Three Kinds of Faithश्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग

ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः।
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः॥

ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya yajante śraddhayā ‘nvitāḥ,
teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ.

Those who set aside the rules of scripture yet worship with faith, what is their standing, O Krishna? Is it sattva, rajas or tamas?

त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा।
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु॥

tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṁ sā sva-bhāva-jā,
sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṁ śṛṇu.

The faith of embodied beings is of three kinds, born of their own nature: sattvic, rajasic and tamasic. Hear about it now.

सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत।
श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः॥

sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata,
śraddhā-mayo ‘yaṁ puruṣo yo yac-chraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ.

The faith of each person matches their inner nature, O Bharata. A person is made of faith: whatever their faith is, that is what they are.

Live it todayWhat you truly believe in quietly shapes who you become.

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।
प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः॥

yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ,
pretān bhūta-gaṇāṁś cānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ.

Sattvic people worship the gods; rajasic people worship yakshas and rakshasas; and the others, the tamasic, worship departed spirits and hosts of ghosts.

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः।
दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः॥

aśāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ,
dambhāhaṅkāra-saṁyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ.

Some people practice fierce austerities that scripture does not prescribe. They are full of hypocrisy and ego, and driven by the force of desire and attachment.

कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः।
मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्॥

karṣayantaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ bhūta-grāmam acetasaḥ,
māṁ caivāntaḥ-śarīra-sthaṁ tān viddhy āsura-niścayān.

Without discernment, they torment the elements of the body, and me as well, who dwell within the body. Know them to be of demonic resolve.

Live it todayHarsh self-punishment is not devotion; the Divine lives in your body too.

आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः।
यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु॥

āhāras tv api sarvasya tri-vidho bhavati priyaḥ,
yajñas tapas tathā dānaṁ teṣāṁ bhedam imaṁ śṛṇu.

Even the food each person likes is of three kinds, and so are sacrifice, austerity and giving. Hear now how they differ.

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः।
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः॥

āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ,
rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ.

Foods that increase life, vitality, strength, health, happiness and contentment, that are flavorful, rich, sustaining and pleasing to the heart, are dear to the sattvic.

Live it todayChoose food that builds health, strength and a cheerful mind.

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः।
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः॥

kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣṇa-tīkṣṇa-rūkṣa-vidāhinaḥ,
āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkha-śokāmaya-pradāḥ.

Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry and burning are liked by the rajasic; they bring pain, grief and disease.

यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्।
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्॥

yāta-yāmaṁ gata-rasaṁ pūti paryuṣitaṁ ca yat,
ucchiṣṭam api cāmedhyaṁ bhojanaṁ tāmasa-priyam.

Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, kept overnight, left over by others and impure is dear to the tamasic.

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।
यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः॥

aphalākāṅkṣibhir yajño vidhi-dṛṣṭo ya ijyate,
yaṣṭavyam eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ.

Sacrifice offered as scripture directs, by those who seek no reward, with the mind settled in the thought that it simply ought to be done, is sattvic.

Live it todayDo the right thing because it is right, not for what it brings.

अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्।
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्॥

abhisaṁdhāya tu phalaṁ dambhārtham api caiva yat,
ijyate bharata-śreṣṭha taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam.

But sacrifice offered with an eye on its reward, or for the sake of show, know that to be rajasic, O best of the Bharatas.

Live it todayNotice when a good deed is really about being seen.

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्।
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते॥

vidhi-hīnam asṛṣṭānnaṁ mantra-hīnam adakṣiṇam,
śraddhā-virahitaṁ yajñaṁ tāmasaṁ paricakṣate.

Sacrifice without scriptural direction, in which no food is shared, no mantras are chanted, no dakshina is given and there is no faith, is called tamasic.

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते॥

deva-dvija-guru-prājña-pūjanaṁ śaucam ārjavam,
brahmacaryam ahiṁsā ca śārīraṁ tapa ucyate.

