Bhagavad-gita As It Is
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The Divisions of Faith
Bg17.1
TEXT 1
arjuna uvaca
ye sastra-vidhim utsrjya
yajante sraddhayanvitah
tesam nistha tu ka krsna
sattvam aho rajas tamah
arjunah uvaca—Arjuna said; ye—those; sastra-vidhim—the regulations of scripture; utsrjya—giving up; yajante—worships; sraddhaya—full faith; anvitah—possessed of; tesam—of them; nistha—faith; tu—but; ka—what is that; krsna—O Krsna; sattvam—in goodness; aho—said; rajah—in passion; tamah—in ignorance.
TRANSLATION
Arjuna said, O Krsna, what is the situation of one who does not follow the principles of scripture but worships according to his own imagination? Is he in goodness, in passion or in ignorance?
PURPORT
In the Fourth Chapter, thirty-ninth verse, it is said that a person faithful to a particular type of worship gradually becomes elevated to the stage of knowledge and attains the highest perfectional stage of peace and prosperity. In the Sixteenth Chapter, it is concluded that one who does not follow the principles laid down in the scriptures is called an asura, demon, and one who follows the scriptural injunctions faithfully is called a deva, or demigod. Now, if one, with faith, follows some rules which are not mentioned in the scriptural injunctions, what is his position? This doubt of Arjuna is to be cleared by Krsna. Are those who create some sort of God by selecting a human being and placing their faith in him worshiping in goodness, passion or ignorance? Do such persons attain the perfectional stage of life? Is it possible for them to be situated in real knowledge and elevate themselves to the highest perfectional stage? Do those who do not follow the rules and regulations of the scriptures but who have faith in something and worship gods and demigods and men attain success in their effort? Arjuna is putting these questions to Krsna. Bg17.2 TEXT 2 sri-bhagavan uvaca tri-vidha bhavati sraddha dehinam sa svabhava-ja sattviki rajasi caiva tamasi ceti tam srnu sri bhagavan uvaca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; tri-vidha—three kinds; bhavati—become; sraddha—faith; dehinam—of the embodied; sa—that; sva-bhava-ja—according to his mode of material nature; sattviki—mode of goodness; rajasi—mode of passion; ca—also; eva—certainly; tamasi—mode of ignorance; ca—and; iti—thus; tam—that; srnu—hear from Me. TRANSLATION The Supreme Lord said, according to the modes of nature acquired by the embodied soul, one’s faith can be of three kinds—goodness, passion or ignorance. Now hear about these. PURPORT Those who know the rules and regulations of the scriptures, but, out of laziness or indolence, give up following these rules and regulations, are governed by the modes of material nature. According to their previous activities in the modes of goodness, passion or ignorance, they acquire a nature which is of a specific quality. The association of the living entity with the different modes of nature has been going on perpetually since the living entity is in contact with material nature. Thus he acquires different types of mentality according to his association with the material modes. But this nature can be changed if one associates with a bona fide spiritual master and abides by his rules and the scriptures. Gradually, one can change his position from ignorance to goodness, or from passion to goodness. The conclusion is that blind faith in a particular mode of nature cannot help a person become elevated to the perfectional stage. One has to consider things carefully, with intelligence, in the association of a bona fide spiritual master. Thus one can change his position to a higher mode of nature. Bg17.3 TEXT 3 sattvanurupa sarvasya sraddha bhavati bharata sraddha-mayo ’yam puruso yo yac-chraddhah sa eva sah sattva-anurupa—according to the existence; sarvasya—of everyone; sraddha—faith; bhavati—becomes; bharata—O son of Bharata; sraddha—faith; mayah—full; ayam—this; purusah—living entity; yah—anyone; yat—that; sraddhah—faith; sah—that; eva—certainly; sah—he. TRANSLATION According to one’s existence under the various modes of nature, one evolves a particular kind of faith. The living being is said to be of a particular faith according to the modes he has acquired. PURPORT Everyone has a particular type of faith, regardless of what he is. But his faith is considered good, passionate or ignorant according to the nature he has acquired. Thus, according to his particular type of faith, one associates with certain persons. Now the real fact is that every living being, as is stated in the Fifteenth Chapter, is originally the fragmental part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore one is originally transcendental to all the modes of material nature. But when one forgets his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and comes into contact with the material nature in conditional life, he generates his own position by association with the different varieties of material nature. The resultant artificial faith and existence