ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः ।तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥
Ye shastravidhimutsrijya yajante shraddhayanvitahTesham nishtha tu ka krishna sattvamaho rajastamah
Arjuna asks about people who set aside the rules of scripture (śāstra-vidhi) and yet worship with faith (śraddhā). What is their standing, Krishna: sattva, rajas or tamas? These are the three guṇas of chapter 14. The commentators differ on who these people are (see the views).
Explanation written for this site and checked against the cited edition. Free to quote with credit.
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा ।सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥
Trividha bhavati shraddha dehinam sa svabhavajaSattviki rajasi chaiva tamasi cheti tam shrinu
Krishna answers. The faith of embodied beings is of three kinds, he says, and it is born of each one's own nature (svabhāva): sāttvika, rājasa and tāmasa. He asks Arjuna to hear about it. Telang's note explains this nature as the result of actions in a former birth.
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत ।श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥
Sattvanurupa sarvasya shraddha bhavati bharataShraddhamayoyam purusho yo yachchhraddhah sa eva sah
Krishna says that everyone's faith takes the shape of his sattva, his inner nature, Bharata. A person is made of faith (śraddhā-maya): whatever his faith is, that is what he is. The schools explain the word sattva here (see the views).
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः ।प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥
Yajante sattvika devanyaksharakshansi rajasahPretanbhutagananshchanye yajante tamasa janah
Krishna says that people of sattva worship the gods (devas); people of rajas worship the yakṣas and rākṣasas; and the others, people of tamas, worship the pretas and the hosts of bhūtas. These are beings of the old stories. Besant's notes call the yakṣas demigods, the pretas the departed, and the bhūtas nature-spirits.
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः ।दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥
Ashastravihitam ghoram tapyante ye tapo janahDambhahankarasanyuktah kamaragabalanvitah
Krishna speaks of people who practise fierce austerities (tapas) that the scriptures do not prescribe, full of hypocrisy (dambha) and egoism, and driven by the force of desire and passion. Telang's note gives standing on heated stones as an example of such austerity. The sentence goes on in verse 6.
कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः ।मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥
Karshayantah sharirastham bhutagramamachetasahMam chaivantahsharirastham tanviddhyasuranishchayan
Such people, Krishna says, lack discernment. They torment the elements that make up the body, and him too, who dwells within the body. (The 1922 printing reads karśayantaḥ, 'wearing down', which is Shankara's reading.) He tells Arjuna to know them as people of āsura (demonic) resolve, the nature described in chapter 16. The schools explain who dwells within the body here (see the views).
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः ।यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ॥
Aharastvapi sarvasya trividho bhavati priyahYajnastapastatha danam tesham bhedamimam shrinu
Krishna says that the food each person likes is also of three kinds, and so are sacrifice (yajña), austerity (tapas) and giving (dāna). He asks Arjuna to hear how they differ. Verses 8 to 10 are his words on food, verses 11 to 13 on sacrifice, 14 to 19 on austerity and 20 to 22 on giving. The commentators draw different lessons from this list (see the views). Readings of these verses differ between schools and teachers, and the wording is the text's, not the view of this library.
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः ।रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥
AyuhsattvabalarogyasukhapritivivardhanahRasyah snigdhah sthira hridya aharah sattvikapriyah
Krishna describes the food that people of sattva like: food that, in his words, increases life, energy (sattva), strength, health, happiness and cheer, and that is rasya, snigdha, sthira and hṛdya. Telang renders these four words 'savoury, oleaginous, full of nutrition, and agreeable'; Besant 'savoury, oleaginous, solid and agreeable'. Readings of these verses differ between schools and teachers, and the wording is the text's, not the view of this library.
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः ।आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥
KatvamlalavanatyushnatikshnarukshavidahinahAhara rajasasyeshta duhkhashokamayapradah
Krishna describes the food that people of rajas like: bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry and burning. In his words, such food brings pain, grief and illness. Shankara, in Sastri's translation, takes 'very' (ati) with every word in the list: very bitter, very hot and so on. Readings of these verses differ between schools and teachers, and the wording is the text's, not the view of this library.
