Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 17, Sraddhathraya Vibhaga Yoga, interpreted by Mahatma Gandhi, talks about faith & its various forms. Sri Krishna tells that in humans, faith is of 3 types, Sattvic, Rajasic, & Tamasic. These three types are described. Then He tells that food, Sacrifice, Austerity, & Charity are of three types. They are described. Then the Lord explains the meanings of Om, Tat, Sat, the three intonations used in all Vedic rites.

1. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
T K G NAMBOODHIRI
THIRUVALLA, KERALA
Presentation adapted from
The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi, Orient
Paperbacks,2011
T K G Namboodhiri

2. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
T K G Namboodhiri
CHAPTER 17
SHRADDHA THRAYA
VIBHAGA YOGA

3. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
CHAPTER 17 - Introduction
In this Chapter, Shraddha Thraya
Vibhaga Yoga, Lord Krishna talks
about the threefold faith of men,
sattvik, rajasik & tamasik. One’s
faith is moulded by his basic
nature. The Lord then describes the
three types of worship, austerity,
food, Yajna, & gifts.
T K G Namboodhiri

4. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verse 17.1
Arjuna inquires:
What, then, O Krishna, is the position of
those who forsake the rule of Shastra &
yet worship with faith? Do they act from
sattva or rajas or tamas?
Arjuna had this doubt: what is the situation
of those who worship disregarding the
manner explained in the shastras, by
disregarding the shishtachara, or, without
the guidance of a guru, but with faith &
humility.
T K G Namboodhiri

5. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verses 17.2 & 17.3
Sri Krishna replies:
Threefold is the faith of men, an expression of their
nature in each case; it is sattvik, rajas or tamas.
Hear thou of it.
The faith of every man is in accord with his innate
character, man is made up of faith, whatever his
object of faith, even so it be.
Sri Krishna assumes that a person may disregard the
manner enjoined in the shastras, & explains what kind of
faith such a person has—whether it is sattvik or rajasik
or tamasik?
Faith can be enlightening. Everyone needs faith, provided
one is not misguided by it. The faith of a person is
influenced by the gunas or modes of material nature
which one has.
T K G Namboodhiri

6. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verses 17.4 to 17.6
Sattvik persons worship the gods, (those of) rajasik
nature worship the Yakshas & Rakshasas, & others—
men of tamas– worship manes & spirits.
Those men who, wedded to pretentiousness &
arrogance, possessed by the violence of lust &
passion, practise fierce austerity not ordained by
Shastra.
They, whilst they torture the several elements that
make-up their bodies, torture Me too dwelling in them,
know them to be of unholy resolves.
Those who do not abide by the rules enjoined by
Shastras but their pride & ego, impelled by lust &
attachment, follow their self-chosen way fall into such
a demonic state.
T K G Namboodhiri

7. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verses 17.7 to 17.10
Of three kinds again is the food that is dear to each; so
also are sacrifice, austerity, & charity. Hear how they
differ.
Victuals that add to one’s years, vitality, strength, health,
happiness & appetite; are savoury, rich, substantial &
inviting are dear to the sattvik.
Victuals that are bitter, sour, salty, over hot, spicy, dry,
burning & causing pain, bitterness & disease, are dear to
the rajas.
Food which has become cold, insipid, putrid, stale,
discarded & unfit for sacrifice, is dear to the tamas.
This classification, valid for the times of Arjuna &
Krishna, may not be strictly applicable to the present
times. Now we try to restrict salt, sugar & oils in our
food, which are all classified as sattvik here.
T K G Namboodhiri

8. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verses 17.11 to 17.13
That sacrifice is sattvik which is willingly
offered as a duty, without desire for fruit &
according to the rule.
But when sacrifice is offered with an eye to
fruit & for vain glory, know, O Bharatarshabha,
that it is rajas.
Sacrifice which is contrary to the rule, which
produces no food, which lacks the sacred text,
which involves no giving up & which is devoid
of faith is said to be tamas.
For example, performing of a Yajna without dakshina,
meaning without some gifts to the poor, is tamas, born of
ignorance. It is performed for selfish reasons.
T K G Namboodhiri

9. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verses 17.14 & 17.15
Homage to the gods, to Brahmins, to gurus
& to wise men; cleanliness, uprightness,
brahmacharya & non-violence--- these
constitute austerity (tapas) of the body.
Words that cause no hurt, that are true,
loving & helpful, & spiritual study constitute
austerity of speech.
Now Sri Krishna talks about the three types
of austerity (tapas). Austerity of body &
austerity of speech are described here.
Both are sattvik.
T K G Namboodhiri

10. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verses 17.16 & 17.17
Serenity, benignity, silence, self-restraint &
purity of the spirit– these constitute
austerity of the mind.
This threefold austerity, (of body, speech &
mind), practised in perfect faith by men not
desirous of fruit, &disciplined, is said to be
sattvik.
Sattvik austerity, of body, mind & speech,
purify the mind & leads to spiritual
progress.
T K G Namboodhiri

11. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verses 17.18 & 17.19
Now the Lord talks about austerity of the
rajasik & tamasik types.
Austerity which is practised with an eye to gain
praise, honour & homage & for ostentation is
said to be rajas; it is fleeting & unstable.
Austerity which is practised from any foolish
obsession, either to torture oneself or to
procure another’s ruin is called tamas.
Rajasik & tamasik austerities are performed
with selfish motives & are of little value to the
spiritual upliftment of the person.
T K G Namboodhiri

12. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verses 17.20 to 17.22
Shri Krishna now talks about charity:
Charity given as a matter of duty, without
expectation of any return, at the right place & time,
to the right person is said to be sattvik.
Charity which is given either in the hope of
receiving in return, or with a view to winning merit,
or grudgingly, is declared to be rajas.
Charity given at the wrong place & time, & to an
undeserving recipient, disrespectfully & with
contempt, is declared to be tamas.
Charity rightly given in certain circumstances may
not be right in other circumstances. This is also
true about recipients.
T K G Namboodhiri

13. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verses 17.23 & 17.24
Aum Tat Sat has been declared to be the
threefold name of Brahman & by that name
were created of old, the Brahmanas, the Vedas
& Sacrifices.
Therefore, with Aum ever on their lips, all the
rites of sacrifice, charity & austerity, proceed
always according to the rule, by Brahmavadins.
From the beginning of creation, the three words
Om Tat Sat were used to indicate the Supreme
Absolute Truth. Those who seek knowledge of
the Brahman dedicate all their Yajnas, gifts &
tapas to the Lord with these words on their lips.
T K G Namboodhiri

14. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verses 17.25 to 17.27
With utterance of Tat & without desire for fruit
are the several rites of sacrifice, austerity &
charity performed by those seeking freedom.
Sat is employed in the sense of ‘real’ & ‘good’;
O Partha, Sat is also applied to beautiful deeds.
Constancy in sacrifice, austerity & charity, is
called Sat, & all work for these purpose is also
Sat.
Aum comes first in all these actions. Sat
signifies the process of their performance, &
also stands for Hari.
T K G Namboodhiri

15. THE BHAGAVD GITA
ACCORDING TO
GANDHI
Verse 17.28
Whatever is done, O Partha, by way of sacrifice,
charity or austerity or any other work, is called
Asat if done without faith. It counts for naught
hereafter as here.
The Lord concludes this chapter with this verse where
He stresses the need for faith in whatever you do. AUM
TAT SAT means all that exists is Aum, that “I” is unreal,
that God alone is & nothing is & nothing else is real. Aum
Tat Sat is a vow of humility. It teaches us to realize our
utter insignificance, to be completely free from egotism.
This chapter emphasizes that the reign of the three
gunas prevails throughout the universe. Existing apart
from the three gunas is God. We have to merge in Him.
End of Chapter 17.
T K G Namboodhiri