શ્રદ્ધાત્રયવિભાગયોગ
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 in Gujarati
Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāg Yog · Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith · 28 verses
🌐 Read in your language
Chapter Summary
The seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna describes the three types of faith corresponding to the three modes of the material nature. Lord Krishna further reveals that it is the nature of faith that determines the quality of life and the character of living entities. Those who have faith in passion and ignorance perform actions that yield temporary, material results while those who have faith in goodness perform actions in accordance with scriptural instructions and hence their hearts get further purified.
🔊 Tap ▶ to recite a shloka — it reads the original Sanskrit aloud
અર્જુન ઉવાચયે શાસ્ત્રવિધિમુત્સૃજ્ય યજન્તે શ્રદ્ધયાઽન્વિતાઃ।તેષાં નિષ્ઠા તુ કા કૃષ્ણ સત્ત્વમાહો રજસ્તમઃ॥
arjuna uvācha ye śhāstra-vidhim utsṛijya yajante śhraddhayānvitāḥ teṣhāṁ niṣhṭhā tu kā kṛiṣhṇa sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ
MeaningArjuna said, "What is the condition of those who, disregarding the injunctions of the scriptures, perform sacrifice with faith—is it Sattva, Rajas, or Tamas, O Krishna?"
શ્રી ભગવાનુવાચત્રિવિધા ભવતિ શ્રદ્ધા દેહિનાં સા સ્વભાવજા।સાત્ત્વિકી રાજસી ચૈવ તામસી ચેતિ તાં શ્રૃણુ॥
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha tri-vidhā bhavati śhraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā sāttvikī rājasī chaiva tāmasī cheti tāṁ śhṛiṇu
MeaningThe Blessed Lord said, "There are threefold faiths inherent in the nature of the embodied: the sattvic (pure), the rajasic (passionate), and the tamasic (dark). Hear of them."
સત્ત્વાનુરૂપા સર્વસ્ય શ્રદ્ધા ભવતિ ભારત।શ્રદ્ધામયોઽયં પુરુષો યો યચ્છ્રદ્ધઃ સ એવ સઃ॥
sattvānurūpā sarvasya śhraddhā bhavati bhārata śhraddhā-mayo ‘yaṁ puruṣho yo yach-chhraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ
MeaningThe faith of each is in accordance with their nature, O Arjuna. People consist of their faith; as a person's faith is, so are they.
યજન્તે સાત્ત્વિકા દેવાન્યક્ષરક્ષાંસિ રાજસાઃ।પ્રેતાન્ભૂતગણાંશ્ચાન્યે યજન્તે તામસા જનાઃ॥
yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣha-rakṣhānsi rājasāḥ pretān bhūta-gaṇānśh chānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ
MeaningThe sattvic, or pure, men worship the gods; the rajasic, or passionate, worship the yakshas and rakshasas; the others, the tamasic or deluded people, worship ghosts and hosts of nature-spirits.
અશાસ્ત્રવિહિતં ઘોરં તપ્યન્તે યે તપો જનાઃ।દમ્ભાહઙ્કારસંયુક્તાઃ કામરાગબલાન્વિતાઃ॥
aśhāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ dambhāhankāra-sanyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ
MeaningThose men who practice terrific austerities not prescribed by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, driven by the force of lust and attachment.
કર્ષયન્તઃ શરીરસ્થં ભૂતગ્રામમચેતસઃ।માં ચૈવાન્તઃશરીરસ્થં તાન્વિદ્ધ્યાસુરનિશ્ચયાન્॥
karṣhayantaḥ śharīra-sthaṁ bhūta-grāmam achetasaḥ māṁ chaivāntaḥ śharīra-sthaṁ tān viddhy āsura-niśhchayān
MeaningKnow thou these to be of demonical resolves, senselessly torturing all the elements in the body and Me who dwell in the body.
આહારસ્ત્વપિ સર્વસ્ય ત્રિવિધો ભવતિ પ્રિયઃ।યજ્ઞસ્તપસ્તથા દાનં તેષાં ભેદમિમં શ્રૃણુ॥
āhāras tv api sarvasya tri-vidho bhavati priyaḥ yajñas tapas tathā dānaṁ teṣhāṁ bhedam imaṁ śhṛiṇu
MeaningThe food that is dear to each is threefold, as well as sacrifice, austerity, and almsgiving. Hear the distinction of these.
આયુઃસત્ત્વબલારોગ્યસુખપ્રીતિવિવર્ધનાઃ।રસ્યાઃ સ્નિગ્ધાઃ સ્થિરા હૃદ્યા આહારાઃ સાત્ત્વિકપ્રિયાઃ॥
āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛidyā āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ
MeaningThe foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness (good appetite), which are savory, oily, substantial, and agreeable, are dear to the Sattvic (pure) people.
