Chapter 17
Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga
Last updated: 14 June 2026
श्रद्धात्रय विभाग योग
Total Shlokas: 28~6 min readSanskrit + Multi-language Meanings
Script:
Shloka 1
अर्जुन उवाच। ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः। तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः।।17.1।।
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Arjuna asks: What is the state of those who worship with faith but set aside the scriptural injunctions? Is their faith sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic?
Shloka 2
श्री भगवानुवाच। त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा। सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु।।17.2।।
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Krishna answers: The faith of each person is of three kinds — born of their own nature — sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic. The nature of one's faith reflects the quality of one's being.
Shloka 3
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत। श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः।।17.3।।
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The faith of each person accords with their nature. A person is made of their faith; as their faith is, so are they. We become what we believe.
Shloka 4
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः। प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः।।17.4।।
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Sattvic people worship the gods; rajasic people worship the yakshas and rakshasas; tamasic people worship ghosts and spirits. The object of worship reveals the worshipper's nature.
Shloka 5
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः। दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः।।17.5।।
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Those who practice severe austerities not enjoined by the scriptures, driven by hypocrisy and ego, impelled by the force of desire and attachment...
Shloka 6
कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः। मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्।।17.6।।
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...torturing the elements in their body and also the Supreme dwelling within — know such people to be of demonic resolve. Self-torture is not true spirituality.
Shloka 7
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः। यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु।।17.7।।
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Even the food each person prefers is of three kinds, as are sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Now hear about the distinction between them.
Shloka 8
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः। रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः।।17.8।।
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Foods that promote life, vitality, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction, which are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and agreeable to the heart — these are dear to the sattvic person.
Shloka 9
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः। आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः।।17.9।।
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Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, excessively hot, pungent, dry, and burning — these are preferred by the rajasic person. They cause pain, grief, and disease.
Shloka 10
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्। उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्।।17.10।।
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Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, leftover, and impure is dear to the tamasic person.
Shloka 11
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते। यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः।।17.11।।
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That sacrifice which is offered according to scriptural rules, without desire for rewards, with a firm conviction that it is duty — that is sattvic sacrifice.
Shloka 12
अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्। इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्।।17.12।।
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Sacrifice offered with expectation of reward or for the sake of display — know that to be rajasic sacrifice, performed with selfish motives.
Shloka 13
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्। श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते।।17.13।।
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Sacrifice performed without regard for scriptural injunctions, without distributing food, without mantras, without gifts to the priests, and without faith — that is tamasic sacrifice.
Shloka 14
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्। ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते।।17.14।।
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Worship of the gods, teachers, the wise, and the learned; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-violence — these constitute the austerity of the body.
Shloka 15
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्। स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते।।17.15।।
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Speech that causes no agitation, that is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, and also the practice of self-study — these constitute the austerity of speech.
Shloka 16
मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः। भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते।।17.16।।
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Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control, and purity of the inner nature — this is called the austerity of the mind.
Shloka 17
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः। अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते।।17.17।।
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This threefold austerity, practiced with utmost faith by people who are not desirous of fruit and who are steadfast and disciplined, is said to be sattvic.
Shloka 18
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत्। क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्।।17.18।।
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Austerity performed with the aim of gaining respect, honor, and reverence, and for the sake of show — that is rajasic, unstable, and transitory.
Shloka 19
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः। परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्।।17.19।।
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Austerity performed with foolish stubbornness or with self-torture, or for the purpose of destroying another — that is declared to be tamasic.
Shloka 20
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे। देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्।।17.20।।
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That gift which is given out of duty, at the right time and place, to a worthy person, without expectation of return — that is considered sattvic charity.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 (Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga) about?
Chapter 17, Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga, deals with the threefold faith (shraddha) shaped by the three gunas. It contains 28 verses and is part of the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna at Kurukshetra.
How many verses are in Chapter 17 of the Bhagavad Gita?
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 (Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga) has 28 shlokas (verses). On VedKosh each one is available with the original Sanskrit, transliteration, and meaning in Hindi and English.
What is the key teaching of Chapter 17?
The central teaching of Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga is the threefold faith (shraddha) shaped by the three gunas. Read it as part of the unfolding wisdom Krishna gives Arjuna to resolve his moral crisis and act with clarity.