- 1
अर्जुन उवाच । ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः । तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥ १७-१॥
Arjun said O Krishna ! Those who, setting aside Shaastravidhi ( the ordinances of the scriptures ), perform Yagya ( sacrifice ) with faith, what is their condition? It is Sattva, Rajas or Tamas?
- 2
श्रीभगवानुवाच । त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा । सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥ १७-२॥
Shri Bhagvan said That faith of the embodied beings, born of their own nature, is threefold-born of sattva, rajas and tamas. Hear about it.
- 3
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत । श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥ १७-३॥
O Bharat ( Arjun )! The faith of each is in accordance with his nature. The man consists of faith. Whatever his faith is, that verily is he.
- 4
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः । प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥ १७-४॥
The Sattvik types worship the gods. The Rajas types worship Yakshas and Rakshasas. And the others, the Tamas types, worship the departed ancestors and hosts of Bhutas.
- 5
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः । दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥ १७-५॥
Those men who practice terrible austerity not enjoined by the Shaastras ( Scriptures ), given to ostentation and conceit, and prompted by the force of sensual desires and passion;