Arjuna said:
O Krishna, there are those that perform sacrifices with devotion, but casting aside spiritual injunctions -what is their position? Is it Satvic, Rajasic or Tamasic?
17-1
Sri Bhagavan Said:
Three fold is the innate faith of souls - Satvic, Rajasic and Tamas - according to their innate nature. Hear from me now about this three fold faith.
17-2
O Bharata, the faith of each Jiva is in accordance with his Jiva - essence. This Jiva is constituted of faith, so what his faith is, that verily he is in his innate nature.
17-3
Satvic souls worship gods; Rajasas Yakshas and Rakshasas, Tamasas ghosts and demons.
17-4
There are people who perform severe austerities not ordained by scriptures, possessed with vanity and pride and impelled by lust passion and power - know these unintelligent people who belittle all the deities i.e presiding over the 25 tatvas in the body and also me seated as the ruler in the inner body to be of demoniacal persuasion.
17-5,6
Even the food liked by these people is in three different ways; so also the sacrifices, austerities and charities. Hear now the distinction amongst them.
17-7
The foods favorite to the Satvic souls are those that promote life, vitality, energy, health, happiness and cheerfulness and that are delicious, soft, substantial and agreeable.
17-8
The food that are dear to Rajasic souls are bitter, sour saltish, over-hot, astringent and dry producing bodily pain and suffering and cause grief and disease.
17-9
The food that are dear to tamasic souls is what is stale, what is left to remain for over a Yama, has lost its flavor, stinking, the remnant of meals and unclean.
17-10
The sacrifice which is performed by men as enjoined in scriptures without desiring any fruit thereof, having made up the mind that performance of sacrifice is a duty, is Satvic.
17-11
That sacrifice performed in expectation of some reward and also for self glorification. O the foremost of Bharatas, is Rajasic.
17-12
That sacrifice performed without the authority of the scriptural ordinances, without distribution of food, without chanting mantras and without any payments of Daksina to the gurus and without any faith is said to be Tamasic.
17-13
Worship of deities, brahmins, preceptors and the wise, purity, uprightness, celibacy and harmlessness are called the austerity of the body.
17-14
Speech giving no offence to others, truthful, pleasant and beneficial and constant study of the vedas are called the penance of speech.
17-15
Tranquillity of mind, gentleness, silence, concentration on God and confining oneself to pure thoughts these are called mental penance.
17-16
This three-fold penance practiced with utmost faith by men without any attachment to the fruits thereof and in a spirit of dedication to the Lord is called Satvic penance.
17-17
That austerity practiced with the object of gaining respect, praise, reverence and for ostentation is declared Rajasic and is unstable and unsettled in the effects.
17-18
That austerity practiced with foolish obstinacy or self-torment or for destroying another is said to be tamasic.
17-19
That gift given with the faith that charity should be made and that to one from whom no return is expected and that too given in right time and place and to a worthy recipient is said to be Satvic.
17-20
That gift made out of ill-gotten wealth, with the hope of getting a return is said to be Rajasic.
17-21
That giving away in an improper place and time to unworthy recipients without courtesy and with contempt is said to be tamasic.
17-22
"Aum, tat, sat" this triad is considered to be the name of the supreme God - Aum because it means he who has entered with the universe at the time of creation and into whom the world is woven; Tat because he has to be understood only through Vedas and not by senses or inference; Sat because he is perfect in all excellent qualities and devoid of all defects.
17-23
Therefore, with the utterance of the Syllable "Aum" which is a name of God, acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity as prescribed in scriptures are always commenced by the seers of God.
17-24
With a view to acquire the grace of Tat who is Brahman, all pervading, various acts of sacrifice, austerity and charity are performed without any desire for rewards by the seers of God, desirous of liberation "Moksha".
17-25
O Partha: the term Sat is employed in the sense of reality and in that of being good natured. It is also used in the sense of auspicious and praise - worthy acts.
17-26
"Sat" denotes sacrifices, austerities and gifts -Karma performed with the firm conviction that the Lord alone bestows blessings on the man by His presence in those acts. It also means that acts are to be performed as duties to God.
17-27
O Arjuna: Whatever is offered into the fire without faith, though strictly done according to scriptural injunctions or given in charity, performed as penance or any other deeds would be called "Asat". It will not lead to any good result, either here or hereafter.
17-28
Thus ends the seventh chapter of Upanishads of Bhagavad Gita entitled
"The Sradddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga".
