CHAPTER 17-SRADDHAATHRAY VIBHAAGAYOGA
THREE KINDS OF FAITH
ARJUNA UVAACHA- ARJUNA SAID,
1.Ye Sasthra viDhim uthsrjyaa yajanthe SradDhayaanvithaaH
Theshaam nishTaa thu kaa krshNa sathvam aahorajasthamaH
What will be the condition of those who perform the vedic rituals with faith but not according to the rules laid down by the sasthras, Krishna? Is it Sathvik, or raajasik or thaamasik?
In the previous chapter Krishna said that sasthra must be the authority in all actions. Now Arjuna gets a doubt as to whether those who perform ritualistic actions with full faith but without recourse to sasthras will get results. Here the people that are meant are not those who neglect the injunctions of the sasthras but those who have full faith in scriptures but lack the capacity to learn them and understand them and do the rituals as taught by the elders without knowing their significance and with blind faith. Arjuna further wants to know whether such faith can be classified as Satthvik rajasik or thamasik.
Krishna starts classifying faith in this adhyaya and also the food, sacrifice, penance and acts of charity into three kinds, satthvik, rajasik and Thamasik.
SRI BHAGAVAAN UVAACHA- THE LORD SAID
2.thriviDhaa bhavathi SradDhaa dhehinaam saa svabhaavajaa
saathvikee raajasee chaiva thaamasee chethi thaam SrNu
The faith is of three kinds for the embodied beings depending on their nature and classified as saathvik, raajasik and thaamasik. Listen.
3.sathvaanuroopaa sarvasya SradDhaa bhavathi bhaaratha
SradDhaamayo ayam purushaH yo yath SraddhaH sa eva saH
The faith differs according to one's nature, oh the descendent of Bharatha, and the man is as his faith is.
Faith is the result of karma and varies according to the mental impressions due to three gunas, which ever among the three is predominant at the time.
A man is what he believes he is and this depends on the nature of the composition of the three gunas in him, according to whichever guna is the uppermost. Hence the faith also is of three kinds.
4.yajanthe saathvikaaH dhevaan yaksharakshaamsi raajasaaH
Prethaan bhoothagaNaan cha anye yajanthe thaamasaa janaaH
Those predominantly satthvik in nature offer sacrifice to the devas, and the rajasik to the supernatural beings and monsters. The thamasic offer sacrifices to the ancestral spirits and ghosts.
There are divine forces and demonic forces and also monstrous forces in the world and these are represented by devas, yaksha rakshasas and bhoothas respectively. Sacrifices are also classified according to the three gunas. Those which are done for the purpose of welfare of humanity propitiate sathvik forms of divinity like Indra, varuna etc. The rajasik are performed for power and wealth and they are directed towards the yakshas and rakshas, meaning those like kali in her fierce form and the powers thus acquired are used to oppress others. The thaamasik are those which are like the abhichara homas, done for the destruction of others. They invoke evil forces of destruction.
Even in the modern sense of the term the yajna is any offering made by way of one's activities. Whatever the saathvik people do is for the welfare of the world and the vibrations sent out by them attract similar vibrations in the universe and the acts gather strength and results in the welfare of all. On the other hand the vibrations sent out by the raajasik attract similar vibrations and they become more passionate and powerful and tend to dominate the world. The thaamasika vibrations recoil on the one who sends and even though it causes some damage only to those who lack faith and are weak in mind it cannot affect strong minded and those who believe in the divine protection and hence boomerangs on the one who sent it.
Krishna further explains the reason why the vast majority of people are attracted towards rajasik and thamasik only.
5.asaasthra vihitham ghoram thapyanthe ye thapo janaaH
dhambhaahamkaarasamyukthaaH kaamaraagabalaanvithaaH
Those who follow the austerities not sanctioned by the sasthra because of their vanity, ego and influenced by passion and power,
6. karSayanthaH SareerasTham bhoothagraamam achethaSaH
mam chaiva anthaH SareerasTham thaan vidDhiaasuraniSchayaan
They torment the elements in their bodies in a mindless manner, and Me also who is inside the body. Know them to be of aasurik resolve.
Those who are moved by greed and desire and hungering for power resort to rajasik rituals to attain these. They torment their bodies and thus persecute the Lord also who is inside them. This kind of people include asuras such as Hirnayakasipu, Ravana etc. In modern days those who perform rituals for fame and power also come under this category. Those that perform abhichara homas propitiating the spirits come under thamasik kind.
