The Enquiry into the Threefold Shraddha

Arjuna said: Those who, setting aside the ordinance of the Shastra, perform sacrifice with Shraddha, what is their condition, O Krishna? (Is it) Sattva, Rajas, or Tamas?

The Blessed Lord said: Threefold is the Shraddha of the embodied, which is inherent in their nature — the Sattvika, the Rajasika and the Tamasika. Do thou hear of it.

The Shraddha of each is according to his natural disposition, O descendant of Bharata. The man consists of his Shraddha; he verily is what his Shraddha is.

Sattvika men worship the Devas; Rajasika, the Yakshas and the Rakshasas; the others — the Tamasika men — the Pretas and the hosts of Bhutas.

Those men who practise severe austerities not enjoined by the Shastras, given to ostentation and egoism, endowed with the power of lust and attachment, torture, senseless as they are, all the organs in the body, and Me dwelling in the body within; know them to be of Asurika resolve.

The food also which is liked by each of them is threefold, as also Yajna, austerity, and almsgiving. Do thou hear this, their distinction.

The foods which augment vitality, energy, strength, health, cheerfulness, and appetite, which are savoury and oleaginous, substantial and agreeable, are liked by the Sattvika.

The foods that are bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot, pungent, dry, and burning, are liked by the Rajasika, and are productive of pain, grief, and disease.

That which is stale, tasteless, stinking, cooked overnight, refuse, and impure, is the food liked by the Tamasika.

That Yajna is Sattvika which is performed by men desiring no fruit, as enjoined by ordinance, with their mind fixed on the Yajna only, for its own sake.

That which is performed, O best of the Bharatas, seeking for fruit and for ostentation, know it to be a Rajasika Yajna.

The Yajna performed without heed to ordinance, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid of Mantras, gifts, and Shraddha, is said to be Tamasika.

Worship of the Devas, the twice-born, the Gurus, and the wise; purity, straight-forwardness, continence, and non-injury are called the austerity of the body.

Speech which causes no vexation, and is true, as also agreeable and beneficial and regular study of the Vedas — these are said to form the austerity of speech.

Serenity of mind, kindliness, silence, self-control, honesty of motive — this is called the mental austerity.

This threefold austerity practised by steadfast men, with great Shraddha, desiring no fruit, is said to be Sattvika.

That austerity which is practised with the object of gaining welcome, honour, and worship, and with ostentation, is here said to be Rajasika, unstable, and transitory.

That austerity which is practised out of a foolish notion, with self-torture or for the purpose of ruining another, is declared to be Tamasika.

“To give is right”— gift given with this idea, to one who does no service in return, in a fit place and to a worthy person, that gift is held to be Sattvika.

And what is given with a view to receiving in return, or looking for the fruit, or again reluctantly, that gift is held to be Rajasika.

The gift that is given at the wrong place or time, to unworthy persons, without regard or with disdain, that is declared to be Tamasika.

“Om, Tat, Sat”: this has been declared to be the triple designation of Brahman. By that were made of old the Brahmanas, the Vedas, and the Yajnas.

Therefore, uttering “Om”, are the acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity as enjoined in the ordinances, always begun by the followers of the Vedas.

Uttering “Tat”, without aiming at fruits, are the various acts of Yajna, austerity, and gift performed by the seekers of Moksha.

The word “Sat” is used in the sense of reality and of goodness; and so also, O Partha, the word “Sat” is used in the sense of an auspicious act.

Steadiness in Yajna, austerity, and gift is also called “Sat”: as also action in connection with these (or, action for the sake of the Lord) is called “Sat”.

Whatever is sacrificed, given, or performed and whatever austerity is practised without Shraddha, it is called Asat, O Partha; it is naught here or hereafter.