🌿 Chapter 17 – The Threefold Nature of Faith (Shlokas 1–10) | Why You Believe What You Do
Shloka 1
Sanskrit:
अर्जुन उवाच
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विता:।
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तम:॥
Hindi Translation:
अर्जुन ने पूछा: हे कृष्ण! जो लोग शास्त्रों को त्यागकर श्रद्धा से युक्त होकर पूजन करते हैं, उनकी श्रद्धा किस प्रकार की है—सात्त्विक, राजसिक या तामसिक?
English Translation:
Arjuna said: Those who, setting aside scriptural injunctions, worship with faith—what is the nature of their faith, O Krishna? Is it Sattvic, Rajasic, or Tamasic?
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Arjuna’s question is subtle: **What if someone is sincere but not scripturally guided?** Does faith alone suffice? Krishna’s answer: **Even faith is shaped by nature (guna).**
🪔 Modern Insight:
Not all faith leads upward. Sincerity isn't enough if it lacks discernment. Even **what we believe in** is colored by our inner energy state.
Shloka 2
Sanskrit:
श्रीभगवानुवाच
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा।
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु॥
Hindi Translation:
श्रीभगवान ने कहा: शरीरधारी प्राणियों की श्रद्धा तीन प्रकार की होती है—जो उनके स्वभाव से उत्पन्न होती है: सात्त्विक, राजसिक और तामसिक।
English Translation:
The Blessed Lord said: The faith of embodied beings is of three kinds, born of their nature—Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic. Hear about them now.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Faith is not randomly chosen—it is **grown** from within. One’s **mindset, karma, and inner tendencies** shape what they believe in, and how.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Ever wondered why people are drawn to very different paths, gods, or ideologies — even with equal sincerity? It's not the belief, it's the **state of consciousness** behind it.
Shloka 3
Sanskrit:
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत।
श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्ध: स एव स:॥
Hindi Translation:
हे भारत! प्रत्येक मनुष्य की श्रद्धा उसके सत्त्व (स्वभाव) के अनुसार होती है। मनुष्य श्रद्धामय होता है—जिस प्रकार की श्रद्धा होती है, वही उसका स्वरूप बन जाता है।
English Translation:
The faith of everyone conforms to their nature, O Bharata. A person is made of their faith. As their faith, so are they.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
You become what you believe — because belief shapes behavior, and behavior becomes identity. **Your faith carves your future.**
🪔 Modern Insight:
You don’t just “have” faith — **you are your faith**. What you trust, pursue, and internalize eventually becomes your inner world. Choose wisely.
Shloka 4
Sanskrit:
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसा:।
प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जना:॥
Hindi Translation:
सात्त्विक लोग देवताओं की पूजा करते हैं, राजसिक यक्षों और राक्षसों की, और तामसिक लोग प्रेतों और भूतगणों की पूजा करते हैं।
English Translation:
The Sattvic worship celestial gods, the Rajasic worship spirits and demons, and the Tamasic worship ghosts and lower beings.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Faith reveals desire: **the Sattvic seek upliftment**, **the Rajasic seek power**, **the Tamasic seek control or fear-based rituals**. What one worships reflects *what one values most*.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Some pray to connect, some to conquer, some out of fear. Your object of devotion says a lot about your **state of evolution**.
