Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 17 - Shraddhaa Traya Vibhhaaga Yogah - Yoga of the Division of the Threefold Faith

 

 

CONTENTS

• PREAMBLE
• THREE KINDS OF FAITH
• THREE KINDS OF FOOD
• THREE KINDS OF SACRIFICE
• THREE KINDS OF PENANCE
• THREE KINDS OF CHARITY
• THE MYSTICAL UTTERANCE, OM TAT  SAT, PURIFIES ALL ACTIONS
• CONCEPTS AND ISSUES
• LIVE AS THE GITA TEACHES YOU TO LIVE
• POINTS TO PONDER

Preamble

At  the end of the previous Chapter it was stated that he who discards the scriptural  injunctions and acts according to the promptings of his desires cannot attain  the highest knowledge. Arjuna had a doubt about the fate of those who worship  with faith but who do not know the scriptures or are indifferent to their  rules. For an average man it is difficult to be proficient in the knowledge of  scriptural codes to guide his living although he has sufficient faith or Shraddhaa  to lead a nobler way of life as enunciated in the scriptures.

Hence  this Chapter deals with the questions whether it is sufficient if one lives  with faith for a life of good conduct or is it necessary that he must know the  scriptures in order that his faith will be subservient to the injunctions laid  down in the scriptures. In short, the question raised by Arjuna is whether even  without the knowledge of the Sastras, blind faith alone can take the seeker  far.

Shraddhaa  is that powerful force from within propelled by which all the faculties of a  person act in their respective fields. It gives direction to a man's  determination and endows him with character.

Instead  of giving a direct clarification to Arjuna’s doubts, Sri Krishna gives an  analysis of the concept of `faith' as obtained in the various fields of man's endeavors  viz. 

•his physical indulgence (Ahara) 
•his dedicated activities (Yagna) 
•his self-denial (Tapas) 
•his charity (Dana)

He  explains that faith is of three different types depending upon the nature of  temperaments (Gunas) which an individual entertains in him. He concludes that  the actions of those who are devoid of faith are as good as not done.

Since  three types of faith have been expounded in this chapter it is called “Yoga of the Division of the Threefold Faith”.

arjuna uvaacha
    ye shaastravidhimutsrijya yajante shraddhaayaanvitaah
    tesham nishthaa tu kaa krishna sattvamaaho rajas  tamah // 17.1 //

Arjuna  said
    O  Krishna, what is the condition of those who, neglecting the ordinances of the  scriptures, perform sacrifices with faith? Is it that of Sattva, Rajas, or Tamas?

Neglecting  the ordinances of the scriptures: To an ordinary man who is ever full of  anxieties and confusions of daily activities, planning his life as directed in  the scriptures is somewhat difficult. But a sincere seeker may have a faith in  the higher way of life and devotion to ideals preached in the scriptures.

Perform  sacrifice with faith: The word sacrifice includes all selfless activities  undertaken by an individual for the general welfare of the society.

What  Arjuna wants to know is whether these selfless activities undertaken with  detachment and faith by those who do not willfully defy the rules of scriptures  but are ignorant of them, come under the category of unactivity (Sattva) or of  activity (Rajas) or of inactivity (Tamas).

The  answer given by The Lord is an exhaustive analysis of the three types of faith  involved in all human endeavors.

THREE KINDS OF FAITH

sri bhagavaan uvaacha
    trividhaa bhavati shraddhaaa dehinaam saa  swabhaavajaa
    saatvikee raajasee chaiva taamasee cheti taam  shrinu // 17.2 //

Sri  Bhagavan said
    Threefold  is the faith of the embodied, which is inherent in their nature - the Sattvic,  the Rajasic and the Tamasic. Hear now about it.
 

Faith inherent in nature: The nature of man  consists of his latent tendencies created by his actions, good or bad, in his  previous lives. The faith of each man takes the shape, color, and quality given  to it by his nature, svabhava, the stuff of his being, his innate  substance. Man acts according to his nature; he cannot easily change it. One  can transform a worldly nature into a spiritual nature only with the help of  insight gained through the study of the scriptures with an indomitable  determination. This faith is of three types viz.,the Sattvic, the  Rajasic and the Tamasic.

sattvaanuroopaa sarvasya shraddhaaa bhavati  bhaarata
    shraddhaaamayo'yam purusho yo yacchraddhah sa eva  sah // 17.3 //

The  faith of every individual is in accordance with his nature, O Bharata. Man is  the nature of his faith; as a man's faith is, so is he.

