SHRIMAD BHAGWAD GEETA CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Om Shri Parmatamne Namah


Chapter 17th

Arjun uvach:

ye shastravidimutsrjay yajante shardhyanvitah I

Tesham nishtha tu ka Krishan sattvamaho rajastammah II (1)


Arjun asks: What happens to those who don’t follow scriptural instructions but worship according their own beliefs? Are they in goodness, passion or ignorance?


In the last verse of sixteenth chapter Lord Krishna has instructed to follow regulations laid by the scriptures as to what is duty and what is not a duty, knowing these regulations one must act according to those regulations for one’s elevation to higher level.
Arjun asks the Lord as to what happens to the embodied souls who don’t follow regulations laid down in scriptures but worship according to their beliefs, whether their faith in goodness, passion, or ignorance mode.

Now a clear question has been raised to know as to what is the mode of faith of embodied souls who without following the rules prescribed in scriptures, go on meditating and worshipping according to their beliefs.

This is very important to know from the divinity incarnated the type faith of persons who worship without following the regulation of scriptures.

The attachment with the material nature is the cause of one’s embodiment.

So it is not possible to, physically detach with the mode of nature. One or other mode of nature always dominates the embodied souls at a particular moment whether one is meditating or eating or doing any activity what so ever.
Embodied souls can not remain without activity at any time. Even in sleep embodied soul sees dreams through this attachment with mind, intellect, senses, sense objects and body.
Lord Krishna is going to explain how even faith of embodied soul is effected by these modes
if some one calls a prisoner as prisoner that person will certainly retaliate but lord here is addressing us as embodied souls, which means caged in a body, imprisoned in body like a imprisoned criminal.

Still we don’t try to realize our true self.

What a shame for us.

There is a way.

We have to act as per dictates of our past attachments.
But that doing acts with complete surrender to lord can make soul emancipate. Because the ‘ego’ of doer ship is gone, all time free soul realizes its freedom.


Shri Bhagwan uvach:-

Trividha bhavati shradha dehina sa savbhavja I

Satvici, rajsi cheiv tamsi cheti tam shrurhu II

Satvaanurupa sarvasya shradha bhavati bharat I

Shardhmayoayam purusho yo yachchharatah sa ev sah II(2-3)

The Lord said:-
According to faith of embodied souls as per their materially acquired nature, is of three types: sattavic (Goodness mode of nature), rajas (Passion mode of nature) and tamsic (Ignorance mode of nature). Now hear about this.

O son of Bharat! One evolves certain kind of faith as per the modes of nature. A living entity is said to belong to a particular faith according to modes he has acquired.

Those who not knowing the regulations which are prescribed in scriptures and which lay down as to what is to ‘be done and what is ‘not to be done’ for attaining ultimate goal of life. But they have faith in the ultimate source of life, worship that source in their own way but their faith too is dominated by the mode of nature they have acquired.

Human beings are ‘mixed lot’ of material modes. Some have goodness predominating, others passion and there are still demon like persons prevailed by ignorance.

The faith of particular embodied soul depends upon his acquisition of particular mode of material nature.

99.5 % persons are dominated by passion and ignorance. it is rare to find a person trying for self realization.

Faith of embodied soul is dominated by their attachment with predominating mode of nature.
Passion, goodness and ignorance each dominates over other two at a particular.

This results in dwindling nature of faith.

So the dominance of modes of nature prefixes the nature of one’s faith.

Yajante sattvica devanyakshrakshansi rajsah I

Pretanbhutgarhanashchanye yajante tamas janah II (4)


The person in mode of goodness worships the gods; those in mode of passion worship demoniac spirits; while the ignorant worship ghosts and spirits.

The question Arjun asked was ‘as to what type of faith’ one develops when a embodied soul does not follow regulations laid down in scriptures
The Lord has straight way replied that the attachment of modes of nature determines one’s faith.

