha patre cha tat
danam satvikam smritam
“Charity is duty” with such intention if extended to a deserving person at a fit place, suitable time without any desire for a return that is Sattvik Charity.
17.21. yat tu pratyupakarartham phalam
uddsya na punah
diyate cha parichistam tat
danam rajasam smritam
But the charity if bestowed with the object of a grudging spirit and getting a service in return or in the hope of obtaining a reward is called Rajasika.
17.22. adeshkale yat danam
apatrebhyah cha diyate
asatkritam avagyatam
tat tamasam udahritam
A charity made without grace and in a disdainful spirit out of time and place and to undeserving persons, is said to be Tamasi.
23-28 “ AUM TAT SAT” and false deeds described
17.23. aum tatsat iti nirdeshah
brahmanah trividhih smritah
brahmanah tena vedah cha
yagyah cha vihitah pura
OM, TAT and SAT – these threefold names have been indicated for the Almighty and the same Almighty created Vedas, Bramhans and sacrifices (Yagya) in the beginning of this Universe.
17.24. tasmat aum iti udahritya
yagyadantapahkriyah
pravartante vidhanoktah
satatam brahmavadinam
Therefore, all acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity as prescribed by the procedure laid down in the scripres and performed by the followers of Vedic Principles begin with the chanting of Almighty’s such name as OM.
17.25. tat iti anbhisanghaya
phalam yagyatapahkriyah
danakriyah cha vividhah
kriyante mokskamchibhih
With the recognition that all this belongs to the Almighty which is denoted by the term TAT, people seeking salvation perfom acts of sacrifice, austerity and charity of various kinds without expectation of any return.
17.26. sadbhave sadhubhave cha sat
iti etat prayujyate
prashaste karmani tatha tat
shabelah partha yujyate
Arjun! The name of God, “SAT” is used with the sense of existence of truth and goodness. The word SAT is also added with the praiseworthy act.
17.27. yagye tapasi dane cha
stithih sat iti cha uchyate
karma cha eva taddarthiyam
sat iti eva abhidhiyate
The faith in sacrifice, austerity and charity is also likewise called as 'Sat' and every action performed for the sake of that Almighty is also termed as 'Sat'.
17.28. ashradhaya hutam datt
tapah taptam kritam cha yat
asat iti uchyate partha na
cha tat pretya no iha
Arjun! An oblation offered, a charity given, an austerity practised, and whatever act is performed, without faith, that is all termed as “ASAT” (naught); therefore, it is of no avail here or hereafter.
The seventeenth Chapter of the Science of Bramha and the scripture of yoga in the glorious Upnishad of Shree Mad Bhagvat Gita titled "The Yoga of Division of the Threefold Faith" A dialogue between Shri Krishna and Arjuna finishes here