The Yoga of Three Faiths

अर्जुन उवाच। ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः। तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः॥

Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is the condition of those who, setting aside scriptural injunctions, worship with faith? Is it sattva, rajas, or tamas?

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

The Supreme Lord said: The faith of embodied beings is of three kinds, born of their nature — sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Hear about this.

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

The faith of each person accords with his nature, O Bharata. A person is made of faith — as is one's faith, so is one.

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः। प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः॥

Sattvic people worship the gods; rajasic ones worship demigods and demons; others, the tamasic, worship ghosts and spirits.

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः। दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः॥

Those who perform severe austerities not enjoined by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egotism, impelled by desire and attachment...

कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः। मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्॥

...torturing the elements in the body and also Me dwelling within — know them to be of demoniac resolve.

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

Even the food that is dear to each is of three kinds. Likewise are sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Hear now the distinction between them.

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः। रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः॥

Foods that promote life, virtue, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction, that are juicy, oily, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart — these are dear to the sattvic.

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः। आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः॥

Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry, and burning — these are dear to the rajasic and cause pain, grief, and disease.

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

Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, leftover, and impure — such food is dear to the tamasic.

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदिष्टो य इज्यते। यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः॥

That sacrifice which is offered according to scriptural injunctions, by those not desiring fruit, with the mind focused on the idea that it is one's duty to sacrifice — that is sattvic.

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

But that sacrifice which is offered with expectation of reward or for the sake of show, O best of the Bharatas — know it to be rajasic.

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्। श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते॥

Sacrifice performed without regard to scriptural injunctions, without distribution of food, without mantras, without gifts to priests, and without faith — that is declared to be tamasic.

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्। ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते॥

Worship of the gods, the twice-born, teachers, and the wise; purity, uprightness, celibacy, and non-violence — this is called austerity of the body.

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

Speech that causes no distress, that is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, as well as regular recitation of scriptures — this is called austerity of speech.