If one is dominated by goodness mode, it tries to liberate himself by meditating different gods, those dominated by passion worship the lords of wealth and strength and still those wholly dominated by ignorance, go to seek shelter of demonic forces.
Even faith depends upon the modes of material nature. If one realized person coaxes thousand of persons under the influence of lord divine power of material nature, they will not devote themselves to Lord Krishna.
The effect of divine power of material nature is so deep that the self soul has forgotten its real self.
The consciousness identifying with the body has so engrossed in worldly affairs that it is not ready to come out of the self created cob web. having faith affected by goodness, the embodied souls meditate gods to move forward on the path of salvation, those prevailed by passion work for material gains and all their life is lost in accumulating material properties which remains here in the world. even greatest and wealthy people have left this world empty handed yet all remaining are competing each other to acquire more and more property, amass wealth and raise families.
Still there are ignorant who live human life as that of beast. They never think of how this existence has continued, how universe was created, as to where from we have come, what is the purpose of life in this embodiment, after life where the self soul or life factor goes?
They have nothing to think about eternity.

Ashastravihitam ghoram tapyante ye tapo janah I

Dambhahankarsanyuktah kamragblanvitah II


Karshyantah shairastham bhutgramam achetsah I

Mam chevantah sharirastham tanvidhiasurnishchayan II (5-6)


Those who are engaged in severe austerities not recommended by scriptures but spurred by ego of body, lust and attachment, torturing their own body as well as the Super Soul living inside, is considered demons.

All austerities and penance are done for spiritual enlightenment. Scriptures have laid down regulations to perform them. Those who out of ego, lust and attachment perform austerities against the scriptural injunctions with other purposes in mind like political and inimical scores, are addressed as demons as they not only torture five basic elements of material nature forming body but also the super soul seated in the core of hearts of all beings.

Lord has directed all to follow scriptural injunction in chapter 16 and those not following them have been adjudged as demons because they are directly opposing the Lord’s dictate to human beings.
This human form has been blessed to realize them. Otherwise the repetition of many more birth in lower forms of conscious beings.

All lower species do eat, drink and make merry but that their activities are mechanical as per the dictates of their attachment with the three modes of nature.
It is the human form which has been blessed with intellect to think about the path of realization and being liberated in this form and going back to ultimate home.


aharastavapi sarvasya trividho bhavti priyah I

yagyastapastatha danam tesham bhedamimam shrinu II (7)

Even the food that a person prefers falls under three categories dictated by modes of nature, as does sacrifice, austerity and charity. Listen to their distinctions.

In 14th chapter, Lord has summarized that three modes (goodness, passion and ignorance) of material nature bind the living entity in an embodiment (14.5).

This living entity is self soul which is eternal fragment of lord himself. (15.7) this living entity accustomed to conditioned life struggles with six senses and mind.

Every mode of material nature has binding effect on every aspect of life while living in a particular body.

Even the food one takes bears the stamp of mode of material nature dominating particular body.

Like food, the sacrifice, austerity and charity too bear the pattern and distinctive impression pointing out the quality of nature. Now hereinafter Lord speaks about three types of Food, Sacrifice and Charity in the following verses.


Ayuh satvbalarogyasukhpritivivardhanah I

Rasyah snigdhah sithra hradya aharah satvic priyah II

Katvaamallavrhaatiusharhatikshanrukshavidahinaah I

Ahara rajasayeshtha dukhshokmayyparadh II

Yatyamam gatrasam puti parushitam ch yat I

Uchhshithamapi chamedhayam bhojnam tamaspriyamII (8-10)


Food influenced by mode of goodness is Life span increasing, existence cleaning, strength giving, causing happiness and satisfaction. These foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome and pleasurable to those who are satvic


Food that are extremely bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry, and burning are consumed by those person who are in mode of passion. Such food cause grief, distress and disease


Stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, consisting of remnants of food eaten by others and decomposed, untouchable, food is liked by those who are in mode of ignorance.

The food of being is different as per modes of material nature.

Human beings of different regions eat different kind of foods.

Even in the coldest region one can find a person in mode of goodness taking satvica food.

Worshippers can be found taking meat as parsed.

Food of person of different nature, animals and other beings of lower category vary as per the mode of their nature.
This variety of foods described by lord in these verses can not be found so explained in short, in any other scripture.
This description itself is eternal one.

