Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17: Faith and Its Forms

Bhagavad Gita chapter 17 in English

Every verse below comes from Diya's Bhagavad Gita library, in verse order.

Sanskrit and transliteration	English
17.1 ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः। तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः॥ ye śāstravidhimutsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ \| teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvamāho rajastamaḥ \|\|	Those who setting aside the ordinance of the Shastra, perform sacrifice with Shraddha, what is their condition, O Krishna? (Is it) sattva, rajas or tamas?
17.2 त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा। सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु॥ trividhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṃ sā svabhāvajā \| sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṃ śṛṇu \|\|	Threefold is the Shraddha of the embodied, which is inherent in their nature,—the Sattvika, the Rajasika and the Tamasika. Do you hear of it.
17.3 सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत। श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः॥ sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata \| śraddhāmayo’yaṃ puruṣo yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ \|\|	The Shraddha of each is according to his natural disposition, O descendant of Bharata. The person consists of his Shraddha; he is what his Shraddha is.
17.4 यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः। प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः॥ yajante sāttvikā devānyakṣarakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ \| pretānbhūtagaṇāṃścānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ \|\|	Sattvika people worship the devas; Rajasika, the yakshas and the rakshasas; the others—the Tamasika people—the pretas and the hosts of bhutas.
17.5 अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः। दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः॥ aśāstravihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ \| dambhāhaṅkārasaṃyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ \|\|	Some people practice severe austerities not enjoined by the Shastras, driven by ostentation, egoism, desire, and attachment.
17.6 कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः। मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्॥ karṣayantaḥ śarīrasthaṃ bhūtagrāmamacetasaḥ \| māṃ caivāntaḥśarīrasthaṃ tānviddhyāsuraniścayān \|\|	They senselessly torment the elements that compose the body and Me, who dwell within it; know them to be of asuric resolve.
17.7 आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः। यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु॥ āhārastvapi sarvasya trividho bhavati priyaḥ \| yajñastapastathā dānaṃ teṣāṃ bhedamimaṃ śṛṇu \|\|	The food also which is liked by each of them is threefold, as also yajna, austerity and almsgiving. Do you hear this, their distinction.
17.8 आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः। रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः॥ āyuḥsattvabalārogyasukhaprītivivardhanāḥ \| rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvikapriyāḥ \|\|	Foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction, and that are truly juicy, unctuous, nourishing, and pleasing, are dear to those of sattva.
17.9 कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः। आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः॥ kaṭvamlalavaṇātyuṣṇatīkṣṇarūkṣavidāhinaḥ \| āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkhaśokāmayapradāḥ \|\|	The foods that are bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot, pungent, dry and burning, are liked by the Rajasika, and are productive of pain, grief and disease.
17.10 यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्। उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्॥ yātayāmaṃ gatarasaṃ pūti paryuṣitaṃ ca yat \| ucchiṣṭamapi cāmedhyaṃ bhojanaṃ tāmasapriyam \|\|	Food that is truly stale, tasteless, putrid, spoiled, leftover, or impure is dear to those of tamas.
17.11 अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते। यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः॥ aphalākāṅkṣibhiryajño vidhidṛṣṭo ya ijyate \| yaṣṭavyameveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ \|\|	That yajna is Sattvika which is performed by people desiring no fruit, as enjoined by ordinance, with their mind fixed on the yajna only, for its own sake.
17.12 अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्। इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्॥ abhisandhāya tu phalaṃ dambhārthamapi caiva yat \| ijyate bharataśreṣṭha taṃ yajñaṃ viddhi rājasam \|\|	That which is performed, O best of the Bharatas, seeking for fruit and for ostentation, know it to be a Rajasika yajna.
17.13 विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्। श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते॥ vidhihīnamasṛṣṭānnaṃ mantrahīnamadakṣiṇam \| śraddhāvirahitaṃ yajñaṃ tāmasaṃ paricakṣate \|\|	The yajna performed without heed to ordinance, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid of Mantras, gifts, and Shraddha, is said to be Tamasika.
17.14 देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्। ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते॥ devadvijaguruprājñapūjanaṃ śaucamārjavam \| brahmacaryamahiṃsā ca śārīraṃ tapa ucyate \|\|	Worship of the devas, the twice-born, the Gurus and the wise, purity, straightforwardness, continence, and non-harm are called the austerity of the body.
