Authenticity: Straight Way To Liberation

Living is about having Sraddha, courage of authenticity to live the Truth. Just reading or listening and thinking one has understood It, is meaningless. Not having a gap between your convictions and your day-to-day life is what I call Living!

arjuna uvāca

ye śāstravidhim utsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ I teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvamāho rajastamaḥ II 17.1

17.1 Arjuna says: What is the mode of devotion of those who perform spiritual practices with authenticity, but without following the scriptural injunctions, O Kṛṣṇa? Is it in the mode of goodness, aggression or ignorance?

śrībhagavānuvāca trividhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāvajā I sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṁ śṛṇu II 17.2

17.2 The Supreme Lord says: The natural authenticity (faith) of embodied beings is of three kinds: goodness, aggression, and ignorance. Now hear about these from Me.

sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata I

śraddhāmayo'yam puruṣo yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ II 17.3

17.3 O Arjuna, the authenticity of each is in accordance with one's own natural disposition. One is known by one's authenticity. One can become whatever one wants to be.

yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣarakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ I pretān-bhūta-gaṇāṁś cānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ II 17.4

17.4 Men in the nature of goodness worship the deities; those in the nature of aggression worship the demons and those in the nature of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits.

aśāstravihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ I dambhāhaṅkārasamyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ II 17.5

karśayantaḥ śarīrasthaṁ bhūtagrāmamacetasaḥ I

mām caivāntah śarīrasthaṁ tān viddhy āsura-niścayān II 17.6

17.5,6 Ignorant persons of demonic nature are those who practice severe austerities without following the prescription of the scriptures, who are full of hypocrisy and egotism, who are impelled by the force of desire and attachment and who senselessly torture the elements in their body and also Me who dwells within the body.

āhārastvapi sarvasya trividho bhavati priyaḥ I yajñastapastathā dānaṁ teṣāṁ bhedamimaṁ śṛṇu II 17.7

17.7 Food that we consume is of three kinds, according to the three types of material nature. So are the sacrifice, austerity and charity. Hear the difference between these three.

āyuḥsattvabalārogy- asukhaprītivivardhanāḥ I rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvikapriyāḥ II 17.8

17.8 The foods that promote longevity, virtue, strength, health, happiness, and joy are juicy, smooth, substantial, and nutritious. Such foods are liked by persons in the mode of goodness.

kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣṇa- tīkṣṇa rūkṣa vidāhinaḥ I āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkha-śokāmaya-pradāḥ II 17.9

17.9 People in the mode of aggression like foods that are very bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry, and burning, and cause pain, grief, and disease.

yātayāmaṁ gatarasaṁ pūti paryuṣitaṁ ca yat I ucchiṣṭam api cā medhyaṁ bhojanaṁ tāmasapriyam II 17.10

17.10 People in the mode of ignorance like foods that are stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, refuse, and of impure energy.

Part 8: Essence of Bhagavad Gita Decoded_English_part_8.md

aphalākāṅkṣibhir yajño vidhidṛṣto ya ijyate I

yaṣṭavyam eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ II 17.11

17.11 Sacrifice without expectation of results, as stipulated in the scriptures, with a firm belief and conviction that it is a duty, is in the mode of goodness.

abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ dambhārthamapi caiva yat I ijyate Bhārataśreṣṭha taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam II 17.12

17.12 O Arjuna, that sacrifice that is performed with expectation of result or for show out of pride, is of the nature of aggression.

vidhihīnam asṛṣṭānnaṁ mantrahīnamadakṣiṇam I śraddhā-virahitaṁ yajñaṁ tāmasaṁ paricakṣate II 17.13

17.13 Sacrifice that is performed without following the scripture, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid of mantra, authenticity, and gift, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

deva-dvija-guru-prājña- pūjanaṁ śaucamārjavam I brahmacaryamahiṁsā ca śārīraṁ tapa ucyate II 17.14

17.14 The worship of deities, the priest, the guru, and the wise; purity, honesty, living in reality, and nonviolence are said to be austerity of deed.

anudvegakaraṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priyahitaṁ ca yat I svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva vāṅmayaṁ tapa ucyate II 17.15

17.15 Speech that is non-offensive, truthful, pleasant, beneficial, and is used for the regular study of scriptures is called austerity of word.

manaḥ prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunamātmavinigrahaḥ I bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat tapo mānasam ucyate II 17.16

17.16 Serenity of mind, gentleness, equanimity, self-control, and purity of thought are called austerity of thought.

śraddhayā parayā taptaṁ tapastattrividhaṁ naraiḥ I

aphalākāṅkṣibhiryuktaiḥ sāttvikaṁ paricakṣate II 17.17

17.17 The above mentioned threefold austerity (of thought, word, and deed), practiced by yogis with supreme authenticity, without a desire for the fruit, is said to be in the mode of goodness.

satkāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ tapo dambhena caiva yat I kriyate tadiha proktaṁ rājasaṁ calamadhruvam II 17.18

17.18 Austerity that is performed for gaining respect, honor, reverence, and for the sake of show, yielding an uncertain and temporary result, is said to be in the mode of aggression.

