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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17

"Devotional Service"

Bhagavad Gita for All - A practical guide to everyday
living Audio Lecture series by
Spiritual Master Nalin Nirula

Bhagavad Gita 17.1

arjuna uvāca

ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya
yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ
teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa
sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ

Synonyms
arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said; ye — those who; śāstra-vidhim — the regulations of scripture; utsṛjya — giving up; yajante — worship; śraddhayā — full faith; anvitāḥ — possessed of; teṣām — of them; niṣṭhā — the faith; tu — but; kā — what; kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa; sattvam — in goodness; āho — or else; rajaḥ — in passion; tamaḥ — in ignorance.

Translation
Arjuna inquired: O Kṛṣṇa, what is the situation of those who do not follow the principles of scripture but worship according to their own imagination? Are they in goodness, in passion or in ignorance?

Bhagavad Gita 17.2

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā
dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā
sāttvikī rājasī caiva
tāmasī ceti tāṁ śṛṇu

Synonyms

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; tri-vidhā — of three kinds; bhavati — becomes; śraddhā — the faith; dehinām — of the embodied; sā — that; sva-bhāva-jā — according to his mode of material nature; sāttvikī — in the mode of goodness; rājasī — in the mode of passion; ca — also; eva — certainly; tāmasī — in the mode of ignorance; ca — and; iti — thus; tām — that; śṛṇu — hear from Me.

Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: According to the modes of nature acquired by the embodied soul, one’s faith can be of three kinds – in goodness, in passion or in ignorance. Now hear about this.

Bhagavad Gita 17.3

sattvānurūpā sarvasya
śraddhā bhavati bhārata
śraddhā-mayo ’yaṁ puruṣo
yo yac-chraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ

Synonyms

sattva-anurūpā — according to the existence; sarvasya — of everyone; śraddhā — faith; bhavati — becomes; bhārata — O son of Bharata; śraddhā — faith; mayaḥ — full of; ayam — this; puruṣaḥ — living entity; yaḥ — who; yat — having which; śraddhaḥ — faith; saḥ — thus; eva — certainly; saḥ — he.

Translation
O son of Bharata, according to one’s existence under the various modes of nature, one evolves a particular kind of faith. The living being is said to be of a particular faith according to the modes he has acquired.

Bhagavad Gita 17.4

yajante sāttvikā devān
yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ
pretān bhūta-gaṇāṁś cānye
yajante tāmasā janāḥ

Synonyms

yajante — worship; sāttvikāḥ — those who are in the mode of goodness; devān — demigods; yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi — demons; rājasāḥ — those who are in the mode of passion; pretān — spirits of the dead; bhūta-gaṇān — ghosts; ca — and; anye — others; yajante — worship; tāmasāḥ — in the mode of ignorance; janāḥ — people.

Translation
Men in the mode of goodness worship the demigods; those in the mode of passion worship the demons; and those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits.

Bhagavad Gita 17.5-6

aśāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ
tapyante ye tapo janāḥ
dambhāhaṅkāra-saṁyuktāḥ
kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ

karṣayantaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ
bhūta-grāmam acetasaḥ
māṁ caivāntaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ
tān viddhy āsura-niścayān

Synonyms

aśāstra — not in the scriptures; vihitam — directed; ghoram — harmful to others; tapyante — undergo; ye — those who; tapaḥ — austerities; janāḥ — persons; dambha — with pride; ahaṅkāra — and egoism; saṁyuktāḥ — engaged; kāma — of lust; rāga — and attachment; bala — by the force; anvitāḥ — impelled; karṣayantaḥ — tormenting; śarīra-stham — situated within the body; bhūta-grāmam — the combination of material elements; acetasaḥ — having a misled mentality; mām — Me; ca — also; eva — certainly; antaḥ — within; śarīra-stham — situated in the body; tān — them; viddhi — understand; āsura-niścayān — demons.

Translation
Those who undergo severe austerities and penances not recommended in the scriptures, performing them out of pride and egoism, who are impelled by lust and attachment, who are foolish and who torture the material elements of the body as well as the Supersoul dwelling within, are to be known as demons.

Bhagavad Gita 17.7

āhāras tv api sarvasya
tri-vidho bhavati priyaḥ
yajñas tapas tathā dānaṁ
teṣāṁ bhedam imaṁ śṛṇu

Synonyms

āhāraḥ — eating; tu — certainly; api — also; sarvasya — of everyone; tri-vidhaḥ — of three kinds; bhavati — there is; priyaḥ — dear; yajñaḥ — sacrifice; tapaḥ — austerity; tathā — also; dānam — charity; teṣām — of them; bhedam — the differences; imam — this; śṛṇu — hear.