17.15 अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्। स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते॥ anudvegakaraṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priyahitaṃ ca yat \| svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate \|\|	Speech which causes no vexation, and is true, as also pleasant and beneficial, and regular study of the Vedas,—these are said to form the austerity of speech.
17.16 मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः। भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते॥ manaḥprasādaḥ saumyatvaṃ maunamātmavinigrahaḥ \| bhāvasaṃśuddhirityetattapo mānasamucyate \|\|	Serenity of mind, kindliness, silence, self-control, honesty of motive,—this is known as the mental austerity.
17.17 श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः। अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते॥ śraddhayā parayā taptaṃ tapastattrividhaṃ naraiḥ \| aphalākāṅkṣibhiryuktaiḥ sāttvikaṃ paricakṣate \|\|	This threefold austerity practiced by steadfast people, with great Shraddha, desiring no fruit, is said to be Sattvika.
17.18 सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्। क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्॥ satkāramānapūjārthaṃ tapo dambhena caiva yat \| kriyate tadiha proktaṃ rājasaṃ calamadhruvam \|\|	Austerity practiced for respect, honor, and worship, and for display, is truly declared here to be rajasic, unstable, and impermanent.
17.19 मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः। परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥ mūḍhagrāheṇātmano yatpīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ \| parasyotsādanārthaṃ vā tattāmasamudāhṛtam \|\|	That austerity which is practiced out of a foolish notion, with self-torture or for the purpose of ruining another, is declared to be Tamasika.
17.20 दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे। देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्॥ dātavyamiti yaddānaṃ dīyate’nupakāriṇe \| deśe kāle ca pātre ca taddānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam \|\|	A gift given with the understanding that giving is one's duty, to a worthy person at the right place and time, without expectation of return, is held to be Sattvika.
17.21 यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः। दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्॥ yattu pratyupakārārthaṃ phalamuddiśya vā punaḥ \| dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṃ taddānaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam \|\|	And what is given with a view to receiving in return, or looking for the fruit, or again reluctantly, that gift is held to be Rajasika.
17.22 अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते। असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥ adeśakāle yaddānamapātrebhyaśca dīyate \| asatkṛtamavajñātaṃ tattāmasamudāhṛtam \|\|	The gift that is given at the wrong place or time, to unworthy persons, without regard or with disdain, that is declared to be Tamasika.
17.23 ॐ तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः। ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा॥ oṃ tatsaditi nirdeśo brahmaṇastrividhaḥ smṛtaḥ \| brāhmaṇāstena vedāśca yajñāśca vihitāḥ purā \|\|	'Om Tat Sat' is remembered as the threefold designation of Brahman. By these designations, the Brahmins, the Vedas, and sacrifices were ordained in ancient times.
17.24 तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः। प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्॥ tasmādomityudāhṛtya yajñadānatapaḥkriyāḥ \| pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṃ brahmavādinām \|\|	Therefore, uttering 'Om,' those who speak of Brahman continually begin the prescribed acts of sacrifice, giving, and austerity.
17.25 तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः। दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः॥ tadityanabhisandhāya phalaṃ yajñatapaḥkriyāḥ \| dānakriyāśca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣakāṅkṣibhiḥ \|\|	Uttering "Tat" and seeking no fruit, seekers of liberation perform the various acts of sacrifice, austerity, and gift.
17.26 सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते। प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते॥ sadbhāve sādhubhāve ca sadityetatprayujyate \| praśaste karmaṇi tathā sacchabdaḥ pārtha yujyate \|\|	The word Sat is used in the sense of reality and of goodness; and so also, Partha, the word Sat is used in the sense of an auspicious act.
17.27 यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते। कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते॥ yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ saditi cocyate \| karma caiva tadarthīyaṃ sadityevābhidhīyate \|\|	Steadiness in yajna, austerity and gift is also called 'Sat': as also action in connection with these (or, action for the sake of the Lord) is called Sat.
17.28 अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्। असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह॥ aśraddhayā hutaṃ dattaṃ tapastaptaṃ kṛtaṃ ca yat \| asadityucyate pārtha na ca tatpretya no iha \|\|	Whatever is sacrificed, given or performed, and whatever austerity is practiced without Shraddha, it is called Asat, O Partha; it is naught here or hereafter.

You can read all 18 chapters in Diya. To see where chapter 17 sits in the whole text, start with the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, or read how to start the Bhagavad Gita as a beginner.

Previous chapter: Chapter 16: Divine and Demonic Tendencies. Next chapter: Chapter 18: Freedom through Surrender.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17: Faith and Its Forms

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Bhagavad Gita chapter 17 in English

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