Next Krishna classifies the food also in to three kinds which are liked by saathvik raajasik and thaamasik people and induces similar tendencies.
7. ahaaro api sarvasya thriviDho bhavathi priyaH
yajnaH thapaH thaThaa dhaanam theshaam bhedham imamsrNu
The food liked is also of three kinds and hear the difference in yajna thapas and dhaana likewise.
The food, yajna . Austerity and acts of charity also differ according to the three gunas.
8. aayuH satthva balaarogyasukhapreethi vivarDhanaaH
rasyaaH snigDhaaH sThiraa hrdhyaahaaraa saathvikapriyaaH
The sAttvik kind of food promotes longevity, strength of mind, power, health, comfort and pleasure and the food that is delectable, oily, firm and appetizing are that which is enjoyed by people of satthvik temperament.
The kind of food one eats determines their character. annath bavanthi bhoothaani says the Lord (ch.3.14) Even among animals we find that those which are carnivorous are fierce and raajasiK while the herbivorous are sathvik. Those which eat impure things as the pigs do are thamasik. Similar is the case with men.
The sathvik food consists of all fresh foods which are bland and they are not eaten in excess and which promote physical and mental well being.
9.katvamlalavaNaathyushnaa theekshNa rookshavidhaahinaH
aahaaraa raajasasya ishtaa duhkhaSoka kaamapradhaaH
The food which is excessively bitter, sour, saltish, hot, pungent, harsh, burning, which causes pain and suffering and ill-health and which kindles passion and desire is liked by the rajasik people.
Any food that has strong taste is rajasik and eaten in excess produce ill health and pain. Since they kindle the desire for them they are eaten in excess and results in duhkha and Soka.
10.yaathayaamam gahtharasam poothi paryushitham cha yath
Ucchishtamapi cha ameDhyam bojanam thaamasapriyam
The ill-cooked, tasteless, smelling, decayed, refuse and impure is the food that is eaten by thamasik people.
Food that is stale and impure is liked by the people who are ignorant and lazy.
Gita does not tell anything about refrigerated and tinned food and it is left to our discretion to classify them among the three kinds mentioned above!
11. aphalaakaankshibhiH yajnaH viDhidhrshto cha ijyathe
Yashtavyam eva ithi manaH samaaDhaaya sa saathvikaH
The sAthvik yajna is the one which is done without expectation of fruit, aphalAkAnksha and as enjoined in the scriptures with the resolve that it has to be done.
The yajna done by the saathvik people are not for any personal gain but it is only for the welfare of the world and because they are enjoined in the sastras. So there is no palaakaanksha but done as a duty according to the varnasrama dharma.
12.abhisanDhaaya thu phalam dhambhaarTham api chaiva yath
Ijyathe bharathaSreshTa tham yajnam vidDhi raajasam
The rAjasik yajna, oh the best among the clan of Bhartha, is the one undertaken with the expectation of result or for ostentation.
All yajnas done with the expectation of fruit are rajasik only, says Krishna because they are performed out of desire for worldly things or at its best with the desire for heaven. Hence it creates more karma and results in more births. These could also be done for the sake of ostentation which is even worse as it only results in arrogance and does not produce the result expected. Such people are the ones described in the previous chapter as aasruik.
13.vidhiheenam asrshtaannam manthraheenam adhakshiNam
Sraddhaavirahitham yajnam thaamasam parichakshathe
The thAmasic is the one done without scriptural sanction, with no offering of food, without proper chanting of manthras and without gifts to the priests and without faith.
This is exactly what was described in the previous chapter in sloka 16 as the one done by the aasurik. In modern days we find that in many places the rituals have become a matter of routine with the priests also becoming mercenary and the householders treat the rituals as a necessary evil to be done with as quickly as possible. It is better not to do the rituals at all rather than doing them without the proper respect to the manthras and the injunctions in the sastras. To give dhakshina or the gift to the priests and others if neglected or done without respect does not bring any result
14. dhevadhvijagurupraajnapoojanam Soucham aarjavam
brahmacharyam ahimsaa cha Saareeram thapa uchyathe
The worship of devas, Brahmins, elders and preceptors and the learned, cleanliness, guilelessness, celibacy and non-violence are the austerities of the body.