Translation
Even the food each person prefers is of three kinds, according to the three modes of material nature. The same is true of sacrifices, austerities and charity. Now hear of the distinctions between them.

Bhagavad Gita 17.8

āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-
sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ
rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā
āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ

Synonyms

āyuḥ — duration of life; sattva — existence; bala — strength; ārogya — health; sukha — happiness; prīti — and satisfaction; vivardhanāḥ — increasing; rasyāḥ — juicy; snigdhāḥ — fatty; sthirāḥ — enduring; hṛdyāḥ — pleasing to the heart; āhārāḥ — food; sāttvika — to one in goodness; priyāḥ — palatable.

Translation
Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart.

Bhagavad Gita 17.9

kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣṇa-
tīkṣṇa-rūkṣa-vidāhinaḥ
āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā
duḥkha-śokāmaya-pradāḥ

Synonyms

kaṭu — bitter; amla — sour; lavaṇa — salty; ati-uṣṇa — very hot; tīkṣṇa — pungent; rūkṣa — dry; vidāhinaḥ — burning; āhārāḥ — food; rājasasya — to one in the mode of passion; iṣṭāḥ — palatable; duḥkha — distress; śoka — misery; āmaya — disease; pradāḥ — causing.

Translation
Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distress, misery and disease.

Bhagavad Gita 17.10

yāta-yāmaṁ gata-rasaṁ
pūti paryuṣitaṁ ca yat
ucchiṣṭam api cāmedhyaṁ
bhojanaṁ tāmasa-priyam

Synonyms

yāta-yāmam — food cooked three hours before being eaten; gata-rasam — tasteless; pūti — bad-smelling; paryuṣitam — decomposed; ca — also; yat — that which; ucchiṣṭam — remnants of food eaten by others; api — also; ca — and; amedhyam — untouchable; bhojanam — eating; tāmasa — to one in the mode of darkness; priyam — dear.

Translation
Food prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is tasteless, decomposed and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and untouchable things is dear to those in the mode of darkness.

Bhagavad Gita 17.11

aphalākāṅkṣibhir yajño
vidhi-diṣṭo ya ijyate
yaṣṭavyam eveti manaḥ
samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ

Synonyms
aphala-ākāṅkṣibhiḥ — by those devoid of desire for result; yajñaḥ — sacrifice; vidhi-diṣṭaḥ — according to the direction of scripture; yaḥ — which; ijyate — is performed; yaṣṭavyam — must be performed; eva — certainly; iti — thus; manaḥ — mind; samādhāya — fixing; saḥ — it; sāttvikaḥ — in the mode of goodness.

Translation
Of sacrifices, the sacrifice performed according to the directions of scripture, as a matter of duty, by those who desire no reward, is of the nature of goodness.

Bhagavad Gita 17.12

abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ
dambhārtham api caiva yat
ijyate bharata-śreṣṭha
taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam

Synonyms
abhisandhāya — desiring; tu — but; phalam — the result; dambha — pride; artham — for the sake of; api — also; ca — and; eva — certainly; yat — that which; ijyate — is performed; bharata-śreṣṭha — O chief of the Bhāratas; tam — that; yajñam — sacrifice; viddhi — know; rājasam — in the mode of passion.

Translation
But the sacrifice performed for some material benefit, or for the sake of pride, O chief of the Bhāratas, you should know to be in the mode of passion.

Bhagavad Gita 17.13

vidhi-hīnam asṛṣṭānnaṁ
mantra-hīnam adakṣiṇam
śraddhā-virahitaṁ yajñaṁ
tāmasaṁ paricakṣate

Synonyms
vidhi-hīnam — without scriptural direction; asṛṣṭa-annam — without distribution of prasādam; mantra-hīnam — with no chanting of the Vedic hymns; adakṣiṇam — with no remunerations to the priests; śraddhā — faith; virahitam — without; yajñam — sacrifice; tāmasam — in the mode of ignorance; paricakṣate — is to be considered.

Translation
Any sacrifice performed without regard for the directions of scripture, without distribution of prasādam [spiritual food], without chanting of Vedic hymns and remunerations to the priests, and without faith is considered to be in the mode of ignorance.

