The seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga. In this chapter, Krishna describes the three types of faith corresponding to the three modes of the material nature. Lord Krishna further reveals that it is the nature of faith that determines the quality of life and the character of living entities. Those who have faith in passion and ignorance perform actions that yield temporary, material results while those who have faith in goodness perform actions in accordance with scriptural instructions and hence their hearts get further purified.
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः |
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ||१७-१||
arjuna uvāca .
ye śāstravidhimutsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ .
teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvamāho rajastamaḥ ||17-1||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Arjuna said: Those who worship with faith but set aside the injunctions of scripture, O Krishna, what is their condition? Is it sattva, rajas, or tamas?
Those with sattvic quality worship the gods. Those with rajasic quality worship the yakshas and rakshasas. Others, with tamasic quality, worship ghosts and the host of spirits.
And who, lacking discernment, torment the aggregate of elements in their bodies, and torment me as well who reside within the body: know them to be of demonic resolve.
Foods that increase life, vitality, strength, health, happiness, and delight, and that are juicy, nourishing, substantial, and agreeable, are dear to those with sattvic quality.
aphalāṅkṣibhiryajño vidhidṛṣṭo ya ijyate .
yaṣṭavyameveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ ||17-11||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Sacrifice performed according to injunction, with no desire for reward, with the settled understanding that it must be done: that sacrifice is sattvic.
Sacrifice performed without regard to injunction, without distribution of food, without sacred chants, without offerings to priests, and without faith: that is declared tamasic.
anudvegakaraṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priyahitaṃ ca yat .
svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate ||17-15||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Speech that causes no distress, that is true, pleasant, and beneficial, and also the regular practice of scriptural recitation: this is called austerity of speech.
When this threefold austerity is undertaken with the highest faith by people who do not desire results and who are steady and disciplined, it is called sattvic.
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे |
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ||१७-२०||
dātavyamiti yaddānaṃ dīyate.anupakāriṇe .
deśe kāle ca pātre ca taddānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam ||17-20||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The gift that is given because it ought to be given, to one who will not repay it, at the right place and time and to a worthy person: that gift is held to be sattvic.
Om, Tat, Sat: this has been taught as the threefold designation of Brahman. By that, the Brahmanas, the Vedas, and the sacrifices were established long ago.
Therefore acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity as enjoined by scripture always begin with the utterance of Om by those who study and teach the Vedas.
With the utterance of Tat, acts of sacrifice and austerity and the various acts of charity are performed by those seeking liberation, without desire for reward.
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् |
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ||१७-२८||
aśraddhayā hutaṃ dattaṃ tapastaptaṃ kṛtaṃ ca yat .
asadityucyate pārtha na ca tatprepya no iha ||17-28||
Simple English
Primary Translation
O Arjuna, whatever is offered in sacrifice, whatever is given, whatever austerity is performed, and whatever is done without faith: it is called asat. It is of no benefit here or after death.