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् ।उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥
Yatayamam gatarasam puti paryushitam cha yatUchchhishtamapi chamedhyam bhojanam tamasapriyam
Krishna describes the food that people of tamas like: food that is yāta-yāma (stale, or long past its cooking), gata-rasa (gone flat), pūti (foul-smelling), paryuṣita (kept overnight), ucchiṣṭa (left over from another's meal) and amedhya (impure, unfit for offering). The commentators explain yāta-yāma in different ways (see the views). Readings of these verses differ between schools and teachers, and the wording is the text's, not the view of this library.
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते ।यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥
Aphalakankshibhiryajno vidhidrishto ya ijyateYashtavyameveti manah samadhaya sa sattvikah
Krishna says that a sacrifice (yajña) is sāttvika when it is offered as the scriptures direct, by people who do not seek its fruit, with the mind settled on one thought: it ought to be offered.
अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् ।इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥
Abhisandhaya tu phalam dambharthamapi chaiva yatIjyate bharatashreshtha tam yajnam viddhi rajasam
Krishna says that a sacrifice offered with an eye on its fruit, and also for show (dambha), is to be known as rājasa. He calls Arjuna best of the Bharatas.
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् ।श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥
Vidhihinamasrishtannam mantrahinamadakshinamShraddhavirahitam yajnam tamasam parichakshate
A sacrifice is called tāmasa, Krishna says, when it ignores the rules (vidhi), gives out no food (asṛṣṭa-anna), has no mantras, gives no fee to the priests (dakṣiṇā), and is empty of faith. The commentators explain 'no food given out' and 'without the rules' differently (see the views).
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥
Devadvijaguruprajnapujanam shauchamarjavamBrahmacharyamahinsa cha shariram tapa uchyate
Krishna names the austerity of the body (śārīra tapas): honouring the gods, the twice-born (dvija), teachers and the wise; purity (śauca), straightforwardness (ārjava), brahmacarya and not harming (ahiṃsā). Telang translates dvija as 'Brâhmanas'; his note explains that these count as bodily because the body is the main instrument in them.
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् ।स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥
Anudvegakaram vakyam satyam priyahitam cha yatSvadhyayabhyasanam chaiva vanmayam tapa uchyate
The austerity of speech, Krishna says, is speech that upsets no one (anudvega-kara), that is true, pleasant and beneficial, and the steady practice of sacred study and recitation (svādhyāya). Shankara, in Sastri's translation, says all four marks must go together: true speech that hurts, or pleasant speech that is untrue, is not this austerity.
मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः ।भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥
Manahprasadah saumyatvam maunamatmavinigrahahBhavasanshuddhirityetattapo manasamuchyate
The austerity of the mind, Krishna says, is calmness of mind (manaḥ-prasāda), gentleness (saumyatva), silence (mauna), self-control and purity of heart (bhāva-saṃśuddhi). Telang's note, after Shankara, explains why silence is counted under the mind: control of the tongue follows from control of the mind.
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः ।अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥
Shraddhaya paraya taptam tapastattrividham naraihAphalakankshibhiryuktaih sattvikam parichakshate
Krishna says that this threefold austerity, of body, speech and mind, is called sāttvika when it is practised with the highest faith by people who are steady (yukta) and seek no fruit.
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् ।क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥
Satkaramanapujartham tapo dambhena chaiva yatKriyate tadiha proktam rajasam chalamadhruvam
Austerity done to win respect, honour and worship from others, and for show, Krishna says, is called rājasa; it is unsteady and does not last (cala, adhruva). Telang's note gives examples of the three: people rising to greet one, people calling one a holy man, people washing one's feet.