Revering and worshipping the devas, as ordained by the sastras, the Brahmins which means those who have mastered the sastras, and elders and gurus, is the duty of a house holder who is aspiring towards spirituality.
Similarly Soucham, cleanliness and aarjavam straight forward dealing, celibacy and non violence form the austerity to be observed at the body level. It is only at the physical level which is stressed here as the austerity regarding speech and the mind is mentioned in the following slokas.
15.anudhvegakaram vaakyam sathyam priyahitham cha yath
svaaDhyaayaabhyasanam chaiva vaangmayam thapauchyathe
The speech that is inoffensive, truthful, pleasant and beneficial together with regular reading of scriptures constitutes verbal austerities.
The speech should not offend others. It should be pleasant but true.
The scripture says,
sathyam bhrooyaath priyam brooyaath na brooyaath sathyam
apriyam
priyam cha na anrtham brooyaath esha Dharma
sanaathanaH
One should speak truth and should speak pleasingly. One should not speak unpleasant truth. And also should not speak untruth which is pleasing. This is the ancient Dharma.
A well wisher should speak only the truth which is beneficial. Sathyam brooyaath. He should speak lovingly. Priyam brooyaath. But he should not speak the truth if it is not pleasant, na brooyaath sathyam apriyam, that is., which is harmful. Apriyam here means that which is not pleasant by way of doing harm. But untruth should not be spoken just because it will please the listener, priyam cha na anrtham brooyaath.
Mareecha advised Ravana against his abduction of Seetha and Vibheeshana told him to return Seetha. Both were well-wishers and spoke the truth that Ravana will be destroyed by not listening to their advice. They spoke to him with love and concern. This is the example of sathyam brooyaath priyam brooyaath
There is a story that shows the meaning of na brooyaath sathyam apriyam. A cow was fleeing from men, who were pursuing it wishing to kill, and it went round a hermitage where a sage was sitting outside meditating. The pursuers came and asked the sage whether he saw a cow coming that way. The sage replied that the eye does not speak and the tongue does not hear. Thinking that he was mad the pursuers went away. What the sage meant was that the eyes saw the cow but could not speak and the tongue could speak but had not seen the cow. Thus he did not speak the truth yet he neither spoke untruth. This is a case of na brooyaath sathyam apriyam as it was apriyam harmful to the cow.
Seetha told the rakshasis, who asked her whether she knew Hanuman, which she did not know. She spoke untruth but it was in accordance with dharma that one should not cause harm to others even by telling the truth because ahimsa takes precedence over all else.
Rama similarly told Sumanthra, when Dasaratha was asking him to stop on their way to the forest, to drive fast and tell the king later that he could not hear the command to stop. This again was to avoid giving pain to Dasaratha by prolonging the agony of separation.
Surpanakha told Ravana the untruth that she was trying to bring Seetha to him and was punished by Lakshmana, which was pleasing to Ravana but it brought him destruction. This is the case of priyam cha na anrtham brooyaath, one should not speak an untruth just to please another.
16.manaHprasaadhaH soumyathvam mounamaathmavinigrahaH
bhaavasamSudDhirithyethath thapo maansam uchyathe
Mental calmness, gentleness, silence, self control, extreme emotional purity are the austerities of the mind.
manaH prasaadhaH- the equanimity of mind, devoid of raga and dhvesha.
soumyathvam- always gentle and loving towards others.
mounam- silence regarding any subject other than the Lord. Since it refers to mental austerity it means thinking about the Lord only and banishing all the thoughts of the worldly affairs.
aaathma vinigrahaH- Control of senses through the mind.
bhaavasmaSudDhiH- as a result of the above, purity of mind.
All the requisites mentioned in the above three slokas refer only to saathvik kind of thapas, which is explained in the next sloka.
17. SradDhayaa parayaa thaptham thapaH thriviDham naraiH
aphalaakaankshibhiH yukthaiH saathvikam parichakshathe
These threefold austerities of body, speech and mind are done with supreme faith by those whose mind is integrated with no expectation of result, it is known as saathvik.
18.sathkaaramaanapoojaarThamthapo dhambhena chaivathath
Kriyathe thadhiha proktham raajasam chalam aDhruvam
Any austerity undertaken for the sake of praise, pride or to be worshipped or with ostentation is rajasik and it is not stable or permanent.