Shlokas 5–6
Sanskrit:
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जना:।
दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ता: कामरागबलान्विता:॥
कर्षयन्त: शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतस:।
मां चैवान्त:शरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्॥
Hindi Translation:
जो लोग शास्त्रों के विरुद्ध, घोर तप करते हैं—दम्भ, अहंकार और वासना से प्रेरित होकर, और शरीर को कष्ट देते हैं—वे आत्मा को और मुझको (जो शरीर में स्थित है) पीड़ा पहुँचाते हैं। जान लो कि वे आसुरी संकल्प वाले हैं।
English Translation:
Those who perform severe austerities not prescribed by scriptures, driven by ego, pride, and lust, and who torture their bodies and the Self within—it should be known that they are of demoniac resolve.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Krishna warns against **egoic self-denial disguised as spirituality**. When austerity becomes self-abuse or display, it’s no longer divine. The soul suffers in the name of virtue.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Hustle without harmony, "grind" culture, toxic productivity—these are modern tapas gone wrong. **If your self-discipline disconnects you from compassion, it’s not spiritual growth.**
Shloka 7
Sanskrit:
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रिय:।
यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु॥
Hindi Translation:
भोजन भी तीन प्रकार का होता है, जैसे यज्ञ, तप और दान भी तीन प्रकार के होते हैं। अब उनके भेदों को सुनो।
English Translation:
Even food dear to all is of three types, as are sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Hear about the distinctions between them.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Krishna links **inner energy (guna)** with our **everyday preferences** — what we eat, how we give, how we worship. Spirituality is not separate from lifestyle—it is *reflected through it*.
🪔 Modern Insight:
What you crave, how you eat, and what energizes you is a **mirror of your inner clarity**. Conscious food = conscious life.
Shloka 8
Sanskrit:
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनम्।
रस्यास्निग्धा स्थिरा हृद्या आहार: सात्त्विकप्रिय:॥
Hindi Translation:
जो भोजन जीवन, बल, स्वास्थ्य, सुख और प्रेम को बढ़ाता है—रसयुक्त, स्निग्ध, स्थिर और हृदय को प्रिय होता है—वह सात्त्विक भोजन है।
English Translation:
Foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and satisfaction—juicy, nourishing, firm, and pleasing—are dear to the Sattvic.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Sattvic food supports not just health but **mental clarity and inner lightness**. It’s chosen with awareness, consumed with balance.
🪔 Modern Insight:
What you eat doesn’t just fuel the body—it **conditions your mind**. Energy, calm, and focus begin with conscious consumption.
Shloka 9
Sanskrit:
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिन:।
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दु:खशोकामयप्रदा:॥
Hindi Translation:
तीखे, खट्टे, नमकीन, बहुत गरम, तेज, रूखे और जलन पैदा करने वाले खाद्य पदार्थ राजसिकों को प्रिय होते हैं। वे दुख, शोक और रोग उत्पन्न करते हैं।
English Translation:
Foods that are excessively bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry, and burning—are liked by the Rajasic and cause pain, sorrow, and disease.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Rajasic food excites, overstimulates, and eventually **burns the system**. It reflects a restless, craving-driven mind.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Junk food, caffeine binges, aggressive snacking — these are signs of an **anxious energy state**. Learn to eat from **peace**, not impulse.
Shloka 10
Sanskrit:
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्।
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्॥
Hindi Translation:
बासी, रसहीन, सड़ा हुआ, दुर्गंधयुक्त, दूषित, और अशुद्ध (जूठा) भोजन तामसिकों को प्रिय होता है।
English Translation:
Food that is stale, tasteless, foul-smelling, decomposed, leftover, and impure is dear to the Tamasic.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Tamas reflects in **lethargic, low-vibration choices**—even in diet. The body becomes dull, the mind clouded, and the soul distanced.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Microwave leftovers, sugary indulgence, excessive overeating at night — signs of emotional eating, not hunger. Tamas grows silently in poor food habits.
📜 Ancient Verse – Modern Wisdom
| Shloka | Timeless Insight | Modern Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| 17.3 | Faith reflects inner nature | Your beliefs shape your destiny |
| 17.4–6 | Not all faith or austerity is healthy | Spirituality without self-awareness is dangerous |
| 17.8–10 | Food reflects and reinforces your guna | Eat consciously; it feeds your energy and mindset |
🧘 Message to Gen Z
- Your faith doesn’t need to be perfect — just sincere and evolving.
- What you eat affects how you think — fuel your focus, not your cravings.
- Listen to what you worship. Your values are shaped by your attention.
- Discipline isn’t punishment — it’s self-respect in motion.
- Don’t just believe. Become aware of what’s *believing through you*.