કટ્વમ્લલવણાત્યુષ્ણતીક્ષ્ણરૂક્ષવિદાહિનઃ।આહારા રાજસસ્યેષ્ટા દુઃખશોકામયપ્રદાઃ॥
kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣhṇa- tīkṣhṇa-rūkṣha-vidāhinaḥ āhārā rājasasyeṣhṭā duḥkha-śhokāmaya-pradāḥ
MeaningThe foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning are liked by the Rajasic and are productive of pain, grief, and disease.
યાતયામં ગતરસં પૂતિ પર્યુષિતં ચ યત્।ઉચ્છિષ્ટમપિ ચામેધ્યં ભોજનં તામસપ્રિયમ્॥
yāta-yāmaṁ gata-rasaṁ pūti paryuṣhitaṁ cha yat uchchhiṣhṭam api chāmedhyaṁ bhojanaṁ tāmasa-priyam
MeaningThat which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, rejected, and impure is the food liked by the Tamasic.
અફલાકાઙ્ક્ષિભિર્યજ્ઞો વિધિદૃષ્ટો ય ઇજ્યતે।યષ્ટવ્યમેવેતિ મનઃ સમાધાય સ સાત્ત્વિકઃ॥
aphalākāṅkṣhibhir yajño vidhi-driṣhṭo ya ijyate yaṣhṭavyam eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ
MeaningThat sacrifice which is offered by men without desire for reward, as enjoined by the ordinance (scripture), with a firm faith that doing so is their duty, is Sattvic or pure.
અભિસંધાય તુ ફલં દમ્ભાર્થમપિ ચૈવ યત્।ઇજ્યતે ભરતશ્રેષ્ઠ તં યજ્ઞં વિદ્ધિ રાજસમ્॥
abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ dambhārtham api chaiva yat ijyate bharata-śhreṣhṭha taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam
MeaningThe sacrifice that is offered, O Arjuna, seeking a reward and for show, know that to be a Rajasic Yajna.
વિધિહીનમસૃષ્ટાન્નં મન્ત્રહીનમદક્ષિણમ્।શ્રદ્ધાવિરહિતં યજ્ઞં તામસં પરિચક્ષતે॥
vidhi-hīnam asṛiṣhṭānnaṁ mantra-hīnam adakṣhiṇam śhraddhā-virahitaṁ yajñaṁ tāmasaṁ parichakṣhate
MeaningThey declare that sacrifice to be Tamasic which is contrary to the ordinances of the scriptures, in which no food is distributed, and which is devoid of mantras, gifts, and faith.
દેવદ્વિજગુરુપ્રાજ્ઞપૂજનં શૌચમાર્જવમ્।બ્રહ્મચર્યમહિંસા ચ શારીરં તપ ઉચ્યતે॥
deva-dwija-guru-prājña- pūjanaṁ śhaucham ārjavam brahmacharyam ahinsā cha śhārīraṁ tapa uchyate
MeaningWorship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers, and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-injury are all called the austerities of the body.
અનુદ્વેગકરં વાક્યં સત્યં પ્રિયહિતં ચ યત્।સ્વાધ્યાયાભ્યસનં ચૈવ વાઙ્મયં તપ ઉચ્યતે॥
anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ cha yat svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ chaiva vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa uchyate
MeaningSpeech that causes no excitement, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial; the practice of studying the Vedas is called austerity of speech.
મનઃપ્રસાદઃ સૌમ્યત્વં મૌનમાત્મવિનિગ્રહઃ।ભાવસંશુદ્ધિરિત્યેતત્તપો માનસમુચ્યતે॥
manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ bhāva-sanśhuddhir ity etat tapo mānasam uchyate
MeaningSerenity of mind, good-heartedness, self-control, and purity of nature—this is called mental austerity.
શ્રદ્ધયા પરયા તપ્તં તપસ્તત્િત્રવિધં નરૈઃ।અફલાકાઙ્ક્ષિભિર્યુક્તૈઃ સાત્ત્વિકં પરિચક્ષતે॥
śhraddhayā parayā taptaṁ tapas tat tri-vidhaṁ naraiḥ aphalākāṅkṣhibhir yuktaiḥ sāttvikaṁ parichakṣhate
MeaningThis threefold austerity, practiced by steadfast men, with the utmost faith, desiring no reward, is called Sattvic.
સત્કારમાનપૂજાર્થં તપો દમ્ભેન ચૈવ યત્।ક્રિયતે તદિહ પ્રોક્તં રાજસં ચલમધ્રુવમ્॥
satkāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ tapo dambhena chaiva yat kriyate tad iha proktaṁ rājasaṁ chalam adhruvam
MeaningThe austerity that is practiced with the aim of gaining good reception, honor, and worship, and with hypocrisy, is said to be Rajasic, unstable, and transient.
