Three Kinds of Faith

ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ।
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥1॥

Arjuna said: Krishna, those who set aside what the teaching lays down and yet worship with trust, where do they stand? In clarity, in passion, or in dullness?

त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा ।
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥2॥

The Lord said: The trust of those who dwell in bodies is born of their own nature, and is of three kinds: clear, passionate and dull. Hear about it.

सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत ।
श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥3॥

Everyone's trust matches what he is within, Bharata. A person is made of his trust; whatever his trust is, that is what he is.

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः ।
प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥4॥

Those of clarity worship the gods; the passionate worship yakshas and rakshasas; and the dull worship the departed and hosts of spirits.

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः ।
दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥5॥

Those who undergo harsh austerities not laid down in the teaching, full of show and ego, driven by desire, attachment and force,

कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः ।
मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥6॥

and who, without discernment, torment the elements gathered in the body, and me too, seated within that body: know them to be of a dark resolve.

आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः ।
यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ॥7॥

Even the food each person likes is of three kinds, and so are offering, discipline and giving. Hear how they differ.

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः ।
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥8॥

Foods that add to life, clarity, strength, health, ease and good cheer, that are tasty, smooth, sustaining and agreeable, are liked by those of clarity.

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः ।
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥9॥

Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, very hot, sharp, dry and burning are liked by the passionate, and they bring pain, grief and illness.

यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् ।
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥10॥

Food that is stale, tasteless, foul-smelling, kept overnight, left over and unclean is what the dull like.

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते ।
यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥11॥

The offering made as laid down, by those who want no fruit from it, with the mind settled that it is simply to be done, is a clear one.

अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् ।
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥12॥

But the offering made with an eye on the fruit, or for show, know that to be a passionate one, best of the Bharatas.

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् ।
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥13॥

The offering made without regard to what is laid down, with no food given out, without the sacred words, without a gift to the priests, and without trust, is called a dull one.

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥14॥

Honouring the gods, the twice-born, teachers and the wise; cleanliness, straightness, continence and not harming: this is called the discipline of the body.

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् ।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥15॥

Speech that gives no distress, that is true, agreeable and helpful, along with the regular study of scripture: this is called the discipline of speech.

मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः ।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥16॥

Clarity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-restraint and purity of feeling: this is called the discipline of the mind.

श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः ।
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥17॥

This threefold discipline, practised with the deepest trust by people who are joined and want no fruit from it, is called clear.

सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् ।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥18॥

Discipline undertaken for respect, honour and reverence, and for show, is called passionate here; it is unsteady and does not last.

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः ।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥19॥

Discipline undertaken out of a stubborn, deluded idea, with self-torture, or in order to destroy another, is called dull.

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥20॥

The gift given because it should be given, in the right place and time and to a fitting person, to one who will not return the favour, is held to be a clear one.

यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥21॥

But the gift given to get something back, or with an eye on the fruit, or grudgingly, is held to be a passionate one.

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते ।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥22॥

The gift given at the wrong place and time, to an unfitting person, without respect and with contempt, is called a dull one.

ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः ।
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥23॥

Om, tat, sat: this is held to be the threefold naming of Brahman. By it, long ago, the twice-born, the Vedas and the offerings were ordained.

तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः ।
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥24॥

So those who speak of Brahman always begin the acts of offering, giving and discipline laid down for them by uttering Om.

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः ।
दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥25॥

Saying tat, without aiming at the fruit, those who seek freedom perform the acts of offering and discipline and the various acts of giving.

सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते ।
प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥26॥

The word sat is used for what truly is and for what is good, Partha; and the word sat is applied to an action that is worthy of praise.

यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते ।
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥27॥

Steadiness in offering, discipline and giving is also called sat; and work done for their sake is likewise called sat.

अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् ।
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥28॥

Whatever is offered, given, undergone as discipline or done without trust is called asat, Partha. It counts for nothing hereafter, and nothing here.