17.The Divisions of Faith

Question 1

Worship in Different Modes