Home Vedic Pedia Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17

Chapter 17

In Chapter 17 of Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna wants to know of those who worship according to their own imagination. Lord Krishna replies that according to the modes of nature acquired by the embodied soul, one’s faith can be of three kinds—in goodness, in passion or in ignorance. Men in the mode of goodness worship the demigods; those in the mode of passion worship the demons; those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits. Even food, sacrifices, austerities and charity are of three kinds.  The Lord goes on to describe how it affects people’s body and mind. From the beginning of creation, the three words om tat sat were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. These three symbolic representations were used by Brahmans while chanting the hymns of the Vedas and during sacrifices. Anything done as sacrifice, charity or penance, without faith in the Supreme is impermanent. It is  called asat and is useless in this life and the next.

Slogam 1:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.1

arjuna uvāca

ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya

yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ

teṣāḿ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa

sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ


Translation


Arjuna inquired: O Krishna, what is the situation of those who do not follow the principles of scripture but worship accordi...View More

Slogam 2:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.2


śrī-bhagavān uvāca

tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā

dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā

sāttvikī rājasī caiva

tāmasī ceti tāṁ śṛṇu


Translation 


The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: According to the modes of nature acquired by the embodied soul, one’s faith can be ...View More

Slogam 3:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.3

sattvānurūpā sarvasya

śraddhā bhavati bhārata

śraddhā-mayo ’yaḿ puruṣo

yo yac-chraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ


Translation 


O son of Bharata, according to one’s existence under the various modes of nature, one evolves a particular kind of faith. The living being is sa...View More

Slogam 4:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.4

yajante sāttvikā devān

yakṣa-rakṣāḿsi rājasāḥ

pretān bhūta-gaṇāḿś cānye

yajante tāmasā janāḥ


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 ...View More

Slogam 5-6:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.5 - 17.6

aśāstra-vihitaḿ ghoraḿ

tapyante ye tapo janāḥ

dambhāhańkāra-saḿyuktāḥ

kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ


karṣayantaḥ śarīra-sthaḿ

bhūta-grāmam acetasaḥ

māḿ caivāntaḥ śarīra-sthaḿ

tān viddhy āsura-niścayān


Translation 


Those who undergo se...View More

Slogam 7:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.7

āhāras tv api sarvasya

tri-vidho bhavati priyaḥ

yajñas tapas tathā dānaḿ

teṣāḿ bhedam imaḿ śṛṇu


Translation 


Even the food each person prefers is of three kinds, according to the three modes of material nature. The same is true of sacrifices, austerities ...View More

Slogam 8:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.8

āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-

sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ

rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā

āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ


Translation 


Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness ...View More

Slogam 9:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.9

kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣṇa-

tīkṣṇa-rūkṣa-vidāhinaḥ

āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā

duḥkha-śokāmaya-pradāḥ


Translation


Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distr...View More

Slogam 10:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.10

yāta-yāmaḿ gata-rasaḿ

pūti paryuṣitaḿ ca yat

ucchiṣṭam api cāmedhyaḿ

bhojanaḿ tāmasa-priyam


Translation 


Food prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is tasteless, decomposed and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and untouchab...View More

Slogam 11:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.11

aphalākāńkṣibhir yajño

vidhi-diṣṭo ya ijyate

yaṣṭavyam eveti manaḥ

samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ


Translation 


Of sacrifices, the sacrifice performed according to the directions of scripture, as a matter of duty, by those who desire no reward, is of the nature o...View More

Slogam 12:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.12

abhisandhāya tu phalaḿ

dambhārtham api caiva yat

ijyate bharata-śreṣṭha

taḿ yajñaḿ viddhi rājasam


Translation 


But the sacrifice performed for some material benefit, or for the sake of pride, O chief of the Bharatas, you should know to be in the mode of passio...View More

Slogam 13:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.13

vidhi-hīnam asṛṣṭānnaḿ

mantra-hīnam adakṣiṇam

śraddhā-virahitaḿ yajñaḿ

tāmasaḿ paricakṣate


Translation 


Any sacrifice performed without regard for the directions of scripture, without distribution of prasadam [spiritual food], without chanting of V...View More