The thapas done with a view of reaching a position which will ensure praise and popularity is the way of pseudo yogis. Though they observe the rules of the austerities as per the sasthras their purpose is not aspiring for mukthi but for the worldly grandeur of being worshipped as holy men. Since they lack the necessary mental equipoise of a saathvik yogi their success is short lived and they may lapse into worldly life anytime if their popularity declines.
19. mooDagraaheNa aathmanaH yathpeedayaakriyathe thapaH
parasya uthsaadhanaarTham vaa thath thaamasamudhahrtham
The austerity followed through obstinacy, tormenting oneself or others, that is known as thamasik.
Some indulge in yogic practices influenced by thamasik impulses and follow austerities tormenting themselves. The thapas done by the asuras was of this kind. The purpose of their thapas was to torment the world later by acquiring supernatural powers. These are known as thaamasik. The violent methods of worship like inflicting injury on the body falls under this kind of thapas.
20. dhaathavyam ithi yath dhaanam dheeyathe anupakaariNe
dhese kale cha paathre cha thathdhaanam saathvikam Smrtham
A gift which is made at the right place and time to a deserving recipient and to the one who does not return the good turn done to him, with the attitude that it has to be done without expecting anything in return is saathvik
Krishna now classifies the gift or dhaana into three kinds.
The gift to others is a must for everyone as the sastras say that one has to share what he has with others. That too should be given according to the place, time and to the deserving person. In thiruppavai Andal says, ambaramE thanNeerE SorE aram seyyum.
This means that the clothes, water and food are to be given when needed to the needy. When one is suffering from hunger or thirst it is no use giving him something which he could not eat or drink. It is no use giving everything to those who already have everything, which is the common practice in the modern world.
The gift thus given must be for the joy of giving and not expecting a favour or as returning a favour done, in which case it becomes rajasik as the next sloka denotes. The Lord gives us everything without even expecting us to thank Him for it, which we never do.
21. yath thu prthyupakaraarTham phalam uddhisya vaa punaH
Dheeyathe cha pariklishtam thaddhaanam raajasamSmrtham
The one given with expectation of something in return or as a return favour or unwillingly is raajasik
To do something as prathyupakara is not wrong but one should not do it with the attitude that he is returning the help done to him. The good souls value something good done to them by others very highly and consider them incapable of returning it. Krishna considered Himself ever indebted to the gopis for the love they showed towards Him.
Lord Narayana, in whose chest Lakshmi abides forever, thadhvakshasThala nithya vaasarasika, remembers even the smallest service of His devotees and returns it manifold. It is said that a man went round the temple of Guruvyurappan chasing his cow. The Lord thought that he should do that man some good since he went round his temple even though unintentionally. Krishna regretted that He did not go to the rescue of Draupadhi as soon as she called. There is a story behind this incident even though it was all the leela of the Lord only.
Once Krishna was bathing in a river with pandavas and his clothes were carried away by the current of the water. All the rest had come out but Krishna was still standing in the river. Draupadhi who guessed what happened tore off her saree and threw it to him. Krishna then said he will recompense the gift manifold and he did by supplying clothes to her when she was disrobed by Dussasana who reeled off yards and yards of cloth until he became exhausted and fainted. Still the Lord was not satisfied with what He had done and that is the krthajnathaa displayed by the Lord Himself to the world. Krishna would have helped Draupadi anyhow not as a prathyupakara for what she has done but to shows His bhakthaparaadheenathva the Lord has created the circumstances as though He was indebted to her.
Rama is described by Valmiki as kathamchidhupakaareNa krthenai kena thushhyati na smarathyapakaaraaNaaM Sathamapi, he remembers even a single service done by anyone but never remembers even a hundred disservice.
When the Lord Himself is like that how much more we should be grateful for all that have been given by Him to us! How can one expect Lakshmi to come to one who is ungrateful? When someone does anything good it is the Lord Himself who helps us through them. Hence if we forget and do harm in return it is done to the Lord Himself.
To give something expecting something in return is only like lending and borrowing or a business deal. Prahlada when the Lord asked Him what he wanted said he was not a business man to exchange something for his bhakthi.
To give something unwillingly is also wrong because the gift loses its value unless given wholeheartedly.
