Chapter 17: Shradha Trya Vibhag Yoga; The Divisions of Faith

Shri Giridhar Gopal sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Verse 17.2: Shri Krishna says, the inborn/natural shradha (faith) of persons is of three kinds - sattvika, rajasika, and tamasika (in goodness, in passion or in ignorance). Hear of them from Me.

Verse 17.3: Dear Arjuna, the shradha (faith) of a person is according to his inherent nature (sattva, rajas or tamas). Faith makes the character of a person; whatever the nature of his faith, certainly he is that.

Verse 17.4: Sattvika persons (in goodness) worship gods, rajasika persons (in passion) worship demons, and tamasika persons (in ignorance) worship ghosts.

Verse 17.7: For all persons, the food they eat, the yajna (sacrifices), the tapah (austerities), and the dana (charity) they perform are according to their inherent nature (sattva, rajas or tamas).

Verse 17.8: Foods which promote long life, intelligence, health, happiness, and cheerfulness; which are juicy, wholesome, and pleasing to heart are liked by persons of sattvika nature.

Verse 17.11: The yajna (sacrifice) which is carried out with no expectation of reward/return, in line with directions of scriptures, and as a matter of duty, is of the sattvika nature.

Verse 17.14: Worshiping Devas  (gods), wise persons, teachers, mother, and father; cleanliness of body, simplicity, spiritual pursuits and non-violence are tapah (austerity) of the body.

Verse 17.15: Words which do not hurt others, are truthful, pleasing and beneficial for others; as well as the chanting of Vedantic shastras (scriptures) and Divine Names are tapah (austerity) of speech.

Verse 17.16: Cheerfulness, peacefulness, contemplation of God, self-control, and purity of inner thoughts - all these are tapah (austerity) of mind.

Verse 17.17: These threefold austerities of body, speech, and mind performed with spiritual faith and with no desire for reward/return is sattvika tapah (austerity in the mode of goodness).

Verse 17.20: Dana (charity) given out of duty, without any expectation of return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person is a sattvika dana.

Verse 17.23: Since the beginning of creation, the three words ॐ तत सत (OM tat sat) were used to address the Brahman (Supreme Divine sat-chit-ananda or Supreme Divine truth-consciousness-happiness). These words were used by wise men while chanting Vedic hymns and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme.

Verse 17.24: Therefore, acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity as prescribed by the scriptures are always commenced with the invocation of the Divine Name ॐ (OM or A-U-M).

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Shri Hari ॐ sharanam!