🔱 Chapter 17 – The Threefold Nature of Faith (Shlokas 11–28) | Sacrifice, Discipline & Giving: What’s Your Guna?
Shloka 11 – Sattvic Yajna
Sanskrit:
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते।
यष्टव्यमेवेति मन: समाधाय स सात्त्विक:॥
Hindi Translation:
जो यज्ञ शास्त्रों के अनुसार, फल की आकांक्षा के बिना, कर्तव्य समझकर किया जाता है, वह सात्त्विक कहलाता है।
English Translation:
That sacrifice which is offered according to scripture, without expectation of reward, with the thought “this is a duty,” is Sattvic.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
True yajna is surrender — not a deal. When offering is made with no agenda, just reverence, it uplifts both giver and space.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Real giving is quiet. Whether it’s time, energy, or charity — **if you’re counting returns, it’s not Sattvic.** Let duty be joy, not transaction.
Shloka 12 – Rajasic Yajna
Sanskrit:
अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्।
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्॥
Hindi Translation:
हे भरतश्रेष्ठ! जो यज्ञ फल की कामना से या दिखावे के लिए किया जाता है, उसे राजसिक जानो।
English Translation:
Sacrifice performed with desire for reward or for show, know that to be Rajasic, O best of the Bharatas.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Rajasic rituals seek applause or outcome. It’s driven by ego, not offering. The sacred act becomes a performance.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Spirituality becomes Instagram content. Ask: is your intention **devotion or display**? Rituals done for status weaken the soul’s clarity.
Shloka 13 – Tamasic Yajna
Sanskrit:
विधानविहितं यज्ञं श्रद्धाविरहितं यत्।
पञ्चद्रव्यविहीनं च तं यज्ञं विद्धि तामसम्॥
Hindi Translation:
जो यज्ञ विधि के विरुद्ध, श्रद्धा के बिना और आवश्यक सामग्री के बिना किया जाता है, वह तामसिक है।
English Translation:
Sacrifice performed without regard for scriptural guidance, without faith, and lacking proper offering is Tamasic.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Tamas distorts even sacred acts. Without care or reverence, action becomes empty—ritual without soul.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Just going through the motions? Mechanical prayer, rushed meditation, forced rituals — these do not feed the soul. **Presence is sacred.**
Shloka 14 – Tapas of the Body
Sanskrit:
देवाद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शरीरं तप उच्यते॥
Hindi Translation:
देवताओं, ब्राह्मणों, गुरुजनों और ज्ञानी पुरुषों का पूजन, शुद्धता, सरलता, ब्रह्मचर्य और अहिंसा — यह शरीर का तप है।
English Translation:
Worship of gods, elders, teachers, cleanliness, honesty, celibacy, and non-violence—these constitute austerity of the body.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Austerity isn’t punishment — it’s reverence in action. **Respect, restraint, and purity** uplift the body as a sacred vessel.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Taking care of your body is spiritual. It’s not just about fitness — it’s about **intention behind action**. Honor your body; don’t exploit it.
Shloka 15 – Tapas of Speech
Sanskrit:
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते॥
Hindi Translation:
ऐसा वाक्य जो किसी को कष्ट न दे, सत्य, प्रिय और हितकारी हो, तथा वेदों का अध्ययन — यह वाणी का तप है।
English Translation:
Words that do not agitate, are truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, along with scriptural recitation—this is speech austerity.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Tapas of speech = **power with grace**. Truth without harshness, kindness without manipulation. Sacred words **heal**.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Not every opinion needs expression. Speak with clarity, not reaction. **Your words are karma.**
Shloka 16 – Tapas of the Mind
Sanskrit:
मन: प्रसाद: सौम्यता मौनमात्मविनिग्रह:।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते॥
Hindi Translation:
मन की प्रसन्नता, सौम्यता, मौन, आत्मसंयम और भावों की शुद्धता — यह मानसिक तप कहलाता है।
English Translation:
Serenity, gentleness, silence, self-control, and purity of thoughts—this is mental austerity.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
The real battlefield is the mind. And its discipline isn’t loud — it’s quiet mastery. **Peace is power.**
🪔 Modern Insight:
Not reacting is a superpower. Inner silence isn’t emptiness — it’s **depth**. Meditation isn't escape — it's refinement.
Shloka 17 – Sattvic Tapas
Sanskrit:
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरै:।
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तै: सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते॥
Hindi Translation:
जो त्रिविध तप श्रद्धा से और बिना फल की इच्छा के किया जाए, वह सात्त्विक तप कहलाता है।
English Translation:
That threefold austerity, practiced with firm faith and without desire for fruit, is called Sattvic.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Real tapas is inward—it needs no audience. When discipline flows from **faith, not ego**, it refines the soul.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Sattvic discipline feels peaceful, not punishing. It helps you evolve without burnout. **Consistency > intensity.**
Shloka 18 – Rajasic Tapas
Sanskrit:
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्।
क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्॥
Hindi Translation:
जो तप सम्मान, पूजा और दिखावे के लिए किया जाता है, वह राजसिक और अस्थिर है।
English Translation:
Austerity performed for respect, honor, or worship, with hypocrisy, is said to be Rajasic—unstable and impermanent.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
When discipline becomes a show, it loses depth. Rajasic austerity is **for optics, not inner transformation.**
🪔 Modern Insight:
If your practice depends on applause, it isn’t rooted. **Do it when no one’s watching**—then it’s real.