 

Bhagavad Gita 17.14

deva-dvija-guru-prājña-
pūjanaṁ śaucam ārjavam
brahmacaryam ahiṁsā ca
śārīraṁ tapa ucyate

Synonyms
deva — of the Supreme Lord; dvija — the brāhmaṇas; guru — the spiritual master; prājña — and worshipable personalities; pūjanam — worship; śaucam — cleanliness; ārjavam — simplicity; brahmacaryam — celibacy; ahiṁsā — nonviolence; ca — also; śārīram — pertaining to the body; tapaḥ — austerity; ucyate — is said to be.

Translation
Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Supreme Lord, the brāhmaṇas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence.

Bhagavad Gita 17.15

anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ
satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat
svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva
vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate

Synonyms
anudvega-karam — not agitating; vākyam — words; satyam — truthful; priya — dear; hitam — beneficial; ca — also; yat — which; svādhyāya — of Vedic study; abhyasanam — practice; ca — also; eva — certainly; vāk-mayam — of the voice; tapaḥ — austerity; ucyate — is said to be.

Translation
Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature.

Bhagavad Gita 17.16

manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ
maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ
bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat
tapo mānasam ucyate

Synonyms
manaḥ-prasādaḥ — satisfaction of the mind; saumyatvam — being without duplicity towards others; maunam — gravity; ātma — of the self; vinigrahaḥ — control; bhāva — of one’s nature; saṁśuddhiḥ — purification; iti — thus; etat — this; tapaḥ — austerity; mānasam — of the mind; ucyate — is said to be.

Translation
And satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purification of one’s existence are the austerities of the mind.

Bhagavad Gita 17.17

śraddhayā parayā taptaṁ
tapas tat tri-vidhaṁ naraiḥ
aphalākāṅkṣibhir yuktaiḥ
sāttvikaṁ paricakṣate

Synonyms
śraddhayā — with faith; parayā — transcendental; taptam — executed; tapaḥ — austerity; tat — that; tri-vidham — of three kinds; naraiḥ — by men; aphala-ākāṅkṣibhiḥ — who are without desires for fruits; yuktaiḥ — engaged; sāttvikam — in the mode of goodness; paricakṣate — is called.

Translation
This threefold austerity, performed with transcendental faith by men not expecting material benefits but engaged only for the sake of the Supreme, is called austerity in goodness.

Bhagavad Gita 17.18

satkāra-māna-pūjārthaṁ
tapo dambh

Synonyms
sat-kāra — respect; māna — honor; pūjā — and worship; artham — for the sake of; tapaḥ — austerity; dambhena — with pride; ca — also; eva — certainly; yat — which; kriyate — is performed; tat — that; iha — in this world; proktam — is said; rājasam — in the mode of passion; calam — flickering; adhruvam — temporary.

Translation
Penance performed out of pride and for the sake of gaining respect, honor and worship is said to be in the mode of passion. It is neither stable nor permanent.

Bhagavad Gita 17.19

mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat
pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ
parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam

Synonyms
mūḍha — foolish; grāheṇa — with endeavor; ātmanaḥ — of one’s own self; yat — which; pīḍayā — by torture; kriyate — is performed; tapaḥ — penance; parasya — to others; utsādana-artham — for the sake of causing annihilation; vā — or; tat — that; tāmasam — in the mode of darkness; udāhṛtam — is said to be.

Translation
Penance performed out of foolishness, with self-torture or to destroy or injure others, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

Bhagavad Gita 17.20

mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat
pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ
parasyotsādanārthaṁ vā
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam

Synonyms
mūḍha — foolish; grāheṇa — with endeavor; ātmanaḥ — of one’s own self; yat — which; pīḍayā — by torture; kriyate — is performed; tapaḥ — penance; parasya — to others; utsādana-artham — for the sake of causing annihilation; vā — or; tat — that; tāmasam — in the mode of darkness; udāhṛtam — is said to be.

Translation
Penance performed out of foolishness, with self-torture or to destroy or injure others, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

Bhagavad Gita 17.21

yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ
phalam uddiśya vā punaḥ
dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ
tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam

Synonyms
yat — that which; tu — but; prati-upakāra-artham — for the sake of getting some return; phalam — a result; uddiśya — desiring; vā — or; punaḥ — again; dīyate — is given; ca — also; parikliṣṭam — grudgingly; tat — that; dānam — charity; rājasam — in the mode of passion; smṛtam — is understood to be.

Translation
But charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood is said to be charity in the mode of passion.

Bhagavad Gita 17.22

adeśa-kāle yad dānam
apātrebhyaś ca dīyate
asat-kṛtam avajñātaṁ
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam

Synonyms
adeśa — at an unpurified place; kāle — and unpurified time; yat — that which; dānam — charity; apātrebhyaḥ — to unworthy persons; ca — also; dīyate — is given; asat-kṛtam — without respect; avajñātam — without proper attention; tat — that; tāmasam — in the mode of darkness; udāhṛtam — is said to be.