mūḍhagrāheṇātmano yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ I parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā tattāmasamudāhṛtam II 17.19 Śraddhatraya Vibhāga Yogaḥ Ch 17 verses 343

17.19 Austerity performed with foolish stubbornness or with self-torture or for harming others, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

dātavyamiti yaddānaṁ dīyate'nupakāriṇe I deśe kāle ca pātre ca tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam II 17.20

17.20 Charity that is given at the right place and time as a matter of duty to a deserving candidate who does nothing in return, is considered to be in the mode of goodness.

yattu pratyupakārārthaṁ phalamuddiśya vā punaḥ I dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam II 17.21

17.21 Charity that is given unwillingly or to get something in return or to gain some result is in the mode of aggression.

adeśa-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaś ca dīyate I asat-kṛtam avajñātaṁ tat tāmasamudāhṛtam II 17.22

17.22 Charity that is given at a wrong place and time to unworthy persons or without paying respect to the receiver or with ridicule is in the mode of ignorance.

Oṁ tat sad iti nirdeśo brahmaṇastrividhaḥ smṛtaḥ I brāhmaṇās tena vedās ca yajñāśca vihitāḥ purā II 17.23 17.23 'OṀ Tat Sat' is said to be the threefold name of the eternal Being (Brahma). Persons with good (brahminic) qualities, the Vedas, and the selfless service (seva, yajña) were created by and from Brahma in the ancient time.

tasmād oṁ ity udāhṛtya yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ I pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṁ brahmavādinām II 17.24

17.24 Therefore, acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity prescribed in the scriptures are always commenced by uttering 'Oṁ' by the knowers of the Supreme Being.

tad ity anabhisandhāya phalaṁ yajñatapaḥkriyāḥ I dāna-kriyāś ca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣak-āṅkṣibhiḥ II 17.25

17.25 Various types of sacrifice, charity, and austerity are performed by the seekers of liberation by uttering 'Tat' (or He is all) without seeking a reward.

sadbhāve sādhubhāve ca sad ity etat prayujyate I

praśaste karmaṇi tathā sac-chabdaḥ pārtha yujyate II 17.26

yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ sad iti cocyate I karma caiva tad arthīyaṁ sadityevābhidhīyate II 17.27

17.26,27 The word 'Sat' is used in the sense of Reality and goodness. The word 'Sat' is also used for an auspicious act, O Śraddhatraya Vibhāga Yogaḥ Ch 17 verses 345

Pārtha (Arjuna). Authenticity in sacrifice, charity, and austerity is also called 'Sat'. Selfless service for the sake of the Supreme is, in truth, termed as 'Sat'.

aśraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ tapastaptaṁ kṛtaṁ ca yat I asadityucyate pārtha na ca tatpretya no iha II 17.28

17.28 Whatever is done without authenticity. whether it is sacrifice, charity, austerity, or any other act is called 'asat.' It has no value here or hereafter, O Pārtha (Arjuna).

iti śrīmad bhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu brahmavidyāyām yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjuna saṁvāde śraddhātraya-vibhāgayogo nāma saptadaśodhyāyaḥ II

In the Upaniṣad of Śrimad Bhagavad Gītā, the scripture of yoga dealing with Brahmavidyā Yogaśāstra, the science of Brahman, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇārjuna saṁvād, dialogue between Śrī Kṛṣṇa-Arjuna, this is seventeenth chapter named, Śraddhātraya Vibhāga Yogaḥ**,** ''The Yoga of Discerning the Three-Fold Faith.'

Kṛṣṇa now gives the methodology to internalize and live the truths in Śraddhatraya Vibhāga Yogaḥ. Here, Kṛṣṇa speaks about the three-fold authenticity, Śraddha.

Listen, human beings do not suffer because they don't get to listen to the truths. They suffer because they don't live the truth. Śraddha means faith plus the courage of authenticity to live the truth, to live your peak possibility.

Whatever can be said has been said. Now all we need is śraddha. Throughout the chapters Lord Kṛṣṇa has given Arjuna a beautiful spiritual feast. All Arjuna needs is 'Digene' to digest the whole thing and enjoy. This chapter is 'Digene'. The whole emphasis is on Sraddha: authenticity, integrity, truthfulness.

Listen. Not having a gap between your spiritual understandings and your day-to-day life is what I call Living. Here, Kṛṣṇa emphasizes how only śraddha can transform your whole life. Understand, whatever you believe, if you have śraddha, authenticity in aligning that belief in all your identities—inner image (mamakāra), outer image (ahaṁkāra), others' image (anyakāra) and life's image (svanyakāra), you will achieve the Ultimate. Authenticity is nothing but being sincere to these four aspects of you. Just create the best image that you wanted to feel, think and project about you.

Kṛṣṇa declares earlier, 'śraddhāvān labhate jñānaṁ (4.39), one established in authenticity, experiences true wisdom, Enlightenment.' Śraddha will become reality in you, only when you live it. Live authenticity! Many have achieved God and attained the Truth through the path of living authenticity.