Verses Of Gita Chapter 17🔗

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arjuna uvāca: Arjuna said; ye: those; śāstravidhim: the regulations of scripture; utsṛjya: giving up; yajante: worship; śraddhayā: sincerity; anvitāḥ: possessed of; teṣāṁ: of them; niṣṭhā: faith; tu: but; kā: what is that; Kṛṣṇa: O Krishna; sattvam: in goodness; āho: said; rajas: in aggression; tamaḥ: in ignorance.

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

śrī bhagavan uvāca: Krishna said; trividhā: three kinds; bhavati: become; śraddhā: sincerity; dehināṁ: of the body; sā: that; svabhāvajā: according to his nature; sāttvikī: nature of goodness; rājasi: nature of aggression; ca: also; eva: certainly; tāmasī: nature of ignorance; ca: and; iti: thus; tām: that; śrnu: hear from Me.

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

satvānurūpā: according to the existence; sarvasya: of everyone; śraddhā: sincerity; bhavati: becomes; bhārata: O son of Bharata; śraddhā: sincerity; mayaḥ: full; ayam: this; puruṣaḥ: living entity; yaḥ: anyone; yat: that; śraddhaḥ: sincerity; saḥ: that; eva: certainly; saḥ: he.

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

yajante: worship; sāttvikāḥ: those who are in the mode of goodness; devān: deities; yakṣarakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ: those who are in the mode of aggression worship demons; pretān: dead spirits; bhūtagaṇāṁ: ghosts; cā 'nye: and others; yajante: worship; tāmasāḥ: in the mode of ignorance; janāḥ: people.

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.

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aśāstra: not mentioned in the scriptures; vihitaṁ: directed; ghoram: harmful to others; tapyante: undergo penances; ye: those; tapaḥ: austerities; janāḥ: persons; dambha: pride; ahaṁkāra: egoism; saṁyuktāḥ: engaged; kāma: lust; rāga: attachment; bala: force; anvitāḥ: impelled by; karṣayantaḥ: tormenting; śarīrastham: situated within the body; bhūtagrāmam: combination of material elements; acetasaḥ: by such a misled mentality; mām: to Me; ca: also; eva: certainly; antaḥ: within; śarīrastham: situated in the body; tān: them; viddhi: understand; āsura: demons; niścayān: certainly.

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.

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āhāras: eating; tu: certainly; api: also; sarvasya: of everyone; trividhaḥ: three kinds; bhavati: there are; priyaḥ: dear; yajñaḥ: sacrifice; tapas: austerity; tathā: also; dānaṁ: charity; teṣāṁ: of them; bhedam: differences; imaṁ: thus; śṛṇu: hear.

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.

āyuḥ: duration of life; sattva: existence; bala: strength; ārogya: health; sukha: happiness; prīti: satisfaction; vivardhanāḥ: increasing; rasyāḥ: juicy; snigdhāḥ: fatty; sthirāḥ: enduring; hṛdyāḥ: pleasing to the heart; āhārāḥ: food; sāttvika: goodness; priyāḥ: palatable.

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.

kaṭu: bitter; amla: sour; lavaṇa: salty; atyuṣṇa: very hot; tīkṣṇa: pungent; rūkṣa: dry; vidāhinaḥ: burning; āhārāḥ: food; rājasasya: in the mode of aggression; iṣṭāḥ: palatable; duḥkha: distress; śoka: misery; āmaya pradāḥ: causing disease.

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: food cooked three hours before being eaten; gatarasaṁ: tasteless; pūti: bad smelling; paryuṣitaṁ: decomposed; ca: also; yat: that which; ucchiṣṭam: remnants of food eaten by others; api: also; ca: and; amedhyaṁ: untouchable; bhojanaṁ: eating; tāmasa: in the mode of darkness; priyam: dear

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

aphalākāṅkṣibhir: without desire for result; yajñaḥ: sacrifice; vidhi: accordingly; dṛṣṭaḥ: direction; yaḥ: anyone; ijyate: performs; yaṣṭavyam: must be performed; eva: certainly; iti: thus; manaḥ: mind; samādhāya: fixed in; saḥ: he; sāttvikaḥ: in the nature of goodness

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: desiring; tu: but; phalaṁ: the result; dambha: pride; artham: for the sake of; api: also; ca: and; eva: certainly; yat: that which; ijyate: is offered; bharataśreṣṭha: O chief of the Bharatas; taṁ: that; yajñaṁ: sacrifice; viddhi: know; rājas am : in the mode of aggression

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.

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vidhihīnaṁ: without scriptural direction; asṛṣṭānnaṁ: without distribution of prasadam; mantrahīnam: with no chanting of the vedic hymns; adakṣiṇaṁ: with no remunerations to the priests; śraddhā: sincerity; virahitaṁ: without; yajñaṁ: sacrifice; tāmasaṁ: in the mode of ignorance; paricakṣate: is to be considered

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

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deva: deities; dvija: the priest; guru: the master; prājña: worshipable personalities; pūjanaṁ: worship; śaucam: cleanliness; ārjavam: simplicity; brahmacaryam: living in reality; ahiṁsā: nonviolence; ca: also; śārīraṁ: pertaining to the body; tapa: austerity; ucyate: is said to be

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.

anudvega: not agitating; karam: producing; vākyam: words; satyam: truthful; priya: dear; hitam: beneficial; ca: also; yat: which; svādhyāya: vedic study; abhyasanam: practice; ca: also; eva: certainly; vāṅmayam: of the voice; tapa: austerity; ucyate: is said to be

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

manaḥprasādaḥ: fulfillment of the mind; saumyatvam: satisfied; maunam: gravity; ātma: self; vinigrahaḥ: control; bhāva: nature; saṁśuddhiḥ: purification; iti: thus; etat: that is; tapaḥ: austerity; mānasam: of the mind; ucyate: is said to be.

