Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith

Arjuna said, "What is the condition of those who, disregarding the injunctions of the scriptures, perform sacrifice with faith—is it Sattva, Rajas, or Tamas, O Krishna?"

This chapter deals with the three kinds of people who are endowed with three kinds of faith. Each of them follows a path in accordance with his inherent nature -- either Sattvic, Rajasic or Tamasic.Arjuna says to Krishna…

The Blessed Lord said, "There are threefold faiths inherent in the nature of the embodied: the sattvic (pure), the rajasic (passionate), and the tamasic (dark). Hear of them."

The whole world is made up, as if were, of faith. Faith assumes a threefold aspect under the influence of the three alities. When Sattva is strongly developed, when there is a preponderance of Sattva or purity in a man,…

The faith of each is in accordance with their nature, O Arjuna. People consist of their faith; as a person's faith is, so are they.

The faith of every person conforms to his inherent nature or natural temperament. Man is imbued with faith. The term Svabhava is the last verse and the word Sattva in the present one are synonymous.A mans character may…

The sattvic, or pure, men worship the gods; the rajasic, or passionate, worship the yakshas and rakshasas; the others, the tamasic or deluded people, worship ghosts and hosts of nature-spirits.

Lord Krishna, after defining faith, tells Arjuna how this faith determines the object of worship. The nature of the faith (whether it is Sattvic, Rajasic or Tamasic) has to be inferred from its characteristic effects,…

Those men who practice terrific austerities not prescribed by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, driven by the force of lust and attachment.

There are some who think that the mortification of the body is the proper means to attain the goal of life. They do this in order to attract the people and get money for the gratification of their senses. They stand on…

Know thou these to be of demonical resolves, senselessly torturing all the elements in the body and Me who dwell in the body.

Bhutagramam The aggregate of all the elements composing the body.Elements Organs.Mam Me Vaasudeva, the witness of their thoughts and deeds.He who thus tortures Me disregards My teachings entirely.Achetasah Senseless,…

The food that is dear to each is threefold, as well as sacrifice, austerity, and almsgiving. Hear the distinction of these.

Each Every being that eats.Imam This That which is going to be described.Tesham Their Of food, etc.According to the Gunas, a mans taste for a particular food is determined. There are three kinds of food that a man can…

The foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness (good appetite), which are savory, oily, substantial, and agreeable, are dear to the Sattvic (pure) people.

Pure food increases the vitality and strength of those who eat it. It augments the energy of the mind also.Sattva Cheerfulness purity inner, moral and spiritual strength and courage that keep the mind steady even in…

The foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning are liked by the Rajasic and are productive of pain, grief, and disease.

Excessively This qualification should be taken to apply to each of the seven alities -- thus, excessively saline, and so on.Food of a passionate nature produces restlessness in the mind, evil thoughts, excitement,…

That which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, rejected, and impure is the food liked by the Tamasic.

Cannabis indica (Ganja), Bhang, opium, cocaine, Charas, Chandoo, all stale and putrid articles, are Tamasic.Yatayamam Stale, literally means cooked three hours ago. Yatayamam and Gatarasam mean the same thing.Paryushitam…

That sacrifice which is offered by men without desire for reward, as enjoined by the ordinance (scripture), with a firm faith that doing so is their duty, is Sattvic or pure.

The sacrifice that is offered, O Arjuna, seeking a reward and for show, know that to be a Rajasic Yajna.

If anyone performs a sacrifice in order to obtain, heaven, son, wealth, or name and fame, then it is a sacrifice of a Rajasic nature. The performer of this kind of sacrifice has the motive of increasing his own…

They declare that sacrifice to be Tamasic which is contrary to the ordinances of the scriptures, in which no food is distributed, and which is devoid of mantras, gifts, and faith.

A sacrifice performed by a Tamasic man is never guided by any consideration for the prescribed rites or incantation. You will find every irregularity in this sacrifice. No food is distributed. No fees which are…

Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers, and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-injury are all called the austerities of the body.

Tapas Austerity or selfdiscipline.Using the feet in pilgrimage to the sacred temples using the hands in cleaning the temples, in collecting the materials of worship of God, and in performing worship prostrations to the…

Speech that causes no excitement, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial; the practice of studying the Vedas is called austerity of speech.

