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Chapter 17 of 18

Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga

The Yoga of the Three Types of Faith

28 Verses | How Faith Shapes Everything We Do

Chapter Overview

Chapter 17 explores how the three gunas influence every aspect of human activity through shraddha (faith). Arjuna asks: What about those who worship with faith but ignore scriptural injunctions? Krishna responds that even faith is colored by the gunas - people are naturally sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic, and their faith, worship, food, sacrifices, austerities, and charity reflect this nature.

The chapter concludes with the sacred formula OM TAT SAT - the three words that sanctify all spiritual acts, ensuring they lead to the Absolute rather than mundane results.

Key Themes

The Three Types Compared

Aspect Sattvic Rajasic Tamasic
Faith (17.4) Worship of gods Worship of demons/yakshas Worship of ghosts/spirits
Food (17.8-10) Juicy, fatty, wholesome; gives life, strength, health, happiness Bitter, sour, salty, hot; causes pain and disease Stale, tasteless, putrid, leftover; causes impurity
Sacrifice (17.11-13) Done without desire for reward, as duty Done for show or for reward Without faith, improper mantras, no charity
Austerity (17.17-19) With faith, not expecting reward For show, respect, honor; unstable With self-torture or to destroy others
Charity (17.20-22) Given at right time, place, to worthy person, as duty Given grudgingly, for return favor Given at wrong time/place, to unworthy, with contempt

Key Verses to Study

Verse 17.3 - Faith According to Nature
sattvanurupa sarvasya shraddha bhavati bharata
"O son of Bharata, the faith of each is in accordance with his nature. Man is made of his faith; as his faith is, so is he."

The profound principle: we become what we have faith in; our nature shapes our faith, and faith shapes us.

Verse 17.8-10 - Three Types of Food
ayuh-sattva-balarogya-sukha-priti-vivardhanah
"Foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction, which are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart, are dear to those in the mode of goodness. Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning, are dear to those in passion, and cause pain, distress, and disease. Food prepared more than three hours before eating, food that is tasteless, decomposed, putrid, and leftover food and food unfit to be offered in sacrifice, is dear to those in ignorance."

What we eat affects our consciousness; choosing sattvic food supports spiritual practice.

Verse 17.14-16 - Three Types of Austerity
deva-dvija-guru-prajna-pujanam shaucham arjavam
"Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Supreme Lord, the brahmanas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy, and nonviolence. Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, as well as in reciting Vedic literature. And austerity of the mind consists in serenity, gentleness, silence, self-control, and purity of thought."

Austerity applies to body, speech, and mind - each has specific practices.

Verse 17.23-27 - OM TAT SAT
om tat sad iti nirdesho brahmanas tri-vidhah smritah
"From the beginning of creation, the three words OM TAT SAT have been used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. These three symbolic representations were used by brahmanas while chanting Vedic hymns and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme. Therefore, all acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity, as recommended by the scriptures, should be begun with OM. TAT means 'That' - one performs sacrifice, austerity, and charity with no desire for results. SAT means 'reality' and 'goodness' - used in the sense of an auspicious act."

The sacred formula that dedicates all action to the Absolute and sanctifies practice.

Verse 17.28 - Without Faith, All is Void
ashraddhaya hutam dattam tapas taptam kritam cha yat
"Anything done as sacrifice, charity, or penance without faith in the Supreme, O son of Pritha, is impermanent. It is called asat and is useless both in this life and the next."

The essential requirement: without shraddha, no action has lasting spiritual value.

OM TAT SAT Explained

These three sacred words represent the Absolute and sanctify spiritual practice:

Using OM TAT SAT transforms mundane actions into spiritual offerings. It removes ego-centeredness and dedicates the fruit to the Absolute.

Reflection Questions

  1. What would you say is your dominant type of faith? Sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic?
  2. Looking at your food choices, which guna do they primarily reflect?
  3. How do you practice austerity of body, speech, and mind?
  4. When you give charity, is it sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic in motivation?
  5. How might using "OM TAT SAT" change your relationship to your actions?
  6. What does verse 17.3 ("as his faith is, so is he") mean for your life?

Practical Applications

  • Food awareness: Track your diet for a week; notice which guna dominates
  • Speech practice: Practice austerity of speech - truthful, pleasant, beneficial
  • Mind cultivation: Develop serenity and self-control through meditation
  • OM TAT SAT practice: Mentally recite this before important activities
  • Faith examination: Observe what you have faith in and how it shapes your life

Key Sanskrit Terms

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