Slogam 14:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.14

deva-dvija-guru-prājña-

pūjanaḿ śaucam ārjavam

brahmacaryam ahiḿsā ca

śārīraḿ tapa ucyate


Translation


Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Supreme Lord, the brahmanas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanline...View More

Slogam 15:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.15

anudvega-karaḿ vākyaḿ

satyaḿ priya-hitaḿ ca yat

svādhyāyābhyasanaḿ caiva

vāń-mayaḿ tapa ucyate


Translation 


Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting V...View More

Slogam 16:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.16


manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaḿ
maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ
bhāva-saḿśuddhir ity etat
tapo mānasam ucyate


Translation

And satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purification of one’s existence are the austerities of the mind.


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Slogam 17:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.17


śraddhayā parayā taptaḿ
tapas tat tri-vidhaḿ naraiḥ
aphalākāńkṣibhir yuktaiḥ
sāttvikaḿ paricakṣate


Translation

This threefold austerity, performed with transcendental faith by men not expecting material benefits but engaged only for the sake of the Supr...View More

Slogam 18:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.18


satkāra-māna-pūjārthaḿ
tapo dambhena caiva yat
kriyate tad iha proktaḿ
rājasaḿ calam adhruvam


Translation

Penance performed out of pride and for the sake of gaining respect, honor and worship is said to be in the mode of passion. It is neither stable nor permanent.

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Slogam 19:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.19


mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat
pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ
parasyotsādanārthaḿ vā
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam


Translation

Penance performed out of foolishness, with self-torture or to destroy or injure others, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.


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Slogam 20:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.20


dātavyam iti yad dānaḿ
dīyate ’nupakāriṇe
deśe kāle ca pātre ca
tad dānaḿ sāttvikaḿ smṛtam


Translation


Charity given out of duty, without expectation of return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person is considered to be in the mode of good...View More

Slogam 21:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.21


yat tu pratyupakārārthaḿ
phalam uddiśya vā punaḥ
dīyate ca parikliṣṭaḿ
tad dānaḿ rājasaḿ smṛtam


Translation

But charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood, is said to be charity ...View More

Slogam 22:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.22


adeśa-kāle yad dānam
apātrebhyaś ca dīyate
asat-kṛtam avajñātaḿ
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam


Translation

And charity performed at an impure place, at an improper time, to unworthy persons, or without proper attention and respect is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

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Slogam 23:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.23


oḿ tat sad iti nirdeśo
brahmaṇas tri-vidhaḥ smṛtaḥ
brāhmaṇās tena vedāś ca
yajñāś ca vihitāḥ purā


Translation

From the beginning of creation, the three words om tat sat were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. These three symbolic representa...View More

Slogam 24:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.24


tasmād oḿ ity udāhṛtya
yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ
pravartante vidhānoktāḥ
satataḿ brahma-vādinām


Translation

Therefore, transcendentalists undertaking performances of sacrifice, charity and penance in accordance with scriptural regulations begin always wit...View More

Slogam 25:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.25


tad ity anabhisandhāya
phalaḿ yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ
dāna-kriyāś ca vividhāḥ
kriyante mokṣa-kāńkṣibhiḥ


Translation

Without desiring fruitive results, one should perform various kinds of sacrifice, penance and charity with the word tat. The purpose of such...View More

Slogam 26-27:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.26 - 17.27


sad-bhāve sādhu-bhāve ca
sad ity etat prayujyate
praśaste karmaṇi tathā
sac-chabdaḥ pārtha yujyate

yajñe tapasi dāne ca
sthitiḥ sad iti cocyate
karma caiva tad-arthīyaḿ
sad ity evābhidhīyate


Translation

The Absolute Truth is the objective of devotiona...View More

Slogam 28:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17.28


aśraddhayā hutaḿ dattaḿ
tapas taptaḿ kṛtaḿ ca yat
asad ity ucyate pārtha
na ca tat pretya no iha


Translation

Anything done as sacrifice, charity or penance without faith in the Supreme, O son of Pritha, is impermanent. It is called asat and is useless both in t...View More