Honoring the gods, the twice-born, teachers and the wise, along with purity, straightforwardness, chastity and non-violence: this is called austerity of the body.

Live it todayAusterity of the body is simply clean, honest, gentle living.

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते॥

anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat,
svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate.

Words that cause no distress, that are true, kind and helpful, along with the regular practice of studying scripture: this is called austerity of speech.

Live it todayBefore speaking, ask: is it true, is it kind, does it help?

मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते॥

manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ,
bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat tapo mānasam ucyate.

Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control and purity of intention: this is called austerity of the mind.

Live it todayKeep a few quiet minutes today; silence is a discipline of the mind.

श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः।
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते॥

śraddhayā parayā taptaṁ tapas tat tri-vidhaṁ naraiḥ,
aphalākāṅkṣibhir yuktaiḥ sāttvikaṁ paricakṣate.

This threefold austerity, practiced with the highest faith by steadfast people who seek no reward, is called sattvic.

Live it todayPractice with faith, not for a reward, and the practice itself becomes pure.

सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्॥

sat-kāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ tapo dambhena caiva yat,
kriyate tad iha proktaṁ rājasaṁ calam adhruvam.

Austerity performed with show, to win respect, honor and reverence, is called rajasic here; it is unsteady and does not last.

Live it todayDiscipline kept for praise fades as soon as the praise does.

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥

mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ,
parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā tat tāmasam udāhṛtam.

Austerity performed out of foolish stubbornness, by tormenting oneself, or in order to harm another, is declared tamasic.

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्॥

dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ dīyate ‘nupakāriṇe,
deśe kāle ca pātre ca tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam.

Charity given because it ought to be given, to one who can make no return, in the right place, at the right time, to a worthy person, is sattvic.

Live it todayThe purest giving expects nothing back, not even thanks.

यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्॥

yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ phalam uddiśya vā punaḥ,
dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam.

But a gift given to get something back, or with an eye on some reward, or given grudgingly, is held to be rajasic.

Live it todayIf you give, give gladly; a grudging gift loses its grace.

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥

adeśa-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaś ca dīyate,
asat-kṛtam avajñātaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛtam.

A gift given at the wrong place and time, to unworthy recipients, without respect or with contempt, is declared tamasic.

Live it todayWhatever you give, give with respect; contempt spoils the gift.

ॐ तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः।
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा॥

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

Om Tat Sat: this is held to be the threefold name of Brahman. By it, in the beginning, the brahmins, the Vedas and the sacrifices were ordained.

तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः।
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्॥

tasmād om ity udāhṛtya yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ,
pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṁ brahma-vādinām.

Therefore those who expound the Vedas always begin their acts of sacrifice, giving and austerity, as scripture prescribes, by uttering Om.

Live it todayBegin each task with Om, and let the work become an offering.

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः।
दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः॥

tad ity anabhisandhāya phalaṁ yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ,
dāna-kriyāś ca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣa-kāṅkṣibhiḥ.

Uttering Tat, without aiming at any reward, those who seek liberation perform the many acts of sacrifice, austerity and giving.

Live it todayOffer the work, and let the reward go.

सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते।
प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते॥

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

The word Sat is used to mean what is real and what is good, O Partha. In the same way, Sat is used for any praiseworthy act.

यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते।
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते॥

yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ sad iti cocyate,
karma caiva tad-arthīyaṁ sad ity evābhidhīyate.

Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity and giving is also called Sat, and any action done for the sake of the Supreme is likewise called Sat.

Live it todayStaying steady in giving and discipline is itself something sacred.

अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्।
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह॥

aśraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ tapas taptaṁ kṛtaṁ ca yat,
asad ity ucyate pārtha na ca tat pretya no iha.

Without faith, whatever is offered, given or done, and whatever austerity is practiced, is called asat, O Partha. It is of no worth here or hereafter.

Live it todayWhatever you do today, put your faith into it, or it stays hollow.