Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga

अर्जुन उवाच । ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो र...

Arjuna asked the Lord: What becomes of those people who do not obey the rules outlined by the Holy Scriptures yet perform ritual sacrifices with great faith and devotion? Are these people considered Saatvic (representing good), Rajas (representing passionate activity) or Tamas (immersed in total darkness and evil)?

श्रीभगवानुवाच । त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु...

The Blessed Lord said: O Arjuna, man possesses three kinds of faith that are born from his nature and these are: faith born out of light and goodness; faith born out of fire, or passion; faith that is born out of darkness or dullness. Now my dear devotee and friend, I shall describe all of the faiths.

सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत । श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥ १७.३ ॥

The faith of every individual on earth O Arjuna is determined by their own nature. Man is made up of his own faith. Whatever a man’s faith is, in reality, that is what he is.

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः । प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥ १७.४ ॥

Beings who are pure in heart and mind, who are good- natured and believe in following the path of light, these people worship the Gods of light. Individuals who are constantly active in earning material wealth and power and those people who constantly indulge in sin and corruption while living in evil darkness, worship the evil spirits.

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः । दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥ १७.५ ॥

Those men who are selfish, corrupt, conceited, and false; whose actions are totally controlled by lust and passion; who perform terrible rituals that are forbidden by the Holy Scriptures.

कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः । मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥ १७.६ ॥

and those who foolishly suppress the pure and natural life-giving powers within their bodies, as well as, at the same time, torture Me, who lives within their bodies; Arjuna, understand that the minds of these particular beings are filled with nothing but darkness and evil.

आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः । यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ॥ १७.७ ॥

O Arjuna, even one of the most important necessities in life for all beings, namely food, belongs under three categories. Similarly, customs such as religious sacrifices, all acts of self-discipline, and self-restraint as well as the giving of gifts, can all be individually placed under three separate divisions.

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः । रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥ १७....

For the man who is pure in heart and mind, the only foods that are dear to Him are pure foods that promote good health, mental power and physical strength, vitality, joy and cheerfulness in life. These are foods which have good taste, that are soothing and nourishing for the body, and which makes a man’s heart content.

कट्\u200cवम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः । आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥ १७.९ ॥

The foods that appeal to the passionate people are those that are sour, bitter, salty, spicy, dry, very warm, painful (to eat), and at times cause pain and sickness after they are consumed.

यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् । उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥ १७.१० ॥

Those people who strive on darkness and evil, eat foods that are impure, often stale and tasteless, rotten, lacking in freshness, and generally unfit to use during Holy offerings to Me.

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते । यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥ १७.११ ॥

A pure sacrifice is one where the religious offerings (made to Myself, the Almighty) are made with true love and adoration for Me. They are offerings that are made in accordance with the rules or Holy laws in our religious scriptures, with no expectation of rewards resulting from the performance of these sacrifices, and offerings that are made from the heart and only with the intention that it is one’s duty to perform this religious sacrifice.

अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् । इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥ १७.१२ ॥

However, O Bharata, a sacrifice that is done purely with the intention of receiving some reward, or done for the sake of display, is known as a Rajas sacrifice, which is an impure sacrifice.

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् । श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥ १७.१३ ॥

Finally, My dear Devotee, the lowest type of sacrifice that exists is that which is performed by those that have darkened their inner-beings and are known to be of the dull, Tamas nature. When Tamas-nature people make sacrificial offerings, it is generally not in accordance with the holy rules of sacrifice, no gifts of pure food are distributed (Prashadam), no holy hymns are chanted, and the sacrifice is performed with no religious faith in Me whatsoever.

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् । ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥ १७.१४ ॥

The worship of the Gods of Light; of the twice-born; worship and respect given to the religious teacher and the wise; worship and respect for all that is pure and true, all that represents justice and righteousness, virginity and non-violence, all of this brings tranquility and harmony to the body.

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥ १७.१५ ॥

Speaking only those words which do not offend other beings, words which are truthful, pleasant, beautiful. beneficial and above all, words that exist only in the Holy Scriptures (Vedas), represent the harmony of speech.

मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः । भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥ १७.१६ ॥

Peace and tranquility of the mind, harmony and confidence in oneself, love, caring and gentleness towards others, and purity of the heart, are all the elements which create harmony of the mind.

श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः । अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥ १७.१७ ॥

If these three types of harmony are practised with supreme faith, a pure heart, truthful intentions, without any desire for rewards, and with a balanced mind and a peaceful soul, this is considered to be pure and total harmony and a definite sign that a person has chosen to follow the Saatvic path of light and “goodness.”

सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् । क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥ १७.१८ ॥

However, My best of friend, he who falsely performs self-discipline and restraint purely for the sake of reputation, high honour, and for show, is considered to be impure and of the Rajas (passionate) nature. This type of self-restraint is unstable and lasts only temporarily.

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः । परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ १७.१९ ॥

When self-control is incorrectly performed by a dull person and results simply in self-torture for the person who is trying to restrain himself, or when it is performed for the sake of causing injury to another person, then this self-control leads to nowhere but into sheer darkness and further along the path of the Tamas Guna.

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे । देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥ १७.२० ॥

O Arjuna, hear now that what I have to say about gifts: A pure gift is that which is given with purity and kindness in the heart, given to the right person at the right time, given in the proper place, and above all when we expect nothing in return for the gift.

यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः । दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥ १७.२१ ॥

However Arjuna, when the gift is given with the expectation of receiving something in return, when it is also given for the sake of receiving future rewards or when the gift is given unwillingly from one person to another, this gift is considered impure and presented by a person of the Rajas nature.

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते । असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ १७.२२ ॥

A gift that is given to an unworthy (evil) person, at an improper time and place, given not from kindness in the heart, but with feelings of extreme pride and with contempt towards the other person, this gift, O Arjuna, is one that has evolved from darkness and has come from a person who is of the Tamas nature.

ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः । ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥ १७.२३ ...

AUM, TAT, SAT (literal translation: the Lord who is the truth). Dear Partha, each one of these sacred words represents the three stages of the Brahman (the Brahman is the single word that describes where all Brahmins (spiritual teachers) have originated from). From the Brahman also evolved the Holy Scriptures (Vedas) and is today also known as the Supreme Spiritual Sacrifice.

तस्माद ॐ द्दत्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः । प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ १७.२४ ॥

Therefore, dear Arjuna, he who is a devoted follower of the Brahman, begins all acts of spiritual sacrifice, gift-giving, or self-perfection (which is really the achievement of inner-peace with the self), with the word Aum (Aum or the Lord is the very beginning of all things in the universe).

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः । दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥ १७.२५ ॥

The word Tat describes the actual performance of the Spiritual Sacrifice, the presentation of gifts, and all acts of self perfection and self-harmony. The performance of these acts (by those who seek true, infinite liberty from the world), without wishing for any rewards in return are done by the true followers of the Brahman, in accordance with the Holy laws, as stated in the Scriptures. If these acts are done properly, they lead a person further along the path towards Me, the Supreme Goal and Supreme Spirit.

सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते । प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥ १७.२६ ॥

Sat (derived from term Satya), is the word that literally means Supreme Truth and goodness. It is the end or final step in the actual Spiritual sacrifice and signifies the ultimate or final goal to be reached at the end of performing this religious ritual namely, to please Me in order to attain unity with Me. Since I am the Supreme Truth, O Arjuna, when a particular (religious) task is performed and has been properly completed, the result of this spiritual work is the attainment of the Supreme Truth or the attainment of Myself, the Lord.

यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते । कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥ १७.२७ ॥

Everlasting faithfulness is Spiritual Sacrifice, Self-harmony, and the giving of gifts, lead one on the pathway to achieving Sat, O Arjuna. This is a fact because all of these divisions of faith ultimately lead to Me, the Eternal Truth.

अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् । असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥ १७.२८ ॥

If any of these acts, O Arjuna, whether it is Spiritual Sacrifice, Self-perfection or the offering of pure and pleasant gifts, is done without faith and good incentives, Asat (all that is untrue and representative of darkness) is attained. By achieving Asat, one has really gained absolutely nothing, O Son of Kunti, because I hold the acts performed in Asat as useless, and having no importance in this world or in the afterworld.