Aphlaankshibhiryagyo vidhidrishto ch ijayate I

Yashtavayameveti manah samdhaye sa satvicah II


Abhisandhaye tu phalam dambhartham chev yat I

Ijayate bharatshreshth tam yagyam vidhi rajsam II


Vidhihinamasrshthanam mantrahinamadakshirham I

Shardhavirahitam yagyam tamsam parichakshte II (11-13)


Sacrifices performed as per regulations of scriptures, without a desire, out of sense of duty, are of goodness mode.

Oh! Best of Bharats! Sacrifices done out of pride and for fulfillment of desire come under the mode of passion.


Sacrifices done without following dictates of scriptures, without distributing food, without using hymns and giving money to the performer, come under the mode of ignorance.

Three modes of sacrifices have been explained in these verses.
Scarifies performed with faith and according to the regulation laid down in scriptures, without ant desire and that too performed as one’s duty come under mode of goodness.

Sacrifices done out of desire and pride to obtain material prosperity or a show off of prosperity comes under the mode of passion.


Sacrifices done without following scriptural injunctions, without distributing food, without reciting Vedic hymns, without providing remuneration to priest performing sacrifices is termed as tamsa (done out of ignorance)


Devdvijgurupragyapujanam shouchamarjavam I

Barahamcharyamahinsa ch shariram tap uchayate II


Anuduvegkaram vakyam satyam priyhitam ch yat I

Savadhayabhyasnam chev vangmayam tap uchayte II

Manahparsadah soumaytavam mounamatamnigrah I

Bhavsanshudhiretietat tapo mansamuchayate II(14-16)


Austerities of the body include meditating God, Brahmins, spiritual master and wise men, purity and straight forwardness, celibacy and nonviolence.


Austerities of speech include words not cause distress, which is truthful, beneficial and purposeful and practice of reciting scriptures.


Austerities of mind include peace of mind, simplicity, observing silence, self control and purity of one’s existence.

Lord has explained the austerities of body, speech and mind in the verses 13,14,and 15. How they are performed by human beings, is also differentiated according to mode of nature they acquired.



Shardhya parya taptam tapastattrividham nareh I

Afalankashibhiryukteyh satvicam parichakshayte II



Satkarmanpujartham tapo dambhen chev yat I

Kriyate tadih proktam rajsam chaqlamdhuravam II



Mudhgraherhatmano yatpeedaya kriyate tapah I

Parasyoutsadanartham va tattamsamudahritam II (17-19)



All threefold austerities done with deep faith and without any desire fulfillment is seen as in the mode of goodness.


The austerities done out of pride, desire for respect and honor is seen out of mode of passion.


The austerities done out of foolishness putting oneself under trouble, for causing misfortune to others are put under the mode of ignorance.



All these three type austerities done with deep faith by disciplined persons, without any desire for being rewarded in return, in devotion to lord, is seen under the mode of goodness.

Austerities done under imprudence with intention to gain pride, respect and honor come under the mode of passion.

While doing these austerities out jealousy by putting oneself in trouble and cause misfortune for fellow beings or one considered being one’s enemy come under the mode of ignorance.


The human nature is mixed one. Human life is achieved after going through transmigration of self soul from one body to another till sins and good deeds are equal.
After millions of years, the Lord has given a human body to living entity, so that it can indulge in self realization.
Here is the real test of self soul. All the previous incarnations were meant for under going the karmic destiny without having any chance to think about self.

This is the rarest opportunity to attain spiritual perfection.

One can develop relationship with one’s own self by seeing one self as consciousness and detach from the material nature.
But attaining human form is not enough. It may be compulsorily accompanied by the eternal grace of Lord to lead the human being to selflessly work for welfare of not only humanity but for the entire beings, seeing reflection of Lord in all forms.
Selfless works of done for the welfare of all beings, becomes best type of meditation. One can achieve the self realization in this body by feeling sameness in all beings. One is always prone to do all these acts as stated to be austerities out of ego, pride, heftiness and desire for material advancement. All these acts become binding; even satvica is also binding as that is also an mode of material nature. Selfless act is the complete surrender to Lord which is pure bliss ‘Sat-Chit-Anand’



Datvayamiti yaddanam deeyateanupkarirhe I

Deshe kale ch patre taddanam satvikam smiritam II



Yattu partiupakarartham falamudshya va punahI

Deeyate ch pariklishatam taddanam rajasma smiritamII



Adeshkale yaddanamapatrebhayashch deeyate I
Asatkritamavgyatam tattamsamudahritam II(20-22)

Charity recommended by scriptures as to country, time and person without any desire of return is considered under the mode of goodness.

