Verse 1
arjunaḥ uvācha
Arjun said
ye śhāstra-vidhim utsṛijya yajante śhraddhayā-anvitāḥ
who scriptural injunctions disregard worship with faith
teṣhām niṣhṭhā tu kā kṛiṣhṇa sattvam āho rajaḥ tamaḥ
their faith indeed what Krishna mode of goodness or mode of passion mode of ignorance
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Verse 2
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
the Supreme Personality said
tri-vidhā bhavati śhraddhā dehinām sā sva-bhāva-jā
of three kinds is faith embodied beings which born of one’s innate nature
sāttvikī rājasī cha eva tāmasī cha iti tām śhṛiṇu
of the mode of goodness of the mode of passion and certainly of the mode of ignorance and thus about this hear
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Verse 3
sattva-anurūpā sarvasya śhraddhā bhavati bhārata
conforming to the nature of one’s mind all faith is Arjun, the scion of Bharat
śhraddhāmayaḥ ayam puruṣhaḥ yaḥ yat-śhraddhaḥ saḥ eva saḥ
possessing faith that human being who whatever the nature of their faith their verily they
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Verse 4
yajante sāttvikāḥ devān yakṣha rakṣhānsi rājasāḥ
worship those in the mode of goodness celestial gods semi-celestial beings who exude power and wealth powerful beings who embody sensual enjoyment, revenge, and wrath those in the mode of passion
pretān-bhūta-gaṇān cha anye yajante tāmasāḥ janāḥ
ghosts and spirits and others worship those in the mode of ignorance persons
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Verse 5
aśhāstra-vihitam ghoram tapyante ye tapaḥ janāḥ
not enjoined by the scriptures stern perform who austerities people
dambha ahankāra sanyuktāḥ kāma rāga bala anvitāḥ
hypocrisy egotism possessed of desire attachment force impelled by
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Verse 6
karṣhayantaḥ śharīra-stham bhūta-grāmam achetasaḥ
torment within the body elements of the body senseless
mām cha eva antaḥ śharīra-stham tān viddhi āsura-niśhchayān
me and even within dwelling in the body them know of demoniacal resolves
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Verse 7
āhāraḥ tu api sarvasya tri-vidhaḥ bhavati priyaḥ
food indeed even of all of three kinds is dear
yajñaḥ tapaḥ tathā dānam teṣhām bhedam imam śhṛiṇu
sacrifice austerity and charity of them distinctions this hear
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Verse 8
āyuḥ sattva bala ārogya sukha prīti vivardhanāḥ
which promote longevity strength health happiness satisfaction increase
rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirāḥ hṛidyāḥ āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ
juicy succulent nourishing pleasing to the heart food dear to those in the mode of goodness
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Verse 9
kaṭu amla lavaṇa ati-uṣhṇa tīkṣhṇa rūkṣha vidāhinaḥ
bitter sour salty very hot pungent dry chiliful
āhārāḥ rājasasya iṣhṭāḥ duḥkha śhoka āmaya pradāḥ
food to persons in the mode of passion dear pain grief disease produce
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Verse 10
yāta-yāmam gata-rasam pūti paryuṣhitam cha yat
stale foods tasteless putrid polluted and which
uchchhiṣhṭam api cha amedhyam bhojanam tāmasa priyam
left over also and impure foods to persons in the mode of ignorance dear
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Verse 11
aphala-ākāṅkṣhibhiḥ yajñaḥ vidhi-driṣhṭaḥ yaḥ ijyate
without expectation of any reward sacrifice that is in accordance with the scriptural injunctions which is performed
yaṣhṭavyam-eva-iti manaḥ samādhāya saḥ sāttvikaḥ
ought to be offered mind with conviction that of the nature of goodness
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Verse 12
abhisandhāya tu phalam dambha artham api cha eva yat
motivated by but the result pride for the sake of also and certainly that which
ijyate bharata-śhreṣhṭha tam yajñam viddhi rājasam
is performed Arjun, the best of the Bharatas that sacrifice know in the mode of passion
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Verse 13
vidhi-hīnam asṛiṣhṭa-annam mantra-hīnam adakṣhiṇam
without scriptural direction without distribution of prasādam with no chanting of the Vedic hymns with no remunerations to the priests
śhraddhā virahitam yajñam tāmasam parichakṣhate
faith without sacrifice in the mode of ignorance is to be considered
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Verse 14
deva dwija guru prājña pūjanam śhaucham ārjavam
the Supreme Lord the Brahmins the spiritual master the elders worship cleanliness simplicity
brahmacharyam ahinsā cha śhārīram tapaḥ uchyate
celibacy non-violence and of the body austerity is declared as
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Verse 15