The  Lord says that faith is of three kinds viz. Sattva - the divine, the good,  Rajas - the undivine, the passionate and Tamas - the diabolic, the dull. Faith  is not acceptance of a belief. It is striving after self- realization by  concentrating the powers of the mind on a given ideal. It governs our view of  life which in turn conditions our desires, thoughts and actions. It is the  pressure of the Spirit on humanity. It is the force that urges humanity towards  what is better, not only in the order of knowledge but in the whole order of  spiritual life.

The  goals which religions offer prove effective according to one's faith in them.  Hence an individual's physical activities, psychological behavior and  intellectual maturity are controlled by the kind of faith entertained by him.  If one's faith is of wrong type the expressions of his personality would also  be erroneous.

The  word ‘shraddhaaa’  usually translated as ‘faith’ is not a mechanical belief or acceptance of the  words of a holy man or a book. It is an affirmative and reverent attitude  toward supersensuous truths. Through faith a man is intuitively convinced of  the existence of the Reality underlying the universe and his capacity for  realizing that Reality. It is not imposed from outside, but is produced by the  tendencies that are the results of his past actions. The intensity of this  faith accounts for the passion he pursues an undertaking. This faith is a man’s  appeal to himself or to something present and compelling in him or in universal  reality for his way to fullness and perfection.

So a man is made of his  faith; he is that faith and that faith is he. The truth he sees is determined  for him by his faith. If a man’s innate tendencies are characterized by sattva,  then his faith will direct him to the pursuit of knowledge and happiness. If  they are characterized by rajas, then his faith will direct him to the pursuit  of action ending in pain and suffering. If it is characterized by tamas, then  his faith will lead him to ignorance and delusion. 

yajante saatwikaa devaanyaksharakshaamsi raajasaah
    pretaan bhootaganaamshchaanye yajante taamasaa  janaah // 17.4 //

The  Sattvic or pure men worship the gods; the Rajasic or the passionate worship the  Yakshas and the Rakshasas; the others (the Tamasic or the deluded) worship the  ghosts and the hosts of nature-spirits.

Worship  means offering one's devotion at some altar or the other and seeking a  fulfillment from the benefit accrued from his invocations.

Men  of Sattvic temperament, because of their serene composure and tranquil  disposition seek their fulfillment at an altar of Divinity indicating their  impulses.

Rajasic  people who are men of action and ambition worship the demi-gods.

The  Tamasic people worship the dead spirits to satisfy their lower urges.

Thus  the choice of an altar depends upon the quality of urges or the kind of Shraddhaa  in a devotee and this Shraddhaa is the effect of his own Guna or temperament  predominating in him.

ashaastravihitam ghoram tapyante ye tapo janaah
    dambhaahamkaarasamyuktaah kaama raaga balaanvitaah  // 17.5 //

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

karshayantah shareerastham bhootagraamamachetasah
    maam chaivaantahshareerastham  taanviddhyaasuranishchayaan// 17.6 //

Senseless,  torturing all the elements in the body and Me also, who dwell in the body, you  know these to be of demoniacal resolves.

The  wrong way of worshipping at an altar is described here. No spiritual  enlightenment can be expected in wasting one's energy in wrong channels in the  name of religion. Sri Krishna says that physical persecution of one's own body  and self-denial would not constitute an austerity following which one would  expect spiritual unfoldment and inner personality development. Some people  undertake severe austerities merely as a show out of egoism and hypocrisy with  a view to satisfy their lustful desires and attachment to worldly objects.

Even  if such people gain anything out of such austerities they will only misuse  their new found strength for wrongful purposes and ultimately destroy  themselves. These people belong to Asuric type. Such unintelligent practices  oppress the bodily elements and also the Self or the Divine Lord within.  Intelligent control is Tapas but not cruel self-torture.

