MindKshetraby LogitsLab
← Chapter 17

Bhagavad Gita · 17.4 · Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith·4 of 28

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाःप्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः

yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣha-rakṣhānsi rājasāḥ

pretān bhūta-gaṇānśh chānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ

Sanskrit recitation

Faith has a flavor · 17.1–17.6 · Teaching

Translation

The sattvic, or pure, men worship the gods; the rajasic, or passionate, worship the yakshas and rakshasas; the others, the tamasic or deluded people, worship ghosts and hosts of nature-spirits.

Meaning

Lord Krishna, after defining faith, tells Arjuna how this faith determines the object of worship. The nature of the faith (whether it is Sattvic, Rajasic or Tamasic) has to be inferred from its characteristic effects, viz., the worship of the gods and the like. Each man selects his object of worship according to the ruling Guna of his being. The expression of a mans faith depends on the Guna that is predominant in him. A Sattvic man will give his faith the Sattvic expression, a Rajasic man the Rajasic expression and a Tamasic man the Tamasic expression.Sattvic persons or people with Sattvic faith who are devoted to the worship of the gods, are rare in this world.Yakshas are the brothers of Kubera, the lord of wealth gnomes, the spirits that guard wealth.Rakshasas Beings of strength and power such as Nairrita demons giants gifted with illusive powers.Bhutas Ghosts.

After Swami Sivananda

Faith has a flavor· 17.1–17.6

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

Word-by-word
cha
and
anye
others
devān
celestial gods
yajante
worship
janāḥ
persons
yakṣha
semi-celestial beings who exude power and wealth
rājasāḥ
those in the mode of passion
tāmasāḥ
those in the mode of ignorance
rakṣhānsi
powerful beings who embody sensual enjoyment, revenge, and wrath
sāttvikāḥ
those in the mode of goodness
pretān-bhūta-gaṇān
ghosts and spirits

Related verses

Your reflection

Sign in to save reflections.

Sign in