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः ।परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
Mudhagrahenatmano yatpidaya kriyate tapahParasyotsadanartham va tattamasamudahritam
Austerity done from a foolish notion (mūḍha-grāha), with torment to oneself, or to bring another to ruin, Krishna says, is called tāmasa.
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥
Datavyamiti yaddanam diyatenupakarineDeshe kale cha patre cha taddanam sattvikam smritam
A gift is sāttvika, Krishna says, when it is given because giving is right ('it ought to be given'), to one who does nothing in return, at a fit place and time, and to a worthy person (pātra). Shankara gives examples: a place such as Kurukshetra, a time such as Saṅkrānti, and a person learned in the six aṅgas, the sciences of the Veda.
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥
Yattu pratyupakarartham phalamuddishya va punahDiyate cha pariklishtam taddanam rajasam smritam
A gift is rājasa, Krishna says, when it is given to get something back, or with an eye on some fruit, or given grudgingly (parikliṣṭa). Telang's note names heaven as an example of the fruit hoped for.
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते ।असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
Adeshakale yaddanamapatrebhyashcha diyateAsatkritamavajnatam tattamasamudahritam
A gift is tāmasa, Krishna says, when it is given at the wrong place and time, to unworthy people, without respect and with contempt.
ओं तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः ।ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥
Om tatsaditi nirdesho brahmanastrividhah smritahBrahmanastena vedashcha yajnashcha vihitah pura
Krishna gives 'Om Tat Sat' as the threefold name (nirdeśa) of Brahman. By it, he says, the brāhmaṇas, the Vedas and the sacrifices were set out in the beginning. Verses 24 to 27 explain the use of each word in turn. The schools read 'Brahman' and 'brāhmaṇas' here differently (see the views). Readings of these verses differ between schools and teachers, and the wording is the text's, not the view of this library.
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः ।प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥
Tasmadomityudahritya yajnadanatapahkriyahPravartante vidhanoktah satatam brahmavadinam
Therefore, Krishna says, those who expound the Veda (brahma-vādins) always begin their acts of sacrifice, giving and austerity, done as the rules direct, by saying 'Om'. Telang's note adds that the commentator Nīlakaṇṭha cites Upaniṣad texts in which each of the three words names Brahman.
तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः ।दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥
Tadityanabhisandhaya phalam yajnatapahkriyahDanakriyashcha vividhah kriyante mokshakankshibhih
With the word 'Tat' ('That'), Krishna says, those who seek liberation (mokṣa) perform their many acts of sacrifice, austerity and giving without aiming at the fruit. The schools explain how 'Tat' goes with these acts (see the views).
सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते ।प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥
Sadbhave sadhubhave cha sadityetatprayujyatePrashaste karmani tatha sachchhabdah partha yujyate
The word 'Sat', Krishna says, is used in the sense of being (sad-bhāva) and of goodness (sādhu-bhāva); and, Partha, the word 'Sat' is also used for a praiseworthy act. Telang's note at verse 28 gives Shankara's examples: the birth of a first son for being, the reform of a bad man for goodness, and a marriage for an auspicious act.
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते ।कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥
Yajne tapasi dane cha sthitih saditi chochyateKarma chaiva tadarthiyam sadityevabhidhiyate
Steadiness (sthiti) in sacrifice, austerity and giving is also called 'Sat', Krishna says, and so is any action done for that purpose (tad-arthīya). Telang's note, like Besant's 'these or THAT', gives two readings of 'that': Brahman itself, or sacrifice, austerity and giving (see the views).
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् ।असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥
Ashraddhaya hutam dattam tapastaptam kritam cha yatAsadityuchyate partha na cha tatpretya no iha
Krishna closes the chapter. Whatever is offered in the fire (huta), given or done as austerity, and any act done without faith, Partha, is called 'asat'; he says it counts for nothing, either after death or here. Telang's note reads verses 23 to 28 as giving each of the three words its own use.