THREE KINDS OF FOOD

aahaarastwapi sarvasya trividho bhavati priyah
    yajnastapastathaa daanam teshaam bhedamimam shrinu  // 17.7 //

The  food also which is dear to each is threefold, as also sacrifice, austerity and  alms giving. You hear the distinction of these.

The  temperamental influences which govern the mind, thought and actions of a man  are enumerated here. The Lord analyses one's inward nature and consequent outward  expressions when one is under the influence of any one particular Guna.

The  choice of food, friends, and types of emotions entertained and the view of life  in general are all indicative of the type to which the seeker belongs. In the  choice of one's food, in the type of sacrifices one will make, in the kind of  Tapas one will indulge and in the quality of charity one will make, any one of  the three types of faith can be discernible.

aayuh sattvabalaarogya sukha preeti vivardhanaah
    rasyaah snigdhaah sthiraa hridyaa aahaarah  saatwikapriyaah // 17.8 //

The  foods which promote life, purity, strength, health, joy and cheerfulness, which  are sweet, soft, nourishing and agreeable are dear to the Sattvic people.

  Sattvic  persons like the food which increases vitality, supplies energy, enhances  strength to resist temptations from the sense objects, provides health, augments  joy and inward cheerfulness.

katvamla lavanaatyushna teekshna rooksha vidaahinah
    aahaaraah raajasasyeshtaa duhkhashokaamayapradaah  // 17.9 //

The  foods that are bitter, sour, saltish, excessively hot, dry, pungent and burning  producing pain, grief and disease are liked by the Rajasic.

Rajasic  men to fulfill their uncontrolled passions desire food that has strong  qualities like bitterness, sourness, hot, pungent etc. Although such food  produces good amount of energy ultimately it leads to a life full of pain,  grief and disease.

yaatayaamam gatarasam pooti paryushitam cha yat
    ucchishtamapi chaamedhyam bhojanam taamasapriyam //  17.10 //

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

The  kind of diet we take has its influence on our power of self control.

THREE KINDS OF SACRIFICE

aphalaakaangkhibhir yajno vidhidrishto ya ijyate
    yashtavyameveti manah samaadhaaya sa saatwikah // 17.11  //

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

“The  Yajna of the Gita is not the same as the ceremonial sacrifice of the Vedas. It  is sacrificial action without expectation of any reward by which man dedicates  his wealth and deeds to the service of the One Life in all. People with such a  sacrificial spirit will accept even death gladly, though unjustly meted out to  them so that the world may grow through their sacrifice. Good people maintain  the world through their suffering and sacrifice”.

abhisandhaaya  tu phalam dambhaarthamapi chaiva yat
    ijyate  bharatashreshtha tam yajnam viddhi raajasam // 17.12 //

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

In  order to get some chosen result some people perform actions, while some others  do so merely for show and to satisfy their vanity. These acts do not constitute  Divine act nor can they bring about inward cheer or peace. Such sacrifices are  termed Rajasika.

vidhiheenam asrishtaannam mantraheenam adakshinam
    shraddhaaavirahitam yajnam taamasam parichakshate  // 17.13 //

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

Disregarding  all the requirements laid down in the scriptures, acting against all Vedic  injunctions i.e. acts which are against all the principles of right living  belong to the lowest type. These actions in which food is not distributed i.e.  where no sharing of wealth with others takes place, where rituals are conducted  without Mantras and without Dakshina or distribution of reward are all Tamasika.

The  distribution of food and the payment of the fee are symbolic of help to others  without which all work is self-centered.
 

 

THREE KINDS OF PENANCE

devadwijagurupraajna poojanam shauchamarjavam
    brahmacharyamahimsaa cha shaareeram tapa uchyate //  17.14 //

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

anudwegakaram vaakyam satyam priyahitam cha yat
    swaadhyaayaabhyaasanam chaiva vaangmayam tapa  uchyate // 17.15 //

Speech  which gives no offence, which is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, the  practice of the study of the Vedas is called austerity of speech.

manahprasaadah saumyatwam maunamaaatmavinigrahah
    bhaavasamshuddhirityetat tapo maanasamuchyate // 17.16  //

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

These  three verses explain what Tapas really means and classify Tapas pursued by  different types of people.

