Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 17

Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith

17.1Arjuna asks Krishna: what about people who worship with real faith but don't follow the rules of scripture? Is their faith pure, passionate, or dark?Arjuna
17.2Krishna answers that the faith people are born with comes in three kinds: pure, passionate and dark. He says he will explain each one.Krishna
17.3Krishna says each person's faith matches their own nature, Arjuna (called Bharata). A person is made of their faith: whatever they truly believe in, that is what they become.Krishna
17.4Krishna says pure people worship the gods. Passionate people worship powerful spirits and giants. Dark people worship ghosts and spirits of nature.Krishna
17.5Krishna begins describing people who do harsh, painful self-punishment that scripture does not ask for. They do it out of vanity and ego, driven by their desires and passions.Krishna
17.6Krishna continues: people who harshly punish their own bodies for show or out of pride are foolish. They hurt the body, and they also hurt Krishna, who lives within them. Their aims are cruel and wrong.Krishna
17.7Krishna says that the food people like comes in three kinds, matching the three qualities of nature: pure, passionate and dark. The same is true of worship, self-discipline and giving to others. He is about to explain each one.Krishna
17.8Pure, calm people like food that gives life, strength, health and happiness. Their food is tasty, mild, filling and pleasant to eat.Krishna
17.9Restless, passionate people crave food that is very bitter, sour, salty, spicy, dry or burning. This kind of food leads to pain, unhappiness and sickness.Krishna
17.10Dull, lazy people like food that is stale, tasteless, rotten, leftover or dirty.Krishna
17.11Worship or offering is pure when people do it the right way simply because it is their duty, without wanting anything back.Krishna
17.12Krishna tells Arjuna that worship done to get a reward or to look good in front of others comes from passion and selfish desire.Krishna
17.13Worship is dark and empty when it ignores the proper rules, shares no food with others, leaves out the sacred words, gives no gifts to the priests, and has no faith behind it.Krishna
17.14Self-discipline of the body means respecting God, holy people, teachers and wise people. It also means being clean, honest, sexually self-controlled and never hurting anyone.Krishna
17.15Self-discipline of speech means saying things that are true, kind and helpful and that do not upset others. It also includes regularly reading and reciting holy books.Krishna
17.16Self-discipline of the mind means keeping a calm, cheerful mind. It also means being balanced, quiet inside, in control of yourself, and pure in heart.Krishna
17.17When people practice these three disciplines of body, speech and mind with deep faith, a steady mind, and no wish for reward, their practice is pure.Krishna
17.18Discipline done to win respect, praise or attention, or to show off, comes from passion. Its good effects do not last.Krishna
17.19Discipline done out of confusion, by torturing yourself, or in order to harm someone else is the darkest kind.Krishna
17.20A gift is pure when it is given because giving is right, to a worthy person, at the right time and place, and to someone who cannot repay you.Krishna
17.21A gift comes from passion when it is given to get something back, to win a reward, or when it is given unwillingly.Krishna
17.22A gift is dark when it is given at the wrong time or place, to the wrong person, or with rudeness and contempt.Krishna
17.23Krishna says the three words "Om Tat Sat" are a sacred name for God, the Eternal. Long ago, priests, holy books and acts of worship all came from this.Krishna
17.24Because of this, people who know God always begin their worship, giving and self-discipline by saying "Om," the most sacred sound.Krishna
17.25People who want to be free from the cycle of rebirth say "Tat," meaning "That," a word for God. Then they do their worship, discipline and giving without wanting any reward.Krishna
17.26Krishna explains that the word "Sat" means what is real and what is good. It is also used to name a good deed. He calls Arjuna "Partha," meaning son of Pritha.Krishna
17.27Krishna says that sticking faithfully to worship, self-discipline and giving is also called "Sat," or good. Any action done for God is called "Sat" too.Krishna
17.28Krishna says that worship, giving, self-discipline or any other act done without faith is called "Asat," which means unreal or worthless. It brings no good in this life or the next.Krishna