Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith

Shloka: BG 17.1

Arjuna said, "What is the condition of those who, disregarding the injunctions of the scriptures, perform sacrifice with...

Shloka: BG 17.2

The Blessed Lord said, "There are threefold faiths inherent in the nature of the embodied: the sattvic (pure), the rajas...

Shloka: BG 17.3

The faith of each is in accordance with their nature, O Arjuna. People consist of their faith; as a person's faith is, s...

Shloka: BG 17.4

The sattvic, or pure, men worship the gods; the rajasic, or passionate, worship the yakshas and rakshasas; the others, t...

Shloka: BG 17.5

Those men who practice terrific austerities not prescribed by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, driven by t...

Shloka: BG 17.6

Know thou these to be of demonical resolves, senselessly torturing all the elements in the body and Me who dwell in the ...

Shloka: BG 17.7

The food that is dear to each is threefold, as well as sacrifice, austerity, and almsgiving. Hear the distinction of the...

Shloka: BG 17.8

The foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness (good appetite), which are savory, oily, s...

Shloka: BG 17.9

The foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning are liked by the Rajasic and are productiv...

Shloka: BG 17.10

That which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, rejected, and impure is the food liked by the Tamasic.

Shloka: BG 17.11

That sacrifice which is offered by men without desire for reward, as enjoined by the ordinance (scripture), with a firm ...

Shloka: BG 17.12

The sacrifice that is offered, O Arjuna, seeking a reward and for show, know that to be a Rajasic Yajna.

Shloka: BG 17.13

They declare that sacrifice to be Tamasic which is contrary to the ordinances of the scriptures, in which no food is dis...

Shloka: BG 17.14

Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers, and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-injury a...

Shloka: BG 17.15

Speech that causes no excitement, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial; the practice of studying the Vedas is called au...

Shloka: BG 17.16

Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, self-control, and purity of nature—this is called mental austerity.

Shloka: BG 17.17

This threefold austerity, practiced by steadfast men, with the utmost faith, desiring no reward, is called Sattvic.

Shloka: BG 17.18

The austerity that is practiced with the aim of gaining good reception, honor, and worship, and with hypocrisy, is said ...

Shloka: BG 17.19

That austerity which is practised out of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the purpose of destroying another, ...

Shloka: BG 17.20

That 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...

Shloka: BG 17.21

And, that gift which is given with the intention of receiving something in return, or expecting a reward, or begrudgingl...

Shloka: BG 17.22

The gift that is given in the wrong place and at the wrong time, to unworthy persons, without respect or with insult, is...

Shloka: BG 17.23

"Om Tat Sat": This has been declared to be the triple designation of Brahman. By that, the Brahmanas, the Vedas, and the...

Shloka: BG 17.24

Therefore, with the utterance of "Om," the acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity, as enjoined in the scriptures, are al...

Shloka: BG 17.25

Uttering "Tat," without aiming for the fruits, are the acts of sacrifice, austerity, and the various acts of gifts perfo...

Shloka: BG 17.26

The word "Sat" is used to refer to reality and goodness; likewise, O Arjuna, the word "Sat" is used to refer to an auspi...

Shloka: BG 17.27

Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and gift is also called 'Sat', and action in connection with these, or for the sa...

Shloka: BG 17.28

Whatever is sacrificed, given, or performed, and whatever austerity is practiced without faith, it is called 'Asat', O A...