|
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 ones 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 is austerity 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 is austerity for sure said to be of
truthful, pleasing and beneficial, inoffensive words that
are of vedic study and practice. (16)
To ones thinking is this austerity then 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