The words of the man who practises the austerity of speech cannot cause pain to others. His words will bring cheer and solace to others. His words prove beneficial to all. The organ of speech causes great distraction of…

Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, self-control, and purity of nature—this is called mental austerity.

Just as a lake which is without a ripple on it surface is very tranil, so also the mind which is free from modifications, from wandering thoughts of sensual objects, is ite serene and calm.Saumyatvam Intent on the…

This threefold austerity, practiced by steadfast men, with the utmost faith, desiring no reward, is called Sattvic.

Trividham Threefold -- physical, vocal and mental.Yuktaih Steadfast Balanced in mind, unaffected in success and failure.Sraddhaya With faith With belief in the existence of God, in the words of the preceptor, in the…

The austerity that is practiced with the aim of gaining good reception, honor, and worship, and with hypocrisy, is said to be Rajasic, unstable, and transient.

Penance that is performed with no sincere belief, for mere show, with a view to increase selfimportance, in order that the world may pay respect to the performer and place him in the seat of honour, and that everyone may…

That austerity which is practised out of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the purpose of destroying another, is declared to be of the Tamasic nature.

Some burn sulphur in a pot and place it on their head. Some thrust hooks of iron into their flesh. Some hang themselves with their head downwards over fire and swallow smoke. Some stand in cold water immersed up to the…

That gift which is given to one who does nothing in return, knowing it to be a duty to give in a suitable place and time to a worthy person, is held to be Sattvic.

The gift should be given to one who cannot return the good or to one from whom no such return is expected.It is necessary to be in Kurukshetra or Varanasi or any part of the world that is eally sacred when one offes…

And, that gift which is given with the intention of receiving something in return, or expecting a reward, or begrudgingly, is considered to be Rajasic.

Charity or gift that is given in the hope that it will be returned in the future and praised in public or that the gift will bring some unseen reward or heavenly pleasure is passionate. If a man makes a gift to a…

The gift that is given in the wrong place and at the wrong time, to unworthy persons, without respect or with insult, is declared to be of a Tamasic nature.

Adesakale At a wrong place and time At a place which is not holy, where irreligious people congregate and where beggars assemble, where wealth acired through illegal means such as gambling, theft, etc., is distributed to…

"Om Tat Sat": This has been declared to be the triple designation of Brahman. By that, the Brahmanas, the Vedas, and the sacrifices were created formerly.

Om Tat Sat is the root of the entire universe. Om is the Akshara Brahman. Tat means Thath, the indefinable. Sat means Reality.Para Brahman, that Supreme Being, the abiding place of all that lives and moves, is beyond…

Therefore, with the utterance of "Om," the acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity, as enjoined in the scriptures, are always begun by the students of Brahman.

Those who are knowers of the scriptures have a vivid impression of Om in their minds by means of meditation and then they will utter the Pranava with the proper attitude and feeling. Then meditating on Om and uttering…

Uttering "Tat," without aiming for the fruits, are the acts of sacrifice, austerity, and the various acts of gifts performed by those seeking liberation.

With Tat With the utterance of the word Tat (That).Phalam Fruit of sacrifice, austerity and charity.Danakriyah Acts of charity such as gifts of land, gold, rice, clothes, etc.The immortal Soul which transcends the whole…

The word "Sat" is used to refer to reality and goodness; likewise, O Arjuna, the word "Sat" is used to refer to an auspicious act.

Satbhava That which is unchanging amidst the changing, that which is permanent amidst the impermanent, that which exists in the past, present and future is Sat the reality behind the everchanging names and forms is Sat…

Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and gift is also called 'Sat', and action in connection with these, or for the sake of the Supreme, is also called 'Sat'.

If you perform sacrifice, austerity, gift and all actions in a spirit of total surrender to the Lord or the Eternal Being with purity and sincerity of heart, you will attain the highest goal of life or immortality,…

Whatever is sacrificed, given, or performed, and whatever austerity is practiced without faith, it is called 'Asat', O Arjuna; it is of no value here or hereafter (after death).

Asat That which changes form and has no permanent existence. It does not mean nonexistence as such.Acts of sacrifice, austerity and gift that are performed without faith, under pressure, or to prevent some sort of…