Chapter 17

Chapter 17, Verse 4

यजन्ते सात्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसा: | प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जना: ॥4॥ Transliteration yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣha-rakṣhānsi rājasāḥ pretān bhūta-gaṇānśh chānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ Word Meanings yajante—worship; sāttvikāḥ—those in the mode of goodness; devān—celestial gods; yakṣha—semi-celestial beings who exude power and wealth; rakṣhānsi—powerful beings who embody sensual enjoyment, revenge, and wrath; rājasāḥ—those in the mode of passion;…

Chapter 17, Verse 3

सत्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत | श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्ध: स एव स: ॥3॥ Transliteration sattvānurūpā sarvasya śhraddhā bhavati bhārata śhraddhā-mayo ‘yaṁ puruṣho yo yach-chhraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ Word Meanings sattva-anurūpā—conforming to the nature of one’s mind; sarvasya—all; śhraddhā—faith; bhavati—is; bhārata—Arjun, the scion of Bharat; śhraddhāmayaḥ—possessing faith; ayam—that; puruṣhaḥ—human being; yaḥ—who; yat-śhraddhaḥ—whatever the nature of…

Chapter 17, Verse 2

श्रीभगवानुवाच | त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा | सात्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥2॥ Transliteration śhrī-bhagavān uvācha tri-vidhā bhavati śhraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā sāttvikī rājasī chaiva tāmasī cheti tāṁ śhṛiṇu Word Meanings śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Personality said; tri-vidhā—of three kinds; bhavati—is; śhraddhā—faith; dehinām—embodied beings; sā—which; sva-bhāva-jā—born of one’s innate nature; sāttvikī—of the…

Chapter 17, Verse 1

अर्जुन उवाच | ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विता: | तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्वमाहो रजस्तम: ॥1॥ Transliteration arjuna uvācha ye śhāstra-vidhim utsṛijya yajante śhraddhayānvitāḥ teṣhāṁ niṣhṭhā tu kā kṛiṣhṇa sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ Word Meanings arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; ye—who; śhāstra-vidhim—scriptural injunctions; utsṛijya—disregard; yajante—worship; śhraddhayā-anvitāḥ—with faith; teṣhām—their; niṣhṭhā—faith; tu—indeed; kā—what; kṛiṣhṇa—Krishna; sattvam—mode of goodness; āho—or; rajaḥ—mode…