Shloka 19 – Tamasic Tapas
Sanskrit:
मूलग्राहैण आत्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तप:।
परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥
Hindi Translation:
जो तप आत्मपीड़ा या दूसरों को कष्ट देने के उद्देश्य से किया जाता है, वह तामसिक होता है।
English Translation:
Austerity practiced with deluded notions, self-torture, or to harm others is Tamasic.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Tapas that hurts, humiliates, or breaks the spirit—whether yours or another’s—is **darkness masquerading as discipline.**
🪔 Modern Insight:
Pain is not proof of progress. Any path that dulls your light is not a path of truth. **Heal, don’t punish.**
Shloka 20 – Sattvic Dana
Sanskrit:
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्॥
Hindi Translation:
जो दान योग्य स्थान, समय और पात्र को बिना किसी अपेक्षा के दिया जाए, वह सात्त्विक दान है।
English Translation:
Charity given as a duty, to the right person, at the right time and place, without expectation—is Sattvic.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Sattvic giving is **pure and thoughtful**, free from ego, return, or guilt. It nurtures both the giver and receiver.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Real generosity doesn’t ask “What will I get back?” It simply gives—quietly, kindly, wisely.
Shloka 21 – Rajasic Dana
Sanskrit:
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुन:।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्॥
Hindi Translation:
जो दान किसी प्रतिफल या वापसी की आशा से या दुख से दिया जाता है, वह राजसिक है।
English Translation:
Charity given with expectation of return, or grudgingly, is Rajasic.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Rajasic giving keeps score. It’s **conditional compassion**, and often more about the giver than the cause.
🪔 Modern Insight:
If your donation comes with a receipt, a post, and a tag — it’s for your image, not the impact.
Shloka 22 – Tamasic Dana
Sanskrit:
अदृष्टकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्॥
Hindi Translation:
जो दान बिना सोच-विचार, अनुचित पात्र को, अनुचित समय में, और अनादरपूर्वक दिया जाए — वह तामसिक है।
English Translation:
Charity given at the wrong time, to unworthy recipients, or with insult, is Tamasic.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
Tamas gives without discernment. It’s often unhelpful, misplaced, or degrading. Giving that **hurts dignity isn’t real giving.**
🪔 Modern Insight:
Don’t just give—**give with heart, clarity, and respect**. Tamas wastes; Sattva elevates.
Shlokas 23–25 – Om Tat Sat
Sanskrit:
ॐ तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविध: स्मृत:।
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिता: पुरा॥
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतप:क्रिया:।
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्तास्तत्सदित्यनुसारिण:॥
तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतप:क्रिया:।
दानक्रियाश्च विविधा: क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभि:॥
Hindi Translation:
"ॐ तत् सत्" — ये तीन शब्द ब्रह्म की पहचान हैं। वेद, यज्ञ, तप और दान इन्हीं से प्रारंभ होते हैं। मोक्ष चाहने वाले इनका उच्चारण करके निःस्वार्थ भाव से कर्म करते हैं।
English Translation:
“Om Tat Sat” is the triple designation of the Absolute. The Vedas, sacrifices, austerities, and charities are begun with these. Seekers of liberation use them to purify their actions, renouncing results.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
These are not just syllables — they are **vibrations of consciousness**. They align the act with the divine. “Om” unites. “Tat” means ‘not mine’. “Sat” is truth.
🪔 Modern Insight:
Begin your actions with sacred intent. Even simple tasks become sacred when done with **clarity, surrender, and honesty.**
Shlokas 26–28 – Faith Makes It All Real
Sanskrit:
सत्भावे साधुभावे च सत्शब्द: पार्थ युज्यते।
प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सत् शब्द: पार्थ युज्यते॥
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थिति: सत् इति चोच्यते।
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सत् इत्येवाभिधीयते॥
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्।
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह॥
Hindi Translation:
"सत्" शब्द का प्रयोग शुभ भावों, अच्छे कार्यों और श्रद्धा से प्रेरित तप, यज्ञ और दान के लिए होता है। लेकिन जो कार्य श्रद्धा के बिना किए जाते हैं, वे "असत्" कहे जाते हैं — वे न इस लोक में फल देते हैं और न ही परलोक में।
English Translation:
The word "Sat" is used for truth, goodness, and auspicious acts. Any sacrifice, austerity, or gift done with faith is called Sat. But those done without faith are called Asat — untrue — and are fruitless now and later.
🔍 Deep Reflection:
The action itself isn’t enough. **Faith makes it living.** Without sincerity, even the purest ritual is empty.
🪔 Modern Insight:
What you do matters. But **how and why you do it** matters more. Bring your whole heart — or don’t offer at all.
📜 Ancient Verse – Modern Wisdom
| Shloka | Ancient Insight | Modern Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| 17.11–13 | Yajna must be pure, sincere, and without desire | Turn prayer into presence, not performance |
| 17.14–16 | Discipline purifies body, speech, and mind | Your habits shape your soul |
| 17.20–22 | Giving done wrongly degrades karma | Don’t just give—give with discernment |
| 17.23–28 | Om Tat Sat purifies action; faith fuels karma | Spirituality is intention in motion |
🧘 Message to Gen Z
- It’s not just about what you do—it’s about **why**.
- If your spirituality feels hollow, ask: is my heart in it?
- Discipline is sacred when it aligns with **truth, not ego**.
- Give without showing, pray without expecting, grow without noise.
- You don’t need to be perfect—just be **real and reverent.**