anudvega-karam vākyam satyam priya- hitam cha yat
not causing distress words truthful beneficial and which
svādhyāya-abhyasanam cha eva vāṅ-mayam tapaḥ uchyate
recitation of the Vedic scriptures as well as of speech austerity are declared as
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Verse 16
manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvam maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ
serenity of thought gentleness silence self-control
bhāva-sanśhuddhiḥ iti etat tapaḥ mānasam uchyate
purity of purpose thus these austerity of the mind are declared as
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Verse 17
śhraddhayā parayā taptam tapaḥ tat tri-vidham naraiḥ
with faith transcendental practiced austerity that three-fold by persons
aphala-ākāṅkṣhibhiḥ yuktaiḥ sāttvikam parichakṣhate
without yearning for material rewards steadfast in the mode of goodness are designated
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Verse 18
sat-kāra māna pūjā artham tapaḥ dambhena cha eva yat
respect honor adoration for the sake of austerity with ostentation also certainly which
kriyate tat iha proktam rājasam chalam adhruvam
is performed that in this world is said in the mode of passion flickering temporary
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Verse 19
mūḍha grāheṇa ātmanaḥ yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ
those with confused notions with endeavor one’s own self which torturing is performed austerity
parasya utsādana-artham vā tat tāmasam udāhṛitam
of others for harming or that in the mode of ignorance is described to be
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Verse 20
dātavyam iti yat dānam dīyate anupakāriṇe
worthy of charity thus which charity is given to one who cannot give in return
deśhe kāle cha pātre cha tat dānam sāttvikam smṛitam
in the proper place at the proper time and to a worthy person and that charity in the mode of goodness is stated to be
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Verse 21
yat tu prati-upakāra-artham phalam uddiśhya vā punaḥ
which but with the hope of a return reward expectation or again
dīyate cha parikliṣhṭam tat dānam rājasam smṛitam
is given and reluctantly that charity in the mode of passion is said to be
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Verse 22
adeśha kāle yat dānam apātrebhyaḥ cha dīyate
at the wrong place at the wrong time which charity to unworthy persons and is given
asat-kṛitam avajñātam tat tāmasam udāhṛitam
without respect with contempt that of the nature of nescience is held to be
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Verse 23
om tat sat iti nirdeśhaḥ brahmaṇaḥ tri-vidhaḥ smṛitaḥ
syllables representing aspects of transcendence thus symbolic representatives the Supreme Absolute Truth of three kinds have been declared
brāhmaṇāḥ tena vedāḥ cha yajñāḥ cha vihitāḥ purā
the priests from them scriptures and sacrifice and came about from the beginning of creation
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Verse 24
tasmāt om iti udāhṛitya yajña dāna tapaḥ kriyāḥ
therefore sacred syllable om thus by uttering sacrifice charity penance performing
pravartante vidhāna-uktāḥ satatam brahma-vādinām
begin according to the prescriptions of Vedic injunctions always expounders of the Vedas
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Verse 25
tat iti anabhisandhāya phalam yajña tapaḥ kriyāḥ
the syllable Tat thus without desiring fruitive rewards sacrifice austerity acts
dāna kriyāḥ cha vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣha-kāṅkṣhibhiḥ
charity acts and various are done by seekers of freedom from material entanglements
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Verse 26
sat-bhāve sādhu-bhāve cha sat iti etat prayujyate
with the intention of eternal existence and goodness with auspicious intention also the syllable Sat thus this is used
praśhaste karmaṇi tathā sat-śhabdaḥ pārtha yujyate
auspicious action also the word “Sat” Arjun, the son of Pritha is used
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Verse 27
yajñe tapasi dāne cha sthitiḥ sat iti cha uchyate
in sacrifice in penance in charity and established in steadiness the syllable Sat thus and is pronounced
karma cha eva tat-arthīyam sat iti eva abhidhīyate
action and indeed for such purposes the syllable Sat thus indeed is described
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Verse 28
aśhraddhayā hutam dattam tapaḥ taptam kṛitam cha yat
without faith sacrifice charity penance practiced done and which
asat iti uchyate pārtha na cha tat pretya na u iha
perishable thus are termed as Arjun, the son of Pritha not and that in the next world not in this world
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