Translation
And charity performed at an impure place, at an improper time, to unworthy persons, or without proper attention and respect is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

Bhagavad Gita 17.23

oṁ tat sad iti nirdeśo
brahmaṇas tri-vidhaḥ smṛtaḥ
brāhmaṇās tena vedāś ca
yajñāś ca vihitāḥ purā

Synonyms
oṁ — indication of the Supreme; tat — that; sat — eternal; iti — thus; nirdeśaḥ — indication; brahmaṇaḥ — of the Supreme; tri-vidhaḥ — threefold; smṛtaḥ — is considered; brāhmaṇāḥ — the brāhmaṇas; tena — with that; vedāḥ — the Vedic literature; ca — also; yajñāḥ — sacrifice; ca — also; vihitāḥ — used; purā — formerly.

Translation
From the beginning of creation, the three words oṁ tat sat were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. These three symbolic representations were used by brāhmaṇas while chanting the hymns of the Vedas and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme.

Bhagavad Gita 17.24

tasmād oṁ ity udāhṛtya
yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ
pravartante vidhānoktāḥ
satataṁ brahma-vādinām

Synonyms
tasmāt — therefore; oṁ — beginning with oṁ; iti — thus; udāhṛtya — indicating; yajña — of sacrifice; dāna — charity; tapaḥ — and penance; kriyāḥ — performances; pravartante — begin; vidhāna-uktāḥ — according to scriptural regulation; satatam — always; brahma-vādinām — of the transcendentalists.

Translation
Therefore, transcendentalists undertaking performances of sacrifice, charity and penance in accordance with scriptural regulations begin always with oṁ, to attain the Supreme.

Bhagavad Gita 17.25

tad ity anabhisandhāya
phalaṁ yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ
dāna-kriyāś ca vividhāḥ
kriyante mokṣa-kāṅkṣibhiḥ

Synonyms
tat — that; iti — thus; anabhisandhāya — without desiring; phalam — the fruitive result; yajña — of sacrifice; tapaḥ — and penance; kriyāḥ — activities; dāna — of charity; kriyāḥ — activities; ca — also; vividhāḥ — various; kriyante — are done; mokṣa-kāṅkṣibhiḥ — by those who actually desire liberation.

Translation
Without desiring fruitive results, one should perform various kinds of sacrifice, penance and charity with the word tat. The purpose of such transcendental activities is to get free from material entanglement.

Bhagavad Gita 17.26-27

sad-bhāve sādhu-bhāve ca
sad ity etat prayujyate
praśaste karmaṇi tathā
sac-chabdaḥ pārtha yujyate

yajñe tapasi dāne ca
sthitiḥ sad iti cocyate
karma caiva tad-arthīyaṁ
sad ity evābhidhīyate

Synonyms
sat-bhāve — in the sense of the nature of the Supreme; sādhu-bhāve — in the sense of the nature of the devotee; ca — also; sat — the word sat; iti — thus; etat — this; prayujyate — is used; praśaste — in bona fide; karmaṇi — activities; tathā — also; sat-śabdaḥ — the sound sat; pārtha — O son of Pṛthā; yujyate — is used; yajñe — in sacrifice; tapasi — in penance; dāne — in charity; ca — also; sthitiḥ — the situation; sat — the Supreme; iti — thus; ca — and; ucyate — is pronounced; karma — work; ca — also; eva — certainly; tat — for that; arthīyam — meant; sat — the Supreme; iti — thus; eva — certainly; abhidhīyate — is indicated.

Translation
The Absolute Truth is the objective of devotional sacrifice, and it is indicated by the word sat. The performer of such sacrifice is also called sat, as are all works of sacrifice, penance and charity which, true to the absolute nature, are performed to please the Supreme Person, O son of Pṛthā.

Bhagavad Gita 17.28

aśraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ
tapas taptaṁ kṛtaṁ ca yat
asad ity ucyate pārtha
na ca tat pretya no iha

Synonyms
aśraddhayā — without faith; hutam — offered in sacrifice; dattam — given; tapaḥ — penance; taptam — executed; kṛtam — performed; ca — also; yat — that which; asat — false; iti — thus; ucyate — is said to be; pārtha — O son of Pṛthā; na — never; ca — also; tat — that; pretya — after death; na u — nor; iha — in this life.

Translation
Anything done as sacrifice, charity or penance without faith in the Supreme, O son of Pṛthā, is impermanent. It is called asat and is useless both in this life and the next.