are only material. Although one may be conducted by some impression, or some conception of life, still, originally, he is nirguna, or transcendental. Therefore one has to become cleansed of the material contamination that he has acquired in order to regain his relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is the only path back without fear: Krsna consciousness. If one is situated in Krsna consciousness, then that path is guaranteed for his elevation to the perfectional stage. If one does not take to this path of self-realization, then he is surely to be conducted by the influence of the modes of nature. The word sattva, or faith, is very significant in this verse. Sattva or faith always comes out of the works of goodness. One’s faith may be in a demigod or some created God or some mental concoction. It is supposed to be one’s strong faith in something that is productive of the works of material goodness. But in material conditional life, no works of material nature are completely purified. They are mixed. They are not in pure goodness. Pure goodness is transcendental; in purified goodness one can understand the real nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As long as one’s faith is not completely in purified goodness, the faith is subject to contamination by any of the modes of material nature. The contaminated modes of material nature expand to the heart. Therefore according to the position of the heart in contact with a particular mode of material nature, one’s faith is established. It should be understood, that if one’s heart is in the mode of goodness, his faith is also in the mode of goodness. If his heart is in the mode of passion, his faith is also in the mode of passion. And if his heart is in the mode of darkness, illusion, his faith is also thus contaminated. Thus we find different types of faith in this world, and there are different types of religions due to different types of faith. The real principle of religious faith is situated in the mode of pure goodness, but because the heart is tainted, we find different types of religious principles. Thus according to different types of faith, there are different kinds of worship. Bg17.4 TEXT 4 yajante sattvika devan yaksa-raksamsi rajasah pretan bhuta-ganams canye yajante tamasa janah yajante—worship; sattvikah—those who are in the mode of goodness; devan—demigods; yaksa-raksamsi rajasah—those who are in the mode of passion worship demons; pretan—dead spirits; bhuta-ganan—ghosts; ca anye—and others; yajante—worship; tamasah—in the mode of ignorance; janah—people. TRANSLATION Men in the mode of goodness worship the demigods; those in the mode of passion worship the demons; and those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits. PURPORT In this verse the Supreme Personality of Godhead describes different kinds of worshipers according to their external activities. According to scriptural injunction, only the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshipable, but those who are not very conversant with, or faithful to, the scriptural injunctions worship different objects, according to their specific situations in the modes of material nature. Those who are situated in goodness generally worship the demigods. The demigods include Brahma, Siva and others such as Indra, Candra and the sun-god. There are various demigods. Those in goodness worship a particular demigod for a particular purpose. Similarly, those who are in the mode of passion worship the demons. We recall that during the Second World War, a man in Calcutta worshiped Hitler because thanks to that war he had amassed a large amount of wealth by dealing in the black market. Similarly, those in the modes of passion and ignorance generally select a powerful man to be God. They think that anyone can be worshiped as God and that the same results will be obtained. Now, it is clearly described here that those who are in the mode of passion worship and create such gods, and those who are in the mode of ignorance, in darkness, worship dead spirits. Sometimes people worship at the tomb of some dead man. Sexual service is also considered to be in the mode of darkness. Similarly, in remote villages in India there are worshipers of ghosts. We have seen that in India the lower class people sometimes go to the forest, and if they have knowledge that a ghost lives in a tree, they worship that tree and offer sacrifices. These different kinds of worship are not actually God worship. God worship is for persons who are transcendentally situated in pure goodness. