- 17.1अर्जुन उवाचये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः।तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमःArjuna asked, "My Lord, what is the condition of those who perform acts of sacrifice not according to the scriptures, but with implicit faith? Is it one of purity, passion, or ignorance?"
- 17.2श्री भगवानुवाचत्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा।सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां श्रृणुLord Shri Krishna replied: Man has an inherent faith in one or another of the qualities—purity, passion, and ignorance. Now, listen.
- 17.3सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत।श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सःEvery person's faith conforms to their nature. By nature, they are full of faith. They are, in fact, what their faith makes them.
- 17.4यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाःThe pure worship the true God; the passionate, the powers of wealth and magic; the ignorant, the spirits of the dead and lower orders of nature.
- 17.5अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताःThose who practice austerities not commanded by scripture, who are enslaved to hypocrisy and egotism, who are carried away by the fury of desire and passion,
- 17.6कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः।मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्They are ignorant and torment the organs of the body, harassing Me who lives within. Know that they are devoted to evil.
- 17.7आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः।यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं श्रृणुThe food that people enjoy is also threefold, like the ways of sacrifice, austerity, and almsgiving. Listen to the distinction.
- 17.8आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः।रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाःThe foods that prolong life, increase purity, vigour, health, cheerfulness, and happiness are those that are delicious, soothing, substantial, and agreeable; these are loved by the pure.
- 17.9कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः।आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाःThose in whom passion is dominant like foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning. These produce unhappiness, repentance, and disease.
- 17.10यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्।उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्The ignorant love food that is stale, not nourishing, putrid, and corrupt; the leftovers of others, and unclean.
- 17.11अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकःSacrifice is pure when it is offered by one who does not covet the fruit of it, when it is done according to the commands of scripture, and with implicit faith that the sacrifice is a duty.
- 17.12अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्।इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्Sacrifice which is performed for the sake of its results, or for self-glorification - that, O best of Aryans, is the product of passion.
- 17.13विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्।श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षतेSacrifice that is contrary to scriptural command, that is unaccompanied by prayers or gifts of food or money, and is without faith—that is the product of ignorance.
- 17.14देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यतेWorship of God and the Master; respect for the preacher and the philosopher; purity, rectitude, continence, and harmlessness—all of these constitute physical austerity.
- 17.15अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यतेSpeech that hurts no one, that is true, pleasant to listen to, and beneficial, and the constant study of the scriptures—this is austerity of speech.
- 17.16मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यतेSerenity, kindness, silence, self-control, and purity—these are the austerities of the mind.
- 17.17श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्ित्रविधं नरैः।अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षतेThese threefold austerities, performed with faith and without thought of reward, can truly be considered pure.
- 17.18सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्Austerity coupled with hypocrisy, or performed for the sake of self-glorification, popularity, or vanity, comes from passion, and its result is always uncertain and temporary.
- 17.19मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्Austerity done under delusion, and accompanied with sorcery or the infliction of pain upon oneself or another, may be assumed to spring from ignorance.
- 17.20दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे।देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्The gift that is given without thought of recompense, believing it should be made, in an appropriate place, at an opportune time, and to a deserving person—such a gift is pure.
- 17.21यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः।दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्That which is given for the sake of the results it will produce, or with the hope of recompense, or grudgingly—that may truly be said to be the outcome of passion.
- 17.22अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्And that which is given at an inappropriate place or time or to one who is undeserving, or with disrespect or contempt - such a gift is the result of ignorance.
- 17.23तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः।ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुराOm Tat Sat is the triple designation of the Eternal Spirit, by which the Vedic Scriptures, ceremonials, and sacrifices were ordained of old.
- 17.24तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः।प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्Therefore, all acts of sacrifice, gifts, and austerities prescribed by the scriptures are always begun by those who understand the Spirit with the word "Om."
- 17.25तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः।दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिThose who desire deliverance begin their acts of sacrifice, austerity, or gift with the word "Tat" (meaning "That"), without thought of reward.
- 17.26सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते।प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यतेSat' means Reality or the highest Good, and also, O Arjuna, it is used to denote an action of exceptional merit.
- 17.27यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते।कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयतेConviction in sacrifice, austerity, and giving is also called Sat. So too, an action done only for the Lord's sake.
- 17.28अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्।असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इहWhatever is done without faith, whether it be sacrifice, austerity, gift, or anything else, is called Asat (meaning "Unreal"), for it is the negation of Sat, O Arjuna! Such an act has no significance, here or hereafter.