06.039
Pancharatra: Bhagavad Gita 17th chapter.
अर्जुन उवाच॥
Arjuna said:
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः। तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥६-३९-१॥
O Krishna, those who, abandoning scriptural rules, worship with faith, what is the nature of their faith? Is it characterized by goodness, passion, or ignorance?
श्रीभगवानुवाच॥
The Blessed Lord said:
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा। सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥६-३९-२॥
Faith in embodied beings is of three kinds, arising from their nature: it can be pure, passionate, or ignorant. Listen to this.
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत। श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥६-३९-३॥
O Bharata, the faith of every person is in accordance with their nature. A person is made of faith; whatever faith they have, that is what they truly are.
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः। प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥६-३९-४॥
People in the mode of goodness worship the gods, those in the mode of passion worship yakṣas and rākṣasas, while others, in the mode of ignorance, worship spirits and ghosts.
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः। दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥६-३९-५॥
People who perform severe austerities not prescribed by the scriptures are filled with hypocrisy and ego, driven by desire, attachment, and strength.
कर्शयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः। मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥६-३९-६॥
Those who foolishly torment the elements of their own body and also me, who am situated within the body, should be known as having a demoniac determination.
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः। यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ॥६-३९-७॥
The food that everyone prefers is of three kinds. Similarly, sacrifices, austerities, and charities are of three kinds. Listen to the distinctions of these.
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः। रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥६-३९-८॥
Foods that are juicy, nourishing, stable, and pleasing to the heart increase longevity, purity, strength, health, happiness, and affection, and are favored by those who are pure.
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः। आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥६-३९-९॥
Passionate people prefer foods that are pungent, sour, salty, very hot, sharp, dry, and burning, which lead to pain, sorrow, and illness.
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्। उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥६-३९-१०॥
Food that is stale, tasteless, rotten, putrid, leftover, and impure is preferred by those in the mode of ignorance.
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते। यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥६-३९-११॥
A sacrifice performed without any desire for its fruits, according to scriptural injunctions, with a mind focused on the duty itself, is considered to be in the mode of goodness.
अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्। इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥६-३९-१२॥
O best of the Bharatas, know that the sacrifice performed with the intention of gaining fruit and for show is in the mode of passion.
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्। श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥६-३९-१३॥
A sacrifice performed without adherence to proper procedures, without offering food, without chanting mantras, without giving gifts, and devoid of faith is considered to be in the mode of ignorance.
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्। ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥६-३९-१४॥
The worship of gods, the twice-born, teachers, and the wise, along with purity, simplicity, celibacy, and non-violence, is considered as physical austerity.
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्। स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥६-३९-१५॥
Speech that does not cause agitation, is truthful, pleasing, and beneficial, along with the study and practice of scriptures, is considered verbal austerity.
मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः। भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥६-३९-१६॥
Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control, and purity of disposition are considered as mental austerity.
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः। अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥६-३९-१७॥
Austerity performed with great faith by those who do not seek any reward is considered to be in the mode of goodness.
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्। क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥६-३९-१८॥
Austerity performed with the intent of gaining respect, honor, and worship, and done with hypocrisy, is considered to be in the mode of passion, which is unstable and temporary.
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः। परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥६-३९-१९॥
Austerity that is performed with foolish stubbornness, causing self-torment or intended to harm others, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे। देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥६-३९-२०॥
A gift given without expectation of return, at the proper place and time, and to a deserving person, is considered to be in the mode of goodness.
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः। दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥६-३९-२१॥
A gift given with the expectation of a return or with a specific result in mind, and given reluctantly, is considered to be in the mode of passion.
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते। असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥६-३९-२२॥
A gift given at the wrong time and place, to those who are unworthy, without respect and with disdain, is considered a gift of darkness.
ओं तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः। ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥६-३९-२३॥
The phrase "Om, Tat, Sat" is considered a threefold designation of Brahman. It is through this designation that the Brahmanas, the Vedas, and the sacrifices were established in ancient times.
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः। प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥६-३९-२४॥
Therefore, the knowers of Brahman always begin their prescribed activities of sacrifice, charity, and austerity by uttering 'Om'.
तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः। दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥६-३९-२५॥
Acts of sacrifice, austerity, and charity are performed without attachment to the results by those who seek liberation.
सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते। प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥६-३९-२६॥
The term 'Sat' is employed to denote the state of goodness and virtue, and it is also used, O son of Pṛthā, in the context of auspicious actions.
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते। कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥६-३९-२७॥
Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is said to be true, and so is action for such purposes.
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्। असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥६-३९-२८॥
O son of Pṛthā, actions such as offerings, giving, austerities, and deeds done without faith are considered unreal and hold no value here or in the afterlife.