Charity given with desire for fulfillment of material prosperity and for a return is covered under the mode of passion.

And charity given to a undeserving person at a unholy place or at inappropriate time comes under the mode of ignorance.
Arjun has asked the lord to explain as to what is the nature of faith of embodied self souls who worships with faith but not strictly following the scriptural injunctions. lord Krishna has covered worship, food, sacrifice, austerities, penance and now charity is taken up.
All these faith and faculties one develops as per the mode of nature he has acquired.
Three modes of material nature, goodness, passion and ignorance, is inscrutable power of Lord Krishna which pervades this material world.
Lord states that charity which is prescribed one and is given without desire of reward is satvica charity. This kind of charity is given to deserving devotees of lord propagating self realization by selfless devotion to Lord. These charities don’t involve a desire of fulfillment of some worldly desire. If it is so then it comes under the mode of passion,
Charity given with desire of return reward, respect and show off or to gain influence is rajas charity.
Charity which is given without consideration of person, place and time that is tamsa charity? Charity given to undeserving person, at impure place, in an inauspicious time is charity of ignorance mode.
Om tatsatiti nirdesho barharhastrividhah smritah I
Barmarhasten vedashch yagyashch vihitah pura II

Tasmad om itiudahrity yagydantapkriyah I
Parvartante vidhanoktah satatam barhamvadinam II

Tatitianabhisandhay falam yagytapkriyah I
Dankriyashch vividhah kriyante mokshkanshibhi II

Sadbhave sadhubhave ch saditietat paryujayte I
Parshaste karmarhi tatha sachchhabdah parth yujayte II

Yagye tapsi dane ch sithiti saditi chouchayte I
Karam chev tadarthiyam saditievaabhidhiyate II


Ashrdhya hutam dattam tapastaptam kritam ch yat I
Asaditiuchayate parth na ch tatprety no eh I (23-30)

Om, tat, sat, these three syllables were used by the Brahmins, signifying the symbolic representation of Supreme Truth while reciting Vedas or making sacrifices.
Transcendentalists while making sacrifices, charity or undertaking penance according to Vedic injunction always begin with Om to attain the Supreme.
Without desiring any fruitive results, all acts of austerity, charity and penance are done with chanting of word ‘tat’.
Parth! ‘Sat’ word is used to indicate absolute truth. Performer of sacrifice, penance and austerity is also addressed as ‘Sat’.
All activities of austerities, penance and charity or other activities done to please the Supreme are also termed as ‘Sat’.
Act of austerity, penance or charity done without faith in the Supreme is Parth, impermanent which is useless here and even in the next life.
Symbolic syllables representing almighty Lord Krishna have been revealed on the basis of Vedic practice. The Lord Krishna while explaining principles of faith cites the previous practices.
In Vedic age the scholars while chanting hymens from Vedas always used word
‘Om’ uttered before each of hymns is symbolic representing of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Truth.
hile doing these acts without any desire for material nature or sense objects, all should be devoted to almighty Lord Krishna by saying word ‘Tat’ which connotes these acts were done by the inspiration of Lord, by the Lord and for the Lord.
‘Sat’ is used to indicate both truth absolute and goodness, sacrifices, penance and sacrifices.
These three syllabi were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth.
Transcendentalists while performing act of sacrifice, penance and charity in according to scriptural injunctions, always begin with ‘Om’ to attain the supreme.
The absolute truth is indicated by sat, performer of acts of penance, sacrifice and charity is also sat as these acts in their true nature are performed to please the supreme person.
The devotee performs these acts without attachment for the happiness of lord.
Act of sacrifice, penance, and charity done without faith is neither useful here nor in the other planets.
Whatever acts are done they are expected to be done with faith, devotion and without any desire for its fruits.

(Thus completes the seventeenth chapter of Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta consisting of dialogue between Shri Krishna and Arjun pertaining to difference of faith)