Chapter 17 describes the three types of faith among people-Saathwic, Raajasic, & Thaamasic. It also gives the division of food, work,penance & charity into these three categories.
2. BHAGAVAD GITA – THE DIVINE
SONG-An Introduction
Bhagavad Gita-Part of the
Sanskrit Epic
Mahabhaaratha.(200 BC to 200
AD)
700 verses in 18 chapters.
A conversation between Lord
Krishna and his close friend
Arjuna in the middle of the
battlefield just before the start
of the Kurukshetra battle.
Arjuna loses his heart and
refuses to fight his teachers
and relatives, and Krishna
revives him by his wise words
of wisdom.
TKG Namboodhiri
4. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
THRIVIDHAA BHAVATHI SRADHAA DE’HINAM SA
SWABHAAVAJA, SAATHWIKEE RAJASEE CHAIVA
THAAMASEE CHE’THI THAAM SRINU. (17.2)
Three-fold is the faith of embodied beings
according to their past impressions(resultants of
acts, behaviour etc. of past lives); it may be
Saathwic, Raajasic, or Thaamasic. Listen to the
following classification.
TKG Namboodhiri
5. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
SATWAANUROOPAA SARVASYA SRADHA BHAVATHI
BHAARATHA, SRADHAAMAYO AYAM PURUSHO YO
YACHRADHAH SA E’VA SAH. (17.3)
Arjuna, in the case of all people, faith conforms
to their inner sense(mind with specialised
impressions). Predominantly, man consists of
his faith; he is what his faith makes of him.
TKG Namboodhiri
6. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
YAJANTHE’ SAATHWIKAA DE’VAAN
YAKSHARAKSHAAMSI RAAJASAAH, PRE’THAAN
BHOOTHAGANAAMSCHAANYE’ YAJANTHE’
THAAMASAA JANAAH. (17.4)
Those of Saathwic faith offer sacrifice to the gods;
those of Raajasic faith to supernatural beings &
monsters. The men of Thaamasic faith offer
sacrifice to ancestral spirits & groups of ghosts.
TKG Namboodhiri
7. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
ASAASTHRAVIHITHAM GHORAM THAPYANTHE’ YE’
THAPO JANAAH, DAMBHAANKAARASAMYUKTHAAH
KAAMARAAGABALAANWITHAAH. (17.5)
Some people with full of lust & greed and
compelled by hypocrisy & ego, do terrific
penance, unordained by scriptures.
TKG Namboodhiri
8. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
KARSAYANTHAH SAREERASTHAM
BHOOTHAGRAAMAMACHE’THASAH, MAAM
CHAIVAANTHAHSAREERASTHAM THAAN
VIDHYAASURANISCHAYAAN. (17.6)
Such people, senseless & foolish, enfeeble the
organs of their bodies & persecute Me
dwelling within their bodies. They are
demonically resolved.
TKG Namboodhiri
9. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
AAHAARASTHWAAPI SARVASYA THRIVIDHO
BHAVATHI PRIYAH, YAJNASTHAPASTHATHAA
DAANAM THE’SHAAM BHE’DAMIMAM SRINU. (17.7)
Similarly, there are three types of food,
sacrifice, penance & charity, dear to
people. Listen to their distribution.
TKG Namboodhiri
10. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
AAYUSSATHWA BALAAROGYA SUKHAPREETHI
VIVARDHANAH, RASYAH SNIGDHAH STHIRA
HRIDYAA AAHAARAH SAATHWIKAPRIYAH. (17.8).
Foods promoting longevity, strength of mind,
power, health, comfort & pleasure, which are
delectable, oily, firm & appetising, appeal to
Sathwic people.
TKG Namboodhiri
11. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
KATWAMLA LAVANAATHYUSHNA THEEKSHNA
ROOKSHA VIDAAHINAH, AAHAARAA
RAJASASYESHTAA DUKHA SOKAAMAYAPRADAAH.
(17.9)
People of Raajasic temperaments like foods
which are excessively bitter, sour, salty, hot,
pungent, harsh & burning, which cause pain,
suffering & ill-health.
TKG Namboodhiri
12. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
YAATHAYAAMAM GATHARASAM POOTHI
PARYUSHITHAM CHA YATH, UCHCHISHTAMAPI
CHAAME’DHYAM BHOJANAM THAAMASA PRIYAM.
(17-10)
The food dear to Thaamasic people is ill-
cooked, tasteless, smelling, decayed,
impure, & left-over by others.
TKG Namboodhiri
14. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
ANUDWE’GAKARAM VAAKYAM SATHYAM
PRIYAHITHAM CHA YATH, SWAADHYAABHYASANAM
CHAIVA VAANGMAYAM THAPA UCHYATHE’. (17.15)
Speaking that does not offend, is truthful,
pleasing, & good, and habitual reading of
scriptures constitute verbal penance.
TKG Namboodhiri
15. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
MANAHPRASAADAH SAUMYATHWAM MAUNAM
ATHMAVINIGRAHAH, BHAAVASAMSUDHIR
ITHYE’THATHTHAPO MAANASAMUCHYATHE’. (17.16)
Mental calmness, gentleness, silence, self-
control, extreme emotional purity- these
constitute penance of the mind.
TKG Namboodhiri
16. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
SRADHDHAYAA PARAYAA THAPTHAM
THAPASTHATHRIVIDHAM NARAIH,
APHALAAKAAMKSHIBHIRYUKTHAIH SAATHWIKAM
PARICHAKSHATHE’. (7.17)
They say that this three-fold penance, practised
with supreme faith, by integrated men free
from desire for reward is Saathwic.
TKG Namboodhiri
17. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
SATHKAARAMAANAPOOJAARTHAM THAPO
DAMBHE’NA CHAIVA YATH, KREEYATHE’ THADIHA
PROKTHAM RAAJASAM CHALAMADHRUVAM. (17.18)
Penance performed hypocritically to win
respect, honour, and reverence is classed
as Raajasic; it is fickle & uncertain.
TKG Namboodhiri
18. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
MOODHDHAGRAAHE’NAATHMANO YATH PEEDAYAA
KRIYATHE’ THAPAH, PARASYOSTHAADANAARTHAM
VA THATHTHAAMASAMUDAAHRITHAM. (17.19)
Penance that is performed obstinately or
that which tortures the self & aims at
injuring others is Thaamasic in nature.
TKG Namboodhiri
19. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
DAATHAVYAMITHI YADDAANAM DEEYATHE’
ANUPAKAARINE’, DE’SE’ KAALE’ CHA PAATHRE’ CHA
THADDAANAM SAATHWIKAM SMRITHAM
A saathwic gift is one made at the right
place & time with the thought ‘’It is good
to make a gift”, to a deserving recipient,
who cannot make a return for it.
TKG Namboodhiri
20. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
YATH THU PRATHYUPAKAARAARTHAM
PHALAMUDDISYA VA PUNAH, DEEYATHE’ CHA
PARIKLISHTAM THADDAANAM RAAJASAM
SMRITHAM. (17.21)
Gifts offered unwillingly, with expectation
of a gift in return, or with an eye to some
advantage, are said to be Raajasic.
TKG Namboodhiri
22. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
ASRADDHAYAA HUTHAM DATHTHAM
THAPASTHAPTHAM KRITHAM CHA YATH,
ASADITHYUCHYATHE’ PAARTHA NA CHA THATH
PRE’THYA NO IHA. (17.28)
What is sacrificed, given as gift, performed as
penance, or done, without faith is said to be
Non-sath; it is effective neither here nor
hereafter.
TKG Namboodhiri