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam. “When a man is situated in pure goodness, he worships Vasudeva.” The purport is that those who are completely purified of the material modes of nature and who are transcendentally situated can worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The impersonalists are supposed to be situated in the mode of goodness, and they worship five kinds of demigods. They worship the impersonal Visnu, or Visnu form in the material world, which is known as philosophized Visnu. Visnu is the expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the impersonalists, because they do not ultimately believe in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, imagine that the Visnu form is just another aspect of the impersonal Brahman; similarly, they imagine that Lord Brahma is the impersonal form in the material mode of passion. Thus they sometimes describe five kinds of gods that are worshipable, but because they think that the actual truth is impersonal Brahman, they dispose of all worshipable objects at the ultimate end. In conclusion, the different qualities of the material modes of nature can be purified through association with persons who are of transcendental nature. Bg17.5-6 TEXTS 5–6 asastra-vihitam ghoram tapyante ye tapo janah dambhahankara-samyuktah kama-raga-balanvitah karsayantah sarira-stham bhuta-gramam acetasah mam caivantah sarira-stham tan viddhy asura-niscayan asastra—not mentioned in the scriptures; vihitam—directed; ghoram—harmful to others; tapyante—undergo penances; ye—those; tapah—austerities; janah—persons; dambha—pride; ahankara—egotism; samyuktah—engaged; kama—lust; raga—attachment; bala—force; anvitah—impelled by; karsayantah—tormenting; sarira-stham—situated within the body; bhutagramam—combination of material elements; acetasah—by such a misled mentality; mam—to Me; ca—also; eva—certainly; antah—within; sarira-stham—situated in the body; tan—them; viddhi—understand; asura—demons; niscayan—certainly. TRANSLATION Those who undergo severe austerities and penances not recommended in the scriptures, performing them out of pride, egotism, lust and attachment, who are impelled by passion and who torture their bodily organs as well as the Supersoul dwelling within are to be known as demons. PURPORT There are persons who manufacture modes of austerity and penances which are not mentioned in the scriptural injunctions. For instance, fasting for some ulterior purpose, such as to promote a purely political end, is not mentioned in the scriptural directions. The scriptures recommend fasting for spiritual advancement, not for some political end or social purpose. Persons who take to such austerities are, according to Bhagavad-gita, certainly demoniac. Their acts are against the scriptural injunction and are not beneficial for the people in general. Actually, they act out of pride, false ego, lust and attachment for material enjoyment. By such activities, not only are the combination of material elements of which the body is constructed disturbed, but also the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself living within the body. Such unauthorized fasting or austerities for some political end are certainly very disturbing to others. They are not mentioned in the Vedic literature. A demoniac person may think that he can force his enemy or other parties to comply with his desire by this method, but sometimes one dies by such fasting. These acts are not approved by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He says that those who engage in them are demons. Such demonstrations are insults to the Supreme Personality of Godhead because they are enacted in disobedience to the Vedic scriptural injunctions. The word acetasah is significant in this connection—persons of normal mental condition must obey the scriptural injunctions. Those who are not in such a position neglect and disobey the scriptures and manufacture their own way of austerities and penances. One should always remember the ultimate end of the demoniac people, as described in the previous chapter. The Lord forces them to take birth in the womb of demoniac persons. Consequently they will live by demoniac principles life after life without knowing their relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If, however, such persons are fortunate enough to be guided by a spiritual master who can direct them to the path of Vedic wisdom, they can get out of this entanglement and ultimately achieve the supreme goal. Bg17.7 TEXT 7 aharas tv api sarvasya tri-vidho bhavati priyah yajnas tapas tatha danam tesam bhedam imam srnu aharah—eating; tu—certainly; api—also; sarvasya—of everyone; trividhah—three kinds; bhavati—there are; priyah—dear; yajnah—sacrifice; tapah—austerity; tatha—also; danam—charity; tesam—of them; bhedam—differences; imam—thus; srnu—hear. TRANSLATION Even food of which all partake is of three kinds, according to the three modes of material nature. The same is true of sacrifices, austerities and charity. Listen, and I shall tell you of the distinctions of these. PURPORT In terms of different situations and the modes of material nature, there are differences in the manner of eating, performing sacrifices, austerities and charities. They are not all conducted on the same level. Those who can understand analytically what kind of performances are in what modes of material nature are actually wise; those who consider all kinds of sacrifice or foods or charity to be the same cannot discriminate, and they are foolish. There are missionary workers who advocate that one can do whatever he likes and attain perfection. But these foolish guides are not acting according to the direction of the scripture. They are manufacturing ways and misleading the people in general. Bg17.8-10 TEXT 8 ayuh-sattva-balarogya- sukha-priti-vivardhanah rasyah snigdhah sthira hrdya aharah sattvika-priyah katv-amla-lavanaty-usna- tiksna-ruksa-vidahinah ahara rajasasyesta duhkha-sokamaya-pradah yata-yamam gata-rasam puti paryusitam ca yat ucchistam api camedhyam bhojanam tamasa-priyam TRANSLATION Foods in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such nourishing foods are sweet, juicy, fattening and palatable. Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, pungent, dry and hot, are liked by people in the modes of passion. Such foods cause pain, distress, and disease. Food cooked more than three hours before being eaten, which is tasteless, stale, putrid, decomposed and unclean, is food liked by people in the mode of ignorance. PURPORT Thc purpose of food is to increase the duration of life, purify the mind and aid bodily strength. This is its only purpose. In the past, great authorities selected those foods that best aid health and increase life’s duration, such as milk products, sugar, rice, wheat, fruits and vegetables. These foods are very dear to those in the mode of goodness. Some other foods, such as baked corn and molasses, while not very palatable in themselves, can be made pleasant when mixed with milk or other foods. They are then in the mode of goodness. All these foods are pure by nature. They are quite distinct from untouchable things like meat and liquor. Fatty foods, as mentioned in the eighth verse, have no connection with animal fat obtained by slaughter. Animal fat is available in the form of milk, which is the most wonderful of all foods. Milk, butter, cheese and similar products give animal fat in a form which rules out any need for the killing of innocent creatures. It is only through brute mentality that this killing goes on. The civilized method of obtaining needed fat is by milk. Slaughter is the way of subhumans. Protein is amply available through split peas, dhall, whole wheat, etc. Foods in the mode of passion, which are bitter, too salty, or too hot or overly mixed with red pepper, cause misery by producing mucous in the stomach, leading to disease. Foods in the mode of ignorance or darkness are essentially those that are not fresh. Any food cooked more than three hours before it is eaten (except prasadam, food offered to the Lord) is considered to be in the mode of darkness. Because they are decomposing, such foods give a bad odor, which often attracts people in this mode but repulses those in the mode of goodness. Remnants of food may be eaten only when they are part of a meal that was first offered to the Supreme Lord or first eaten by saintly persons, especially the spiritual master. Otherwise the remnants of food are considered to be in the mode of darkness, and they increase infection or disease. Such foodstuffs, although very palatable to persons in the mode of darkness, are neither liked nor even touched by those in the mode of goodness. The best food is the remnant of what is offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita the Supreme Lord says that He accepts preparations of vegetables, flour and milk when offered with devotion. Patram puspam phalam toyam. Of course, devotion and love are the chief things which the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts. But it is also mentioned that the prasadam should be prepared in a particular way. Any food prepared by the injunction of the scripture offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be taken even if prepared long, long ago, because such food is transcendental. Therefore to make food antiseptic, eatable and palatable for all persons, one should offer food to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bg17.11 TEXT 11 aphalakanksibhir yajno vidhi-disto ya ijyate yastavyam eveti manah samadhaya sa sattvikah aphala-kanksibhih—devoid of desire for result; yajnah—sacrifice; vidhi—accordingly; drstah—direction; yah—anyone; ijyate—performs; yastavyam—must be performed; eva—certainly; iti—thus; manah—mind; samadhaya—fixed in; sah—he; sattvikah—is in the mode of goodness. TRANSLATION Of sacrifices, that sacrifice performed according to duty and to scriptural rules, and with no expectation of reward, is of the nature of goodness. PURPORT The general tendency is to offer sacrifice with some purpose in mind, but here it is stated that sacrifice should be performed without any such desire. It should be done as a matter of duty. Take, for example, the performance of rituals in temples or in churches. Generally they are performed with the purpose of material benefit, but that is not in the mode of goodness. One should go to a temple or church as a matter of duty, offer respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and offer