श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग

अर्जुन उवाच | ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः | तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ||

arjuna uvāca ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ

Arjuna said: What is the state of those who, setting aside the injunctions of scripture, perform sacrifice with faith, O Krishna? Is it sattva, rajas, or tamas?

श्रीभगवानुवाच | त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा | सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ||

śrī-bhagavān uvāca tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṁ śṛṇu

The Blessed Lord said: The faith of embodied beings is of three kinds, born of their innate nature — sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Hear now about these.

सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत | श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ||

sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata śraddhā-mayo 'yaaṁ puruṣo yo yac chraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ

The faith of each person is in accordance with their nature, O Arjuna. A person is made of faith — as their faith is, so indeed they are.

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान् यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः | प्रेतान् भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ||

yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ pretān bhūta-gaṇāṁś cānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ

Persons of sattvic nature worship the devas; those of rajasic nature worship yakshas and rakshasas; others, the tamasic, worship pretas (spirits of the dead) and hosts of lesser beings.

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः | दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ||

aśāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ dambhāhaṅkāra-saṁyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ

Those who perform terrible austerities not enjoined by scripture, filled with hypocrisy and egotism, driven by the force of desire and passion —

कर्शयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः | मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ||

karśayantaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ bhūta-grāmam acetasaḥ māṁ caivāntaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ tān viddhy āsura-niścayān

These senseless ones who torture the aggregate of elements in the body, and also torment Me who dwell within the body — know them to be of demoniac resolve.

आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः | यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ||

āhāras tv api sarvasya tri-vidho bhavati priyaḥ yajñas tapas tathā dānaṁ teṣāṁ bhedam imaṁ śṛṇu

The food preferred by each is also of three kinds; so too sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Hear now their distinction.

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः | रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ||

āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ

Foods that promote life, virtue, strength, health, happiness, and cheerfulness — which are juicy, succulent, nourishing, and naturally pleasing — are dear to the sattvic.

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः | आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ||

kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣṇa-tīkṣṇa-rūkṣa-vidāhinaḥ āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkha-śokāmaya-pradāḥ

Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry, and burning — these are liked by the rajasic; they produce pain, grief, and disease.

यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् | उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ||

yāta-yāmaṁ gata-rasaṁ pūti paryuṣitaṁ ca yat ucchiṣṭam api cāmedhyaṁ bhojanaṁ tāmasa-priyam

Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, old, refuse, and unclean — this is the food dear to the tamasic.

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते | यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ||

aphalākāṅkṣibhir yajño vidhi-dṛṣṭo ya ijyate yaṣṭavyam eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ

Sacrifice performed according to scriptural injunction, by those who desire no fruit, with the steady conviction that 'sacrifice must be performed' — that is sattvic.

अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् | इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ||

abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ dambhārtham api caiva yat ijyate bharata-śreṣṭha taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam

But sacrifice that is offered for reward, or for the sake of display — know that, O best of the Bharatas, to be rajasic.

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् | श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ||

vidhi-hīnam asṛṣṭānnaṁ mantra-hīnam adakṣiṇam śraddhā-virahitaṁ yajñaṁ tāmasaṁ paricakṣate

Sacrifice devoid of faith, without distribution of food, without proper ritual, without gifts to priests, and lacking proper hymns — that is declared tamasic.

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् | ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ||

deva-dvija-guru-prājña-pūjanaṁ śaucam ārjavam brahmacarya m ahiṁsā ca śārīraṁ tapa ucyate

Worship of the divine, the twice-born, the teachers, and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, chastity, and non-violence — these are called bodily austerity.

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् | स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ||

anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate

Speech that causes no agitation, that is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial — and regular practice of scriptural recitation — these are called austerity of speech.

मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः | भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ||

manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat tapo mānasam ucyate

Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-restraint, and purity of intention — these are called mental austerity.

श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः | अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ||

śraddhayā parayā taptaṁ tapas tat tri-vidhaṁ naraiḥ aphalākāṅkṣibhir yuktaiḥ sāttvikaṁ paricakṣate

This threefold austerity practiced with supreme faith by steadfast persons who seek no reward — that is declared sattvic.

सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् | क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ||

satkāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ tapo dambhena caiva yat kriyate tad iha proktaṁ rājasaṁ calam adhruvam

Austerity performed for the sake of respect, honor, and worship, and with ostentation — that is declared to be rajasic; it is unsteady and impermanent.

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः | परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ||

mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā tat tāmasam udāhṛtam

Austerity performed out of foolish notions, with self-torture, or for the purpose of harming others — that is declared to be tamasic.

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे | देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ||

dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ dīyate 'nupakāriṇe deśe kāle ca pātre ca tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam

Charity given with the thought 'it ought to be given,' to a deserving person who has done nothing for the giver, at the right place and time — that is held to be sattvic.

यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः | दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ||

yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ phalam uddiśya vā punaḥ dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam

But charity given with the expectation of return, or with a desire for fruit, or reluctantly — that is held to be rajasic.

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते | असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ||

adeśa-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaś ca dīyate asat-kṛtam avajñātaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛtam

Charity given at a wrong place and time, to unworthy persons, without respect and with contempt — that is declared to be tamasic.

ॐ तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः | ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ||

oṁ tat sad iti nirdeśo brahmaṇas tri-vidhaḥ smṛtaḥ brāhmaṇās tena vedāś ca yajñāś ca vihitāḥ purā

Om, Tat, Sat — this is declared to be the threefold designation of Brahman. By that were ordained of old the Brahmanas, the Vedas, and the sacrifices.

तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः | प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ||

tasmād om ity udāhṛtya yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṁ brahma-vādinām

Therefore, with the utterance of Om, the acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity as enjoined in the scriptures are always begun by those who propound Brahman.

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः | दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ||

tad ity anabhisandhāya phalaṁ yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ dāna-kriyāś ca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣa-kāṅkṣibhiḥ

With the word 'Tat' (That), without aiming at fruit, the various acts of sacrifice, austerity, and charity are performed by seekers of liberation.

सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते | प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ||

sad-bhāve sādhu-bhāve ca sad ity etat prayujyate praśaste karmaṇi tathā sac-chabdaḥ pārtha yujyate

The word 'Sat' is used in the sense of reality and goodness; and also the word 'Sat' is used to designate a praiseworthy action, O Arjuna.

यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते | कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ||

yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ sad iti cocyate karma caiva tad-arthīyaṁ sad ity evābhidhīyate

Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is also called 'Sat'; and action for the sake of these is likewise called 'Sat.'

अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् | असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ||

aśraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ tapas taptaṁ kṛtaṁ ca yat asad ity ucyate pārtha na ca tat pretya no iha

Whatever is sacrificed, given, or performed as austerity, and whatever is done without faith — it is called 'Asat,' O Arjuna. It is of no account here or hereafter.