|
CHAPTER
17:
THE YOGA OF THE THREEFOLD DIVISION OF FAITH
|
About the
nature of each type of food intake, austerity and sacrifice.
(1) Arjuna said:
'Those who give up on the regulations of the scriptures, but do worship
having full faith - is their faith, o Krishna, in goodness, passion or
in ignorance?'
(2) The Supreme
Lord said: 'The faith of the embodied souls takes three forms according
each his love and experience: to goodness, to passion and to ignorance;
so thus hear about this from Me. (3) Faith evolves according to everyone's
nature, o son of Bharata; the person ìs the full of this faith
and is, with such a faith endowed, thus certain of himself. (4) Those of goodness are in respect with the
godly, in the mode of passion one deals with the demoniac, while people
in ignorance are in respect with the spirits of the dead and with
ghosts. (5-6)
Those persons who undergo severe austerities not prescribed in the
scriptures and who proudly identified with the body are engaged in
tormenting the organs of their bodies in a desire of and attachment to
their own prowess, are mistaken about Me; consider those who
persistently deal that way with themselves as being of an obscure
resolve.
(7) Also the food
intake one cherishes is assuredly of three kinds; just like with
sacrifice, austerity and charity; hear now about how they differ from
one another. (8)
Food preferred by the ones in goodness increases the duration of life,
purifies ones being, gives strength, health, happiness and satisfaction
and is juicy, rich, wholesome and a pleasure to the heart. (9) Bitter, sour, salty, very hot, smelly, dried
out and burnt is the food of those in the mode of passion; it makes
unhappy, miserable and causes disease. (10) That which is spoiled, lacks taste, smells
bad, is decomposed, a left over from a previous meal and has impurities
in it, is food dear to the ignorant.
(11) Sacrifice
that is performed according the scripture by those who are free from
profit motives and is thus surely of an absorbed mind is of goodness. (12) But that what is done in desire for the
result and out of pride, o chief of the Bhâratas, know that
sacrifice as being of the mode of passion. (13) Devoid of the principles, with no offerings
of food, in disrespect of mantras, without gifts and with lacking faith
is sacrifice to be considered as of ignorance.
(14) In deeds
austerity is said to be of respect for the divinity, the twice-born,
the
spiritual teacher and the wise in cleanliness, sincerity, celibacy and
nonviolence. (15)
To the voice for
sure austerity is said to
be of truthful, pleasing and
beneficial, inoffensive words that are of Vedic study and practice. (16) To ones thinking this austerity then is said
to be of a considerate
mind of good faith, gravity, selfcontrol and selfcorrection. (17)
That threefold austerity executed by men with faith in the
transcendental without longing for the fruit is said to be of goodness.
(18)
Austerity performed in this world for the sake of respect, honor,
veneration and indeed pride is said to be of passion; it is unstable
and temporary. (19)
Austerity foolishly performed with the intent to torture oneself or
with the purpose of destroying others is said to be in the mode of
darkness.
(20) Donations
given dutifully, irrespective the return, at the proper time and place
and to suitable persons - that giving is considered to be of goodness. (21) But that which again is given desiring a
return of some result or with resentment; that giving is understood to
be of the mode of passion. (22)
That charity which is given at the wrong place, the wrong time and to
unworthy persons and as well is given without respect and proper
attention - that is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
(23) With Om
Tat
Sat is to that the threefold of the spiritual indicated which the
brahmins till now used for as well sacrifices as the Vedic literature. (24) Therewith does Om indicate the
beginning of
the sacrifices of the transcendentalists of charity and penance
according the scriptural regulations. (25) Next is Tat, to the ones desiring
liberation, used when one is not after the results of sacrifice with
the various activities of charity and penance. (26-27) To the nature of the Supreme and its
devotion is following the resounding of the word Sat used in
the agreed
upon activities, o son of Prithâ. In the case of sacrifice,
penance and charity is Sat thus also for sure uttered to
indicate the
activities meant and the Absolute of the truth.
(28) That which is
offered, given and performed with penance without faith in all this is
said to be false, o son of Prithâ, and that is nor useful here
nor in the hereafter.
Spoken by Anand Aadhar Prabhu
to the text offered below