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

śraddhayā: with sincerity; parayā: transcendental; taptam: execution; tapas: austerity; tat: that; trividhaṁ: three kinds; naraiḥ: by men; aphalākāṅkṣibhiḥ: without desires for fruits; yuktaiḥ: engaged; sāttvikaṁ: in the mode of goodness; paricakṣate: is called

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

satkāra: respect; māna: honor; pūjārthaṁ: for worship; tapaḥ: austerity; dambhena: pride; ca: also; eva: certainly; yat: which is; kriyate: performed; tat: that; iha: in this world; proktaṁ: is said; rājasaṁ: in the mode of aggression; calam: flickering; adhruvam: temporary

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.

mūḍha: foolish; grāheṇā: with endeavor; atmanaḥ: of one's own self; yat: which; pīḍayā: by torture; kriyate: is performed; tapaḥ: penance; parasya: to others; utsādanārthaṁ: causing annihilation; vā: or; tat: that; tāmasam: in the mode of darkness; udāhṛtam: is said to be

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

dātavyam: worth giving; iti: thus; yat: that which; dānaṁ: charity; dīyate: given; anupakāriṇe: to person who does no service in return; deśe: in place; kāle: in time; ca: also; pātre: suitable person; ca: and; tat: that; dānaṁ: charity; sāttvikaṁ: in the mode of goodness; smṛtam: consider

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.

yat: that which; tu: but; pratyupakārārthaṁ: for the sake of getting some return; phalaṁ: result; uddiśya: desiring; vā: or; punaḥ: again; dīyate: is given in charity; ca: also; parikliṣṭaṁ: grudgingly; tat: that; dānaṁ: charity; rājasaṁ: in the mode of aggression; smṛtam: is understood to be

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: unpurified place; kāle: unpurified time; yat: that which; dānam: charity; apātrebhyaḥ: to unworthy persons; ca: also; dīyate: is given; asatkṛtam: without respect; avajñātam: without proper attention; tat: that; tāmasam: in the mode of darkness; udāhṛtam: is said to be

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.

auṁ: indication of the Supreme; tat: that; sat: eternal; iti: that; nirdeśaḥ: indication; brahmaṇaḥ: of the Supreme; trividhaḥ: three kinds; smṛtaḥ: consider; brāhmaṇāḥ: the brahmaṇas; tena: therefore; vedāḥ: the vedic literature; ca: also; yajñāḥ: sacrifice; ca: also; vihitāḥ: used; purā: formerly

17. 23 ‘OM 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.

tasmāt: therefore; aum: beginning with om; iti: thus; udāhṛtya: indicating; yajña: sacrifice; dāna: charity; tapaḥ: penance; kriyāḥ: performances; pravartante: begin; vidhānoktāḥ: according to scriptural regulation; satataṁ: always; brahmavādinām: of the transcendentalists

17.24 Therefore, acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity prescribed in the scriptures are always commenced by uttering ‘OM’ by the knowers of the supreme Being.

tat: that; iti: they; anabhisandhāya: without fruitive result; phalaṁ: result of sacrifice; yajña: sacrifice; tapaḥ: penance; kriyāḥ: activities; dāna: charity; kriyāḥ: activities; ca: also; vividhāḥ: varieties; kriyante: done; mokṣakāṅkṣibhiḥ: those who actually desire liberation.

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: in the sense of the nature of the Truth; sādhubhāve: in the sense of the nature of devotion; ca: also; sat: the Truth; iti: thus; etat: this; prayujyate: is used; praśaste: auspicious; karmaṇi: activities; tathā: also; sacchabdaḥ: the sound sat; pārtha: O son of Pritha; yujyate: is used; yajñe: sacrifice; tapasi: in penance; dāne: charity; ca: also; sthitiḥ: situated; sat: the Truth; iti: thus; ca: and; ucyate: pronounced; karma: work; ca: also; eva: certainly; tad: that; arthīyaṁ: are meant; sat: Truth; iti: thus; eva: certainly; abhidhīyate: is called.

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 Arjuna. Sincerity in sacrifice, charity, and austerity is also called ‘Sat’. Selfless service for the sake of the supreme is, in truth, termed as ‘Sat’.

aśraddhayā: without sincerity; hutam: offered in sacrifice; dattaṁ: given; tapaḥ: penance; taptaṁ: executed; kṛtam: performed; ca: also; yat: that which; asat: not Truth; iti: thus; ucyate: is said to be; pārtha: O son of Pritha; na: never; ca: also; tat: that; pretya: after death; na: nor; iha: in this life.

17. 28 Whatever is done without sincerity whether it is sacrifice, charity, austerity, or any other act is called ‘asat’. It has no value here or hereafter, O Arjuna.

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iti śrīmad bhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu brahmavidyāyām yogaśāstre śrī kṛṣṇārjuna saṁvāde śraddhātraya vibhāga yogo nāma saptadaśo dhyāyaḥ ॥

In the Upaniṣad of the Bhagavad gita, the knowledge of Brahman, the Supreme, the science of Yoga and the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, this is the seventeenth discourse designated: