Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17
THREEFOLD FAITH

Verse 17.01

Arjuna asked:

What is the situation of those who do not follow the principles of scriptures, but worship according to their own faith? Is it in the mode of goodness, passion, or ignorance?

Verse 17.02-06

Lord Krishna said:

One’s faith can also be of three kinds, Satva, Rajas and Thamas depending upon the modes of nature acquired by the embodied souls.

Satva people worship Gods. Those in Rajas worship demigods. And those in Thamas worship ghosts and spirits.

Men who are impelled by lust, pride and passion, perform violent austerities not ordained by the scriptures. They torture the material elements of the body as well as Me who dwells within the body. This is a demonic conviction.

Verse 17.07-10

Beyond the faith, the food preferred by men is also of three types. So are the sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Now hear the distinction between them.

The foods that promote longevity, virtue, strength, health, happiness, and joy are juicy, smooth, substantial, and nutritious. Satva persons like such foods.

Foods that are very bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry, and burning; and cause pain, grief, and disease; are liked by Rajas persons.

The foods liked by people in the mode of ignorance are stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, refuses, and impure.

Verse 17.11-14

Service or sacrifice is done as enjoined by the scriptures, and performed without the desire for the fruit, with a firm belief and conviction that it is a duty, is in the mode of Satva.

Service or sacrifice that is performed only for show, and aiming for fruit, know that to be in the mode of Rajas.

Service or sacrifice performed without following the scripture, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid of mantra, faith, and gift, is said to be in the mode of Thamas.

Verse 17.14-16

Similarly austerity is also of three kinds, viz. austerity of deed, word and thought.

Austerity of deed consists of Performing. Performing means worship of Gods, the guru, the learned with purity, honesty, celibacy, and nonviolence.

Austerity of word consists of speech. The speech must be non-offensive, truthful, pleasant, beneficial, and to be used for the regular reading aloud of scriptures

Austerity of thought stems from the mind. The thoughts must come from the serenity of mind. Such thoughts must reflect gentleness, equanimity, self-control, and the purity.

Verse 17.17-19

And these threefold austerity (of thought, word, and deed) when practiced with supreme faith, without a desire for the fruit, is said to be Satva.

When such austerity is performed for gaining respect, honor, reverence, and for the sake of show or result, it is said to be of Rajas

When the same is performed with foolish stubbornness, or with self-torture, or for harming others, is born of Thamas.

Verse 17.20-22

Help or charity given as a matter of duty, to a deserving candidate who does nothing in return, at the right place and time, is considered to be Satva.

Help or charity that is given unwillingly, or to get something in return, or looking for some fruit, is said to be Rajas.

Help or charity that is given at a wrong place and time, and to unworthy persons; or without paying respect to the receiver or with ridicule, is born of Thamas.

Verse 17.23-28

In the above background it is to be understood that any sacrifice, charity, austerity or any other act or worship, if done without faith is of no value, either now or hereafter.

It is God who created the Vedas and the prescriptions contained therein. These prescriptions alone enable one to do selfless activities. That is why all acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity are commenced by uttering the name of God, OM to be short.

OM, Tat, Sat is the three fold designation of the Supreme Being, the Brahman, the Vedas and the Sacrifices. It is also a principle that clarifies the qualities required of any act.

OM signifies God, the Brahman. Tat signifies actions to be free of material entanglement i.e. without aiming for any reward. Sat signifies goodness and truthfulness, i.e. the objective is to be to attain the Absolute Truth.

Anything done as sacrifice, charity or penance without faith in the Supreme is impermanent. It is called asat and is useless both in this life and the next.