Devotion  and reverence to the ideals represented in the Deva, the Deity, lived by the  Twice-Born, Brahmanas and preached by the Gurus and recommended by the wise is  an act of worship. Such acts of worship, external and inward purity,  straightforwardness in the dealings with others, control of the mind from sense  enjoyments in order to concentrate on the Supreme Brahman and avoiding all acts  of injuring others are all called austerities of the body or bodily asceticism.

Here  Tapas or austerity means not merely a life of self-denial but an intelligent  method of living in the right relationship with the world of objects thereby  avoiding wastage of energies and utilizing such energy in creative fields of  spiritual enquiry.

Speech  or the spoken words which cause no disturbances in others, which are true, sincere,  agreeable and beneficial to others, careful study and reflection over the  scriptures are all called austerity in speech. This implies the investing of  the energies of speech in the study and reflection of the teachings of the  scriptures.

The  five noble values of life mentioned in verse 16 constitute austerity of the  mind. They are:

•Serenity of mind  - this is the result of one's healthy relationship with the world outside 

•Kindness or good heartedness - a feeling of warmth towards all 

•Silence - this is not only non-speaking but an inward noiseless calm wherein no passions and desires are generated 

•Self control - controlling of lower nature within us 

•Purity of nature or honesty of motive - the motivating factor for any action should be noble and divine.

These  three verses depict the picture of what are true Tapas. Tapas pursued by people  of different Gunas give different results. In the following verses the  different kinds of Tapas based on the different Gunas of the Tapaswins are  discussed.

shraddhaayaa parayaa taptam tapastattrividham  naraih
    aphalaakaangkshibhiryuktaih saattwikam  parichakshate // 17.17 //

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

satkaaramaanapoojaartham tapo dambhena chaiva yat
    kriyate tadiha proktam raajasam chalamadhruvam // 17.18  //

The  austerity which is practiced with the object of gaining respect, honor and  reverence and with hypocrisy is said to be Rajasic, unstable and transitory.

moodhagraahenaatmano yat peedayaa kriyate tapah
    parasyotsaadanaartham vaa tattaamasamudaahritam // 17.19  //

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

These  three types of austerities viz. of body, speech, and mind if practiced by men  of harmonious nature with no attachment for their rewards and with utmost faith  and sincerity are called Sattvic type. If these austerities are practiced with  a view to gain respect, honor and reverence and with vanity and ostentation  they are called Rajasic. Sri Krishna says that such a kind of Tapas is unstable  and transitory which will only result in unproductive and painful self denials.  Tapas undertaken with a foolish obstinacy involving self torture and not  knowing its aim and indulging in destroying others is of the lowest kind. These  misconceived, wrongly practiced austerities undertaken by anyone for bringing  about sorrow and discomfort to others and to himself is considered as Tamasic.

THREE KINDS OF CHARITY

daatavyamiti yad daanam deeyateanupakaarine
    deshe kaale cha paatre cha tad daanam saatwikam  smritam // 17.20 //

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

yattu pratyupakaaraartham phalamuddishya vaa punah
    deeyate cha pariklishtam taddaanam raajasam smritam  // 17.21 //

And  that gift which is made with a view to receiving something in return or looking  for a reward or given reluctantly is said to be Rajasic.

adeshakaale yaddaanam apaatrebhyashcha deeyate
    asatkritamavajnaatam tattaamasamudaahritam // 17.22  //

The  gift which is given at the wrong place and time to unworthy persons, without  respect or with insult, is declared to be Tamasic.

Now  three kinds of charity are discussed. That gift which is given to some one out  of conviction that it is an act that has to be done is the right kind of  charity. Even if the recipient of the charity does no service in return, the giver  of charity does not to make any discrimination among the recipients. The gift  is to be made with a right faith, to the worthy person, in the right time and  in the right place. Charity must come from within and out of one's heart. This  is of Sattvic type.

That  gift which is given with the hope of getting some benefit in return or looking  forward to some reward or given with reluctance is Rajasic type.

Gifts  which are made at the wrong place and time to an unworthy person with contempt  and with no respect are said to be of Tamasic type.