22. adheSakaale yath dhaanam apaathrebhyaScha dheeyathe
asathkrtham avajnaanam thath thaamasam udhaahrtham
Thaamasic dhaana is the one offered improperly and insultingly at wrong place and time and given to undeserving people. When something is given it should be accompanied with respect and humility.
The Upanishad enjoins the proper way in which dhaana is to be done.
SradDhyaadheyam aSradhaayaadheyam Sriyaadheyam hriyaadheyam bhiyaadheyam savidhaadheyam (thaittreeya up.-1.2.3)
A dhaana must be given with SradDha, with reverence. It should not be given with disrespect, aSradDha. Sriyaa dheyaam means that the dhaana must be made according to one's wealth. A millionaire giving few rupees is not a dhana in the real sense. hriyaa dheyam means that one who gives must be humble and should think that it is an honour that the recipient is accepting his gift. Bhiyaa dheyam refers to the fear that it should be done in the right manner without transgressing the rules of the sastras as laid down by this passage. savidhaa dheyam means that the gift must be given in a friendly manner and not with an attitude that one is superior and the recipient should be indebted to him.
Hence a gift given insultingly or with disrespect is classified as thaamasik. Also when it is given to a recipient who does not deserve it or at a wrong place and time is thaamasik dhaana. Any gift to wicked persons which will help them only to pursue their evil deeds comes under this category. It is like donating rifles to a terrorist.
Normally it is said that what a right hand gives should not be known to the left hand. So a gift must be not made public and should not be given in a manner which humiliates the recipient.
To go to a person and give something is utthama and ask him to come and receive it is madhyama. But not to give even when asked is adhama.
23.om thath sath ithi nirdheSah brahmaNaH thriviDhassmrthaH
braahmaNaasthena vedhaaScha yajnaaScha vihithaaHpuraa
Brahman is denoted by the threefold expression, Om Thath Sath. The brahmanas, Vedas and the yajnas were created in the past by Him.
The expression `om thath sath' is a purifier in any act enjoined by the Vedas, to ward off the effects of any error in the chanting or the procedure etc. The three words mean the three aspects of Brahman. Om denotes the supremacy or the parathva. Thath refers to Brahman as the goal to be reached and sath is the Brahman manifest as the universe.
24. thasmaath om ithi udhaahrthya yajnadhaanthapaHkriyaaH
Pravarthanthe viDhanokthaaH sathatham Brahmavaadhinaam
Hence all sacrifices, gifts and austerities enjoined by the Vedas are always started with `Om' by those who have learnt the Vedas.
The word Om when uttered directs the mind to the Supreme Being and the acts done starting with Om become charged with divine power.
25.thadhithyanabhisanDhaaya phalam yajnathapaH kriyaaH
dhaanakriyaaScha viviDhaaH kriyanthe moksha kaankshibhiH
Those who aspire for moksha and perform yajnas and austerities and gifts without expecting result utter the word `thath' before they perform these acts.
Since the word thath refers to Brahman, the goal to be reached, that is moksha, the acts done without expectation of result and with the purpose of attaining moksha are begun with thath.
26. sadhbhaave saaDhubhaave cha sadhithiethath prayujyathe
praSasthe karmaNi thaThaa sacChabdhaH paarTha yujyathe
The word `sath' is used in the sense of existence and goodness and also Arjuna, the word `sath' is used in auspicious actions.
As the word sath denotes the manifestation of Brahman as the universe, all auspicious acts done for the welfare of the world are begun with sath.
27.yajne thapasi dhaane cha sThithiH sadhithi cha uchyathe
Karma chaiva thadharTheeyam sadhithyeva abhiDheeyathe
Steadfastness in sacrifices, austerity and gifts is also known as sath and hence in actions in respect to these, are named as `sath'.
This means that all activities sanctioned by the Vedas, are saathvik when done with the utterance of Om Thath Sath because the mind then becomes pure and free of selfish desires and whatever done in that attitude becomes karmayoga.
28. aSradDhayaa hutham dhattham thapasthaptham krthamcha yath
asadhithuchyathe paarTha nacha tath prethya no iha
Whatever sacrifices gift or austerity done without faith is asath, Arjuna and that is fruitful neither here nor in the other world.
In keeping with the theme of the chapter SradDhaathraya vibhaaga, the classification of three types of SradDhaa, Krishna concludes by saying that any sacrifice, gifts and austerities performed without faith are futile neither bringing result in this world or the next.