SECTION XLI
[(Bhagavad Gita, Chapter XVII)]
"Arjuna said, 'What is the state, O Krishna, of those who abandoning the
ordinance of the scriptures, perform sacrifices endued with faith? It is
one of Goodness, or Passion, or Darkness?'
"The Holy One said, 'The faith of embodied (creatures) is of three kinds.
It is (also) born of their (individual) natures. It is good, passionate,
and dark. Hear now these. The faith of one, O Bharata, is conformable to
his own nature. A being here is full of faith; and whatever is one's
faith, one is even that. They that are of the quality of goodness worship
the gods; they that are of the quality of passion (worship) the Yakshas
and the Rakshasas; other people that are of the quality of darkness
worship departed spirits and hosts of Bhutas. Those people who practise
severe ascetic austerities not ordained by the scriptures, are given up
to hypocrisy and pride, and endued with desire of attachment, and
violence,--those persons possessed of no discernment, torturing the
groups of organs in (their) bodies and Me also seated within (those)
bodies,--should be known to be of demoniac resolves. Food which is dear
to all is of three kinds. Sacrifice, penance, and gifts are likewise (of
three kinds). Listen to their distinctions as follows. Those kinds of
food that increase life's period, energy, strength, health, well-being,
and joy, which are savoury, oleaginous, nutritive, and agreeable, are
liked by God. Those kinds of food which are bitter, sour, salted,
over-hot, pungent, dry, and burning, and which produce pain, grief and
disease, are desired by the passionate. The food which is cold, without
savour, stinking and corrupt, and which is even refuse, and filthy, is
dear to men of darkness. That sacrifice is good which, being prescribed
by the ordinance, is performed by persons, without any longing for the
fruit (thereof) and the mind being determined (to it under the belief)
that its performance is a duty. But that which is performed in
expectation of fruit and even for the sake of ostentation, know that
sacrifice, O chief of the sons of Bharata, to be of the quality of
passion. That sacrifice which is against the ordinance, in which no food
is dealt out, which is devoid of mantras (sacred verse), in which no fees
are paid to the brahmanas assisting to it, and which is void of faith, is
said to be of the quality of darkness. Reverence to the gods, regenerate
ones, preceptors, and men of knowledge, purity, uprightness, the
practices of a Brahmacharin, and abstention from injury, are said to
constitute the penance of the body. The speech which causeth no
agitation, which is true, which is agreeable and beneficial, and the
diligent study of the Vedas, are said to be the penance of speech.
Serenity of the mind, gentleness, taciturnity, self-restraint, and purity
of the disposition,--these are said to be the penance of the mind. This
three-fold penance performed with perfect faith, by men without desire of
fruit, and with devotion, is said to be of the quality of goodness. That
penance which is performed for the sake of (gaining) respect, honour, and
reverence, with hypocrisy, (and) which is unstable and transient is said
to be of the quality of passion. That penance which is performed under a
deluded conviction, with torture of one's self, and for the destruction
of another, is said to be of the quality of darkness. That gift which is
given because it ought to be given, to one who cannot return any service
for it, in a proper time, and to a proper person, is said to be of the
quality of goodness. That, however, which is given reluctantly, for
return of services (past or expected), or even with an eye to
fruit,--that gift is said to be of the quality of passion. In an unfit
place and at an unfit time, the gift that is made to an unworthy object,
without respect, and with contempt, is said to be of the quality of
darkness. OM, TAT, SAT, this is said to be the three-fold designation of
Brahma. By that (Brahma), the Brahmanas and the Vedas, and the
Sacrifices, were ordained of old. Therefore, uttering the syllable OM,
the sacrifices, gifts, and penances, prescribed by the ordinance, of all
utterers of Brahma begin. Uttering TAT, the various rites of sacrifice,
penance, and gifts, without expectation of fruit, are performed by those
that are desirous of deliverance. SAT is employed to denote existence and
goodness. Likewise, O son of Pritha, the word SAT is used in any
auspicious act. Constancy in sacrifices, in penances and in gifts, is
also called SAT, and an act, too, for the sake of That is called
SAT.[291] Whatever oblation is offered (to the fire), whatever is given
away, whatever penance is performed, whatever is done, without faith, is,
O son of Pritha, said to be the opposite of SAT; and that is nought both
here and hereafter.[292]'
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