flowers and eatables. Everyone thinks that there is no use in going to the temple just to worship God. But worship for economic benefit is not recommended in the scriptural injunction. One should go simply to offer respect to the Deity. That will place one in the mode of goodness. It is the duty of every civilized man to obey the injunctions of the scriptures and offer respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bg17.12 TEXT 12 abhisandhaya tu phalam dambhartham api caiva yat ijyate bharata-srestha tam yajnam viddhi rajasam abhisandhaya—desiring; tu—but; phalam—the result; dambha—pride; artham—material benefits; api—also; ca—and; eva—certainly; yat—that which; ijyate—worship; bharata-srestha—O chief of the Bharatas; tam—that; yajnam—sacrifice; viddhi—know; rajasam—in the mode of passion. TRANSLATION But that sacrifice performed for some material end or benefit or performed ostentatiously, out of pride, is of the nature of passion, O chief of the Bharatas. PURPORT Sometimes sacrifices and rituals are performed for elevation to the heavenly kingdom or for some material benefits in this world. Such sacrifices or ritualistic performances are considered to be in the mode of passion. Bg17.13 TEXT 13 vidhi-hinam asrstannam mantra-hinam adaksinam sraddha-virahitam yajnam tamasam paricaksate vidhi-hinam—without scriptural direction; asrsta-annam—without distribution of prasadam; mantra-hinam—with no chanting of the Vedic hymns; adaksinam—with no remunerations to the priests; sraddha—faith; virahitam—without; yajnam—sacrifice; tamasam—in the mode of ignorance; paricaksate—is to be considered. TRANSLATION And that sacrifice performed in defiance of scriptural injunctions, in which no spiritual food is distributed, no hymns are chanted and no remunerations are made to the priests, and which is faithless—that sacrifice is of the nature of ignorance. PURPORT Faith in the mode of darkness or ignorance is actually faithlessness. Sometimes people worship some demigod just to make money and then spend the money for recreation, ignoring the scriptural injunctions. Such ceremonial shows of religiosity are not accepted as genuine. They are all in the mode of darkness; they produce a demoniac mentality and do not benefit human society. Bg17.14 TEXT 14 deva-dvija-guru-prajna- pujanam saucam arjavam brahmacaryam ahimsa ca sariram tapa ucyate deva—the Supreme Lord; dvija—the brahmana; guru—the spiritual master; prajna—worshipable personalities; pujanam—worship; saucam—cleanliness; arjavam—simplicity; brahma-caryam—celibacy; ahimsa—nonviolence; ca—also; sariram—pertaining to the body; tapah—austerity; ucyate—is said to be. TRANSLATION The austerity of the body consists in this: worship of the Supreme Lord, the brahmanas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother. Cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence are also austerities of the body. PURPORT The Supreme Godhead here explains the different kinds of austerity and penance. First He explains the austerities and penances practiced by the body. One should offer, or learn to offer, respect to God or to the demigods, the perfect, qualified brahmanas and the spiritual master and superiors like father, mother or any person who is conversant with Vedic knowledge. These should be given proper respect. One should practice cleansing oneself externally and internally, and he should learn to become simple in behavior. He should not do anything which is not sanctioned by the scriptural injunction. He should not indulge in sex outside of married life, for sex is sanctioned in the scripture only in marriage, not otherwise. This is called celibacy. These are penances and austerities as far as the body is concerned. Bg17.15 TEXT 15 anudvega-karam vakyam satyam priya-hitam ca yat svadhyayabhyasanam caiva van-mayam tapa ucyate anudvega—not agitating; karam—producing; vakyam—words; satyam—truthful; priya—dear; hitam—beneficial; ca—also; yat—which; svadhyaya—Vedic study; abhyasanam—practice; ca—also; eva—certainly; vanmayam—of the voice; tapah—austerity; ucyate—is said to be. TRANSLATION Austerity of speech consists in speaking truthfully and beneficially and in avoiding speech that offends. One should also recite the Vedas regularly. PURPORT One should not speak in such a way as to agitate the minds of others. Of course, when a teacher speaks, he can speak the truth for the instruction of his students, but such a teacher should not speak to others who are not his students if he will agitate their minds. This is penance as far as talking is concerned. Besides that, one should not talk nonsense. When speaking in spiritual circles, one’s statements must be upheld by the scriptures. One should at once quote from scriptural authority to back up what he is saying. At the same time, such talk should be very pleasurable to the ear. By such discussions, one may derive the highest benefit and elevate human society. There is a limitless stock of Vedic literature, and one should study this. This is called penance of speech.