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.

1. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
T. K. G. NAMBOODHIRI
THIRUVALLA, KERALA
INDIA

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

3. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
CHAPTER 17
SRADHDHAATHRAYAVIBHAAGA YOGA
THE YOGA OF DIVISION OF THREEFOLD
FAITH
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

13. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
DE’VADWIJAGGURUPRAANJAPOOJANAM
SAUCHAMAARJAVAM, BRAHMACHARYAMAHIMSAA
CHA SAAREERAM THAPA UCHYATHE’. (17.14)
Reverence to the gods, brahmins, the
preceptors, & wise scholars, cleanliness,
guilelessness, continence, & non-violence-
these constitute bodily penance.
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

21. Gems
of
Bhagavad Gita
ADDE’SAKAALE’ YADDAANAMAPAATHRE’BHYASCHA
DEEYATHE’, ASATHKRITHAMAVAJNAATHAM
THATHTHAAMASAMUDAAHRITHAM. (17.22)
A Thaamasic gift is what is improperly &
insultingly offered at the wrong place &
time, to undeserving recipients.
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