મૂઢગ્રાહેણાત્મનો યત્પીડયા ક્રિયતે તપઃ।પરસ્યોત્સાદનાર્થં વા તત્તામસમુદાહૃતમ્॥
mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā tat tāmasam udāhṛitam
MeaningThat austerity which is practised out of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the purpose of destroying another, is declared to be of the Tamasic nature.
દાતવ્યમિતિ યદ્દાનં દીયતેઽનુપકારિણે।દેશે કાલે ચ પાત્રે ચ તદ્દાનં સાત્ત્વિકં સ્મૃતમ્॥
dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ dīyate ‘nupakāriṇe deśhe kāle cha pātre cha tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛitam
MeaningThat gift which is given to one who does nothing in return, knowing it to be a duty to give in a suitable place and time to a worthy person, is held to be Sattvic.
યત્તુ પ્રત્યુપકારાર્થં ફલમુદ્દિશ્ય વા પુનઃ।દીયતે ચ પરિક્લિષ્ટં તદ્દાનં રાજસં સ્મૃતમ્॥
yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ phalam uddiśhya vā punaḥ dīyate cha parikliṣhṭaṁ tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛitam
MeaningAnd, that gift which is given with the intention of receiving something in return, or expecting a reward, or begrudgingly, is considered to be Rajasic.
અદેશકાલે યદ્દાનમપાત્રેભ્યશ્ચ દીયતે।અસત્કૃતમવજ્ઞાતં તત્તામસમુદાહૃતમ્॥
adeśha-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaśh cha dīyate asat-kṛitam avajñātaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛitam
MeaningThe gift that is given in the wrong place and at the wrong time, to unworthy persons, without respect or with insult, is declared to be of a Tamasic nature.
તત્સદિતિ નિર્દેશો બ્રહ્મણસ્ત્રિવિધઃ સ્મૃતઃ।બ્રાહ્મણાસ્તેન વેદાશ્ચ યજ્ઞાશ્ચ વિહિતાઃ પુરા॥
oṁ tat sad iti nirdeśho brahmaṇas tri-vidhaḥ smṛitaḥ brāhmaṇās tena vedāśh cha yajñāśh cha vihitāḥ purā
Meaning"Om Tat Sat": This has been declared to be the triple designation of Brahman. By that, the Brahmanas, the Vedas, and the sacrifices were created formerly.
તસ્માદોમિત્યુદાહૃત્ય યજ્ઞદાનતપઃક્રિયાઃ।પ્રવર્તન્તે વિધાનોક્તાઃ સતતં બ્રહ્મવાદિનામ્॥
tasmād oṁ ity udāhṛitya yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṁ brahma-vādinām
MeaningTherefore, with the utterance of "Om," the acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity, as enjoined in the scriptures, are always begun by the students of Brahman.
તદિત્યનભિસન્ધાય ફલં યજ્ઞતપઃક્રિયાઃ।દાનક્રિયાશ્ચ વિવિધાઃ ક્રિયન્તે મોક્ષકાઙ્ક્ષિ॥
tad ity anabhisandhāya phalaṁ yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ dāna-kriyāśh cha vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣha-kāṅkṣhibhiḥ
MeaningUttering "Tat," without aiming for the fruits, are the acts of sacrifice, austerity, and the various acts of gifts performed by those seeking liberation.
સદ્ભાવે સાધુભાવે ચ સદિત્યેતત્પ્રયુજ્યતે।પ્રશસ્તે કર્મણિ તથા સચ્છબ્દઃ પાર્થ યુજ્યતે॥
sad-bhāve sādhu-bhāve cha sad ity etat prayujyate praśhaste karmaṇi tathā sach-chhabdaḥ pārtha yujyate
MeaningThe word "Sat" is used to refer to reality and goodness; likewise, O Arjuna, the word "Sat" is used to refer to an auspicious act.
યજ્ઞે તપસિ દાને ચ સ્થિતિઃ સદિતિ ચોચ્યતે।કર્મ ચૈવ તદર્થીયં સદિત્યેવાભિધીયતે॥
yajñe tapasi dāne cha sthitiḥ sad iti chochyate karma chaiva tad-arthīyaṁ sad ity evābhidhīyate
MeaningSteadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and gift is also called 'Sat', and action in connection with these, or for the sake of the Supreme, is also called 'Sat'.
અશ્રદ્ધયા હુતં દત્તં તપસ્તપ્તં કૃતં ચ યત્।અસદિત્યુચ્યતે પાર્થ ન ચ તત્પ્રેત્ય નો ઇહ॥
aśhraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ tapas taptaṁ kṛitaṁ cha yat asad ity uchyate pārtha na cha tat pretya no iha
MeaningWhatever is sacrificed, given, or performed, and whatever austerity is practiced without faith, it is called 'Asat', O Arjuna; it is of no value here or hereafter (after death).