श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग

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

Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is the state of those who worship with faith but disregard the rules of scripture? Is it of goodness, passion, or ignorance?

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

The Supreme Lord said: The faith of embodied beings, born of their own nature, is of three kinds — of goodness, of passion, and of ignorance. Hear now about this.

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

O Bharata, the faith of every person conforms to their inner nature. A person is made of faith; as one's faith is, so indeed is that person.

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः । प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥

Those of goodness worship the gods; those of passion worship Yakshas and Rakshasas; and others, of ignorance, worship spirits and ghosts.

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः । दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥

Those who perform severe austerities not sanctioned by scripture, filled with hypocrisy and egotism, driven by desire, attachment, and force,

कर्शयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः । मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥

Foolishly tormenting the elements that compose the body, and Me as well, who dwell within that body — know such people to be of demonic resolve.

आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः । यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ॥

Even the food that is dear to everyone is of three kinds, as are sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Hear now the distinctions among them.

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः । रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥

Foods that increase vitality, energy, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness, and which are savory, rich, substantial, and pleasing to the heart, are dear to those of goodness.

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः । आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥

Foods that are excessively bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry, and burning are dear to those of passion, and they cause pain, grief, and disease.

यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् । उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥

Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, decomposed, leftover, and impure is dear to those of ignorance.

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते । यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥

That sacrifice which is performed according to scriptural injunction by those free from desire for results, with the mind resolved that it is simply one's duty, is of the nature of goodness.

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

But that sacrifice which is performed with a view to reward, or merely for the sake of ostentation, know that, O best of the Bharatas, to be of the nature of passion.

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् । श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥

That sacrifice which disregards scriptural rules, offers no food, is without sacred chants, without gifts to priests, and devoid of faith, is declared to be of the nature of ignorance.

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् । ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥

Worship of the gods, the twice-born, teachers, and the wise, purity, honesty, celibacy, and non-violence — this is called austerity of the body.

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥

Speech that causes no distress, that is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, and regular study of the scriptures — this is called austerity of speech.

मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः । भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥

Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-restraint, and purity of intention — this is called austerity of the mind.

श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः । अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥

This threefold austerity, performed with supreme faith by those who are united in yoga and free from desire for results, is declared to be of the nature of goodness.

सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् । क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥

Austerity performed for the sake of gaining respect, honor, and reverence, or with ostentation, is declared here to be of the nature of passion, unstable and impermanent.

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः । परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥

Austerity performed with foolish obstinacy, through self-torture, or with the intent to harm another, is declared to be of the nature of ignorance.

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे । देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥

That gift given simply because it is right to give, to one who can offer nothing in return, at the proper place and time, and to a worthy recipient, is remembered as charity in the mode of goodness.

यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः । दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥

But that gift which is given in expectation of some return, or with an eye to reward, and given reluctantly, is remembered as charity in the mode of passion.

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते । असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥

That gift given at an improper place or time, to unworthy recipients, without respect and with contempt, is declared to be charity in the mode of ignorance.

ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः । ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥

Om, Tat, Sat — this is remembered as the threefold designation of Brahman. By this were the Brahmins, the Vedas, and the sacrifices ordained in ancient times.

तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः । प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥

Therefore, the acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity, as prescribed by scripture, are always begun by those who follow the teachings of Brahman with the utterance of Om.

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः । दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥

Those who desire liberation perform the various acts of sacrifice, austerity, and charity, uttering the word 'Tat,' without any regard for the fruit thereof.

सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते । प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥

The word 'Sat' is used in the sense of reality and goodness, O Partha; and the word 'Sat' is also applied to praiseworthy actions.

यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते । कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥

Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is also called 'Sat,' and action performed for these purposes is likewise termed 'Sat.'

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

Whatever is offered in sacrifice, given in charity, or performed as austerity, without faith, O Partha, is called 'Asat,' and it is of no avail either in this life or in the next.