Bhagavad Gita-Chapter 17 All Verses with Meaning and Audio With Lyrics, Audio, Meaning, Significance in Sanskrit, English and other languages

Bhagavad Gita-Chapter 17 All Verses with Meaning and Audio

अर्जुन उवाच ।
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ।
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥ १७-१॥

arjuna uvāca
ye śāstravidhimutsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ
teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvamāho rajastamaḥ 17-1

Arjuna said: Those who, setting aside the ordinances of the scriptures, perform sacrifice with faith, what is their condition, O Krishna? Is it SATTWA, RAJAS or TAMAS?

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा ।
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां श‍ृणु ॥ १७-२॥

śrībhagavānuvāca
trividhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṃ sā svabhāvajā
sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṃ śṛṇu 17-2

The Blessed Lord said: Three-fold is the faith of the embodied, which is inherent in their nature — the SATTVIC (pure) , the RAJASIC (passionate) and the TAMASIC (dull, dark) . Thus thou hear of it.

सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत ।
श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥ १७-३॥

sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata
śraddhāmayo’yaṃ puruṣo yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ 17-3

The faith of each is in accordance with his nature, O Bharata. Man consists of his faith; as a man’s faith is, so is he.

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः ।
प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥ १७-४॥

yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣarakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ
pretānbhūtagaṇāṃścānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ 17-4

The SATTVIC , or pure men worship the gods (DEVAS) ; the RAJASIC or the passionate the YAKSHAS and the RAKSHASAS; the others — TAMASIC people, or the dark or dull folk worship the ghosts (PRETAS) and the hosts of BHUTAS or the nature/spirits.

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः ।
दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥ १७-५॥

aśāstravihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ
dambhāhaṅkārasaṃyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ 17-5

Those men who practise terrific austerities, not enjoined by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, impelled by the force of lust and attachment . . .

कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः ।
मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥ १७-६॥

karṣayantaḥ śarīrasthaṃ bhūtagrāmamacetasaḥ
māṃ caivāntaḥśarīrasthaṃ tānviddhyāsuraniścayān 17-6

Senselessly torturing all the elements in the body, and Me also who dwells within the body — you may know these to be of demoniacal resolves.

आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः ।
यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं श‍ृणु ॥ १७-७॥

āhārastvapi sarvasya trividho bhavati priyaḥ
yajñastapastathā dānaṃ teṣāṃ bhedamimaṃ śṛṇu 17-7

The food also which is dear to each is three-fold, as also sacrifice, austerity and alms-giving. You may now hear the distinction of these.

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्य सुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः ।
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥ १७-८॥

āyuḥsattvabalārogya sukhaprītivivardhanāḥ
rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvikapriyāḥ 17-8

The foods which increase life, purity, strength, health, joy and cheerfulness (good appetite) , which are savoury and oleaginous, substantial and agreeable, are dear to the SATTVIC (Pure) .

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्ण तीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः ।
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥ १७-९॥

kaṭvamlalavaṇātyuṣṇa tīkṣṇarūkṣavidāhinaḥ
āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkhaśokāmayapradāḥ 17-9

The foods that are bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot, pungent, dry and burning, are liked by the RAJASIC , and are productive of pain, grief and disease.

यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् ।
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥ १७-१०॥

yātayāmaṃ gatarasaṃ pūti paryuṣitaṃ ca yat
ucchiṣṭamapi cāmedhyaṃ bhojanaṃ tāmasapriyam 17-10

That which is stale, tasteless, putrid and rotten, refuse and impure, is the food liked by the TAMASIC.

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते ।
यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥ १७-११॥

aphalākāṅkṣibhiryajño vidhidṛṣṭo ya ijyate
yaṣṭavyameveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ 17-11

That sacrifice which is offered by men without desire for fruit, and as enjoined by ordinance, with a firm faith that sacrifice is a duty, is SATTVIC or pure.

अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् ।
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥ १७-१२॥

abhisandhāya tu phalaṃ dambhārthamapi caiva yat
ijyate bharataśreṣṭha taṃ yajñaṃ viddhi rājasam 17-12

The sacrifice which is offered, O best of the Bharatas, seeking for fruit and for ostentation, you may know that to be a RAJASIC YAJNA.

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् ।
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥ १७-१३॥

vidhihīnamasṛṣṭānnaṃ mantrahīnamadakṣiṇam
śraddhāvirahitaṃ yajñaṃ tāmasaṃ paricakṣate 17-13

They declare that sacrifice to be TAMASIC which is contrary to the ordinances, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid of MANTRAS and gifts, and which is devoid of faith.

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥ १७-१४॥

devadvijaguruprājñapūjanaṃ śaucamārjavam
brahmacaryamahiṃsā ca śārīraṃ tapa ucyate 17-14

Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers and the wise ; purity, straight-forwardness, celibacy, and non-injury; these are called the austerity of the body.

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् ।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥ १७-१५॥

anudvegakaraṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priyahitaṃ ca yat
svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate 17-15

Speech which causes no excitement, and is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, and the practice of the study of the VEDAS, these constitute the austerity of speech.

मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः ।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥ १७-१६॥

manaḥ prasādaḥ saumyatvaṃ maunamātmavinigrahaḥ
bhāvasaṃśuddhirityetat tapomānasamucyate 17-16

Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, silence, self-control, purity of nature — these together are called the mental austerity.

श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः ।
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥ १७-१७॥

śraddhayā parayā taptaṃ tapastattrividhaṃ naraiḥ
aphalākāṅkṣibhiryuktaiḥ sāttvikaṃ paricakṣate 17-17

This three-fold austerity, practised by steadfast men, with the utmost faith, desiring no fruit, they call SATTVIC.

सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् ।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥ १७-१८॥

satkāramānapūjārthaṃ tapo dambhena caiva yat
kriyate tadiha proktaṃ rājasaṃ calamadhruvam 17-18

The austerity which is practised with the object of gaining good reception, honour and worship, and with hypocrisy, is here said to be RAJASIC, unstable, and transitory.

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः ।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ १७-१९॥

mūḍhagrāheṇātmano yatpīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ
parasyotsādanārthaṃ vā tattāmasamudāhṛtam 17-19

That austerity which is practised with self-torture, out of some foolish notion, for the purpose of destroying another, is declared to be TAMASIC.

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥ १७-२०॥

dātavyamiti yaddānaṃ dīyate’nupakāriṇe
deśe kāle ca pātre ca taddānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam 17-20

That gift which is given, knowing it to be a duty, in a fit time and place, to a worthy person, from whom we expect nothing in return, is held to be SATTVIC.

यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥ १७-२१॥

yattu pratyupakārārthaṃ phalamuddiśya vā punaḥ
dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṃ taddānaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam 17-21

And that gift which is given with a view to receiving in return, or looking for fruit again, or reluctantly, is held to be RAJASIC.

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते ।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ १७-२२॥

adeśakāle yaddānamapātrebhyaśca dīyate
asatkṛtamavajñātaṃ tattāmasamudāhṛtam 17-22

The gift that is given at a wrong place and time, to unworthy persons, without respect, or with insult, is declared to be TAMASIC.

ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः ।
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥ १७-२३॥

oṃtatsaditi nirdeśo brahmaṇastrividhaḥ smṛtaḥ
brāhmaṇāstena vedāśca yajñāśca vihitāḥ purā 17-23

OM TAT SAT — this has been declared to be the triple designation of BRAHMAN. By that were created formerly the BRAHMANAS VEDAS and YAJNAS (sacrifices) .

तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः ।
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ १७-२४॥

tasmādomityudāhṛtya yajñadānatapaḥkriyāḥ
pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṃ brahmavādinām 17-24

Therefore, with the utterance of OM are begun the acts of sacrifice, gifts and austerity as enjoined in the scriptures, always by the students of BRAHMAN.

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः ।
दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥ १७-२५॥

tadityanabhisandhāya phalaṃ yajñatapaḥkriyāḥ
dānakriyāśca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣakāṅkṣibhiḥ 17-25

Uttering TAT without aiming at the fruits are the acts of sacrifice and austerity and the various acts of gift performed by the seekers of liberation.

सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते ।
प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥ १७-२६॥

sadbhāve sādhubhāve ca sadityetatprayujyate
praśaste karmaṇi tathā sacchabdaḥ pārtha yujyate 17-26

The word SAT is used in the sense of Reality and of Goodness; and also O Partha the word SAT is used in the sense of an auspicious act.

यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते ।
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥ १७-२७॥

yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ saditi cocyate
karma caiva tadarthīyaṃ sadityevābhidhīyate 17-27

Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity and gift is also called SAT and also, action in connection with these (for the sake of the Supreme) is called SAT.

अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् ।
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥ १७-२८॥

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे
श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगो नाम सप्तदशोऽध्यायः ॥ १७॥

aśraddhayā hutaṃ dattaṃ tapastaptaṃ kṛtaṃ ca yat
asadityucyate pārtha na ca tatpretya no iha 17-28

oṃ tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu
brahmavidyāyāṃ yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvāde
śraddhātrayavibhāgayogo nāma saptadaśo’dhyāyaḥ 28

Whatever is sacrificed, given or performed, and whatever austerity is practised without faith, it is called A-SAT, O Partha; it is not for here or hereafter (after death) .

Description

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 Summary

Sraddhā-Traya-Vibhāga-Yoga – The Yoga of Differentiating Threefold Faith

In this chapter, the Lord shows how the concept of “guna” that was detailed in the 14th chapter applies to faith, worship, food, sacrifices/rituals, austerities and charity. The Lord explains that these common activities can each be categorized as sattvic, rajasic or tamasic depending on the manner in which they are conducted. Our goal is to engage in only the sattvic varieties since that alone is conducive to spiritual development. Below are the main themes of Chapter 17:

Verses 1 – 6
Arjuna’s question and three types of śraddhā

Verses 7
Kṛṣṇa introduces new topics

Verses 8 – 10
Three types of food

Verses 11 – 13
Three types of yajña

Verses 14 – 16
Three types of tapas (based on instrument)

Verses 17 – 19
Three types of tapas (based on guṇa)

Verses 20 – 22
Three types of charity

Verses 23 – 28
Significance of “om tat sat” and conclusion

Gita Chapter 17 – Commentary by Swami Paramarthananda

Background

In the previous chapter, Bhagavān said that śāstra is the pramāṇa in determining what is right and wrong and that one should act according to what śāstra says. Based on this, Arjuna raises a question here — “To what category does a person belong if he worships with faith without scriptural knowledge – sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic?” (1)

Krishna answers that he may belong to any category according to his temperament. An ignorant person’s faith will depend on his nature since he has no scriptural knowledge to guide. (By observing various types of worship done by others, he develops his faith according to his character. On the other hand, a person who goes by the scriptural teaching will invariably have sattvic faith) (2, 3).

Krishna differentiates three types of faith based upon the object of worship (4). Even the nature of worship varies according to faith. People of tamasic faith take to severe practices involving torture of the body etc. (5, 6).

Having answered Arjuna’s question, Krishna discusses a few more topics namely food, yajña, tapas and charity, differentiating them into three types based on the guṇas (7 to 22). (Refer to the chart below.) [A seeker has to choose the sattvic type i.e. daivī-sampat and avoid rajasic and tamasic types i.e. āsurī-sampat.]

Bhagavān concludes the teaching mentioning the significance of the mantra “Om tat sat”. This originated from Brahmā’s mouth in the beginning of creation, and has been traditionally chanted during scriptural activities like yajña, tapas and dāna. The word ‘sat’ has many meanings like existence, goodness, good action, steadfastness and an action as an offering to the Lord (23 to 27). [In essence the utterance of this mantra will sanctify scriptural actions and make them sattvic.]

In the last verse, Krishna emphasizes the importance of śraddhā (faith). Without faith all scriptural activities become asat, i.e. fruitless (28).

Gita 17th Chapter – Main Points

Arjuna’s question and three types of śraddhā: 1 to 6
Krishna introduces new topics: 7
Three types of food: 8 to 10
Three types of yajña: 11 to 13
Three types of tapas (based on instrument): 14 to 16
Three types of tapas (based on guṇa): 17 to 19
Three types of charity: 20 to 22
Significance of “om tat sat” and conclusion: 23 to 28

Since Śraddhā is highlighted both in the beginning and in the end, this chapter is called Śraddhātraya vibhāga yoga.

Krishna divides tapas on the basis of the guṇās and also on the basis of the instrument as given below:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 Summary

Other Bhagavad Gita Shlokams

Bhagavad Gita-Chapter 17 All Verses with Meaning and Audio – Bhagavad Gita – Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 All Verses Easy Chanting with Audio and Meaning, Lyrics