THE MYSTICAL UTTERANCE, OM TAT  SAT, PURIFIES ALL ACTIONS

om tat sat
   iti nirdesho brahmanas trividhah smritah
        braahmanaastena vedaashcha yajnaashcha vihitaah puraa  // 17.23 //

`OM TAT SAT' - this is considered to be the threefold  symbol of Brahman. By this were ordained of old the Brahmanas, the Vedas and  the sacrifices.

Om  Tat Sat is a sentence of three words, each denoting one of the aspects of the  Reality. 

•`OM' represents the Transcendental and the Pure Self, Absolute and Unborn which is the substratum upon which the projections of the body, mind and intellect are maintained. 

•`Tat' indicates the Eternal Goal, the Changeless and the Ever-Perfect, that from which everything has come, in which everything exists and into which everything merges back in the end. 

•`Sat' means existence, the principle functioning through all things.

Invoking  this sentence purifies all our activities and motives behind them. When invoked  in ritualism it removes all defects in the worship, it being the name for  Brahman.

The  Eternal Reality indicated in the triple nomenclature of Brahman `Om Tat Sat' is  the source from which all castes, the Vedas and Sacrifices commenced. All super  impositions arise from, exist on and disappear into that which is their own  substratum, the Brahman.

tasmaadomityudaahritya yajnadaanatapahkriyaah
    pravartante vidhaanoktaah satatam brahmavaadinaam  // 17.24 //

Therefore,  with the utterance of OM the acts of gift,  sacrifice and austerity enjoined in the scriptures are always begun by the  expounders of Brahman.

tadityanabhisandhaaya phalam yajnatapah kriyaah
    daanakriyaashcha vividhaah kriyante  mokshakaangkshibhih // 17.25 //

And  with the utterance of the word `Tat' the acts of sacrifice and austerity and  the various acts of giving are performed by the seekers of salvation without  aiming at any reward.

sadbhaave saadhubhaave cha sadityetatprayujyate
    prashaste karmani tathaa sacchabdah paartha yujyate  // 17.26 //

The  word `Sat' is used in the sense of Reality and of goodness and so also, O Partha,  it is used in the sense of an auspicious act.

The  context in which the terms - Om, Tat, and Sat  - have to be used is explained here. Sri Krishna says that when the acts of  sacrifice, gift and austerity are undertaken by the seekers the term OM is to be uttered to cherish in the mind the divine  awareness of the supremacy of the Infinite. This adds purpose and meaning to  all our acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity by freeing the mind from the  egocentric attachments.

Liberation means liberation of our personality from its physical, emotional and  intellectual attachments. Once liberated the human personality realizes the  Divinity in itself. One who endeavors to liberate himself must perform all his  activities in such a way that the causes that create the attachments -vasanas-  are completely eliminated.

To  work in the field of Yagna or Tapas or Dana by understanding the meaning of the  term `Tat' i.e. the universal oneness of the spiritual truth is to work with no  ego and consequent freedom from attachments. With the utterance of `Tat' alone  which indicates the universal truth of oneness of all living creatures all acts  of sacrifice, penance and gifts are undertaken by the seekers of liberation  without expecting any reward. The word `Sat' means both reality and goodness.  It is also used for all praiseworthy actions.

In  our daily contact with the world of objects we more often believe that this  world, as physically observed, is the reality although it is only relatively  real in comparison to the unchanging substratum, the `Sat', the Absolute  Reality.

yajne  tapasi daane cha sthitih saditi chochyate
    karma  chaiva tadartheeyam sadityevaabhidheeyate // 17.27 //

Steadfastness  in sacrifice, austerity and gift, is also called `Sat' and so also any action  for such purposes is called `Sat'.

The  term `Sat' is used to indicate man's faith and devotion in sacrifice, austerity  and gift. It indicates steadfastness in Yagna, Tapas and Dana. If these  activities are undertaken with faith and sincerity with the chanting of OM - the Supreme, TAT - the Universal and SAT - the Real  (the Infinite Brahman), the seeker's mind gives up all its selfishness,  arrogance and ego. The principle behind this advice is that actions will create  reactions depending upon the motive and attitude of the performer while  undertaking such actions.

ashraddhaayaa hutam dattam tapastaptam kritam cha  yat
    asadityuchyate paartha na cha tatpretya no iha // 17.28  //

Whatever  offering or gift is made, whatever sacrifice is performed, whatever rite is  observed, without faith, it is called `Asat' O Partha; it is of no account here  or hereafter.

