Bhagavad Gita · 17.4 · Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith·4 of 28
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये 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.
- 17.1Arjuna said, "What is the condition of those who, disregarding the injunctions of the scriptures, perform sacrifice with faith—is it Sattva, Rajas, or Tamas, O Krishna?"
- 17.2The Blessed Lord said, "There are threefold faiths inherent in the nature of the embodied: the sattvic (pure), the rajasic (passionate), and the tamasic (dark). Hear of them."
- 17.3The faith of each is in accordance with their nature, O Arjuna. People consist of their faith; as a person's faith is, so are they.
17.4The 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.
- 17.5Those men who practice terrific austerities not prescribed by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, driven by the force of lust and attachment.
- 17.6Know thou these to be of demonical resolves, senselessly torturing all the elements in the body and Me who dwell in the body.
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
- 17.1Arjuna said, "What is the condition of those who, disregarding the injunctions of the…
- 17.2The Blessed Lord said, "There are threefold faiths inherent in the nature of the embodied:…
- 17.13They declare that sacrifice to be Tamasic which is contrary to the ordinances of the…
- 17.22The gift that is given in the wrong place and at the wrong time, to unworthy persons,…