Three Aspects of Faith Arjuna said:
1. There are persons who offer worship full of Faith, but without observing scriptural injunctions while doing so - of what nature is their Faith? Is it born of Sattva, Rajas or Tamas? The Blessed Lord said:
2. The Faith of embodied beings, which is rooted in their natural disposition (derived from the impressions of past births), is of three kinds - those of the nature of Sattva, of Rajas and of Tamas. 3. O scion of the Bharata race! The Faith of everyone is according to his natural disposition (derived from past impressions). Man is constituted of his Faith. What his Faith is. that verily he is.
4. Those endowed with the quality of Sattva worship the Devas; those with Rajas, the Yakshas and the Rakshasas; and those with Tamas, the spirits of dead ancestors and the elementals.
5-6. Vain, conceited and moved by powerful passions and attachments. they perform various terrible mortifications contrary to scriptural injunctions. Thus do these senseless men torture their own bodies and Me dwelling in them. Know such persons to be of demoniac resolve.
7. Even the food dear to these three types is of three different kinds. The same is the case with worship, austerity and charity. Hear from Me about this distinction regarding them.
8. Persons who are Sattvika by nature like foods that promote longevity, vitality, energy, health, happiness and cheerfulness, as also those that are juicy, soft, nourishing and agreeable.
9. Persons who are Rajasa by nature like foods that are bitter, sour, salty, excessively heating, pungent, burning and thirst-producing as also what bring on uneasiness, depression and disease. 10. Persons who are Tamasa by nature like foods that are stale, tasteless, putrid, decayed and unclean, and constitute the leavings of others.
11. That worship is of the nature of Sattva which is in accordance with scriptural injunctions, and which is performed by one not with an eye for its fruits but merely out of the feeling that it is one's duty to perform it.
12. O scion of the Bharata race! Know that worship to be of the nature of Rajas, which is performed with its fruits in mind and for vain display.
13. That worship is of the nature of Tamas which is not sanctioned by scriptures, which is without gift of food, without the chanting of holy Mantras, without sacramental presents and without sincere faith.
14. Service of the Devas, holy men, teachers, parents and wise persons, as also observance of cleanliness, uprightness, continence and non-injury - these constitute austerities pertaining to the body.
15. Speaking only words that are inoffensive, true, pleasant and beneficial, as also regular recitation of scriptures, constitute austerity pertaining to speech.
16. Serenity of mind, gentleness, moderation in speech, self-control, and purity of heart -these are called austerity of the mind.
17. This threefold austerity, performed with the highest faith, by men who are not motivated by expectations of reward and who are established in mental equipoise, is declared to be of the nature of Sattva.
18. The austerity that is performed with much show and ostentation, and having in view recognition, praise and adoration as a pious man by others, is said to be of the nature of Rajas. It is unstable and leads to no permanent good.
19. The austerity performed through the practice of self-torture under the influence of perverse theories or done for the destruction of another, is spoken of as Tamasa by nature.
20. That gift which is made out of a sheer sense of duty, without expectation of any kind of return, at the proper time and place, to a fit recipient, is said to be of the nature of Sattva.
21. The gift which is given in consideration of some gift in return, or with some fruit to be reaped in future, or in a grudging mood - that is considered to be of the nature of Rajas.
22. The gift that is made at an improper time and place, to an unworthy recipient, unceremoniously and in a slighting manner - that is said to be of the nature of Tamas.
23. Om Tat Sat - these are the three symbolic designations of Brahman. By these were ordained the Brahmanas, the Vedas and the Yajnas in ancient times.
24. Therefore the followers of the Vedas always start their ordained works like sacrifice, gift, and austerities with the utterance of Om.
25. Various forms of sacrifices, austerities and charities are performed without any desire for the fruits by seekers after liberation, along with the utterance of the syllable Tat (That).
26. O son of Pritha! The syllable Sat is used in the sense of reality and goodness. It is also used to indicate an auspicious rite or act.
27. Steadfastness in sacrifice (or worship), in austerity and in charity is called Sat (good). Any action connected with these is also called Sat.
28. O son of Pritha! Whatever is performed as a sacrifice, charity, or austerity without Faith - in fact anything done without Faith - is declared to be Asat (not good). It is of no significance here or in the hereafter.
|