Sri  Krishna in this concluding verse of this Chapter emphasizes that faith is man  and even if anyone performs most glorious acts without faith they are of no use  either here or hereafter. Actions create effects depending on the faith behind  the actions. The Lord states that whatever sacrifice is made, whatever penance  is performed or whatever charity is given it is called `Asat' if they are  undertaken without faith; they are mere barren actions. Such faithless actions  will produce no results.

The  Lord thus indicates that the spirit of faith is unavoidable and that without  faith no progress or evolution can ever take place. This is true in this life  and the life after death. Both in the secular activities as well as in the  sacred performances of the religion, the factor that determines the quality and  quantity of the result is our faith in our own goodness and in the field of  activity undertaken.

om tat sat

iti srimadbhagavadgeetaasu upanishatsu brahma vidyaayaam yogashaastre

   sri krishnaarjuna samvaade shraddhaaa traya vibhhaaga yogo naama saptadasho'dhyaayah||

Thus  in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the science of the Eternal,  the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the  seventeenth discourse entitled  The Yoga  of the Division of the Threefold Faith

Concepts and Issues

Arjuna  raises an interesting question whether the Shraddhaa (faith) of the people who  worship the various deities, but without following the injunctions of the  scriptures is Sattvic or Rajasic or Tamasic.

Sri  Krishna replies that such Shraddhaa can be anyone of the three types depending  upon the nature of such persons, their mental make-up. The Sattvic persons  worship Gods, the Rajasic worship the demi-gods and the Tamasic worship the  Bhutas and the lower Spirits.

Like  faith, food also is of three types; so also sacrifice, austerity and  charity.  Food conducive to health,  strength and purity of mind and is pleasant is Sattvic. Food that is bitter,  sour or saltish, pungent and which produces disease is Rajasic. Old and stale  food that has lost its taste and flavor, petrified, spoiled and impure is  Tamasic.

Sacrifice  done as a duty and according to the injunctions of the scriptures is Sattvic.  If it is done with show and pomp and for the fruits thereof, it is Rajasic. The  Tamasic one is bereft of all the prescribed rules is done without faith and  lacks in Mantras and Dakshina.

Tapas  or austerity is of three kinds: Sarira - pertaining to the body, Vangmaya -  pertaining to the speech and Manasa - pertaining to the mind. Worship of Gods,  Brahmanas and teachers as also observing purity and continence is Tapas of the  body. Truthful and inoffensive speech as also study of one's branch of the  Vedas is Tapas of the speech. Peace of mind, control of thoughts and speech and  a pleasant demeanor is Tapas of the mind.

When  this threefold Tapas is performed with faith and without desire for its  rewards, it is Sattvic. If it is done in an ostentatious manner for name and  fame it is Rajasic. If done without regard in one's capacity and for harming  others it is Tamasic.

Dana  or gifts given as a matter of duty to persons of the right type and in the  right manner belong to the Sattvic kind. If given with the desire for future  rewards and not very willingly, it becomes Rajasic. Gifts given in contempt to  unworthy persons, violating the rules are Tamasic.

The  Lord concludes that the three terms `OM TAT SAT' which form a threefold name for  Brahman, act like a magic formula if uttered during Yajna, Tapas and Dana and while  correcting the deficiencies therein, if any.

Live as the Gita Teaches You to Live

This  Chapter tells us that there are devotees who are ignorant of the scriptural injunctions and yet endowed with shraddhaa or faith. Their faith according to its nature may be characterized as belonging to sattva, rajas or tamas. These  devotees should cultivate pure sattva by avoiding food, worship, gift, and  austerity that are of nature of rajas and tamas. They should be devoted to  sattva alone. When their gift, worship or austerity is found to be defective,  it should be purified by uttering “OM TAT SAT”. This will purify the minds of  the devotees and gradually enable them to realize Brahman.

Points to Ponder  

•What is understood by the term ‘shraddhaa’ or faith? 
•How do the three Gunas influence men in the choice of their goal in life? 
•Explain the terms `Om Tat Sat' and their significance while uttering them. 
•Write short notes on :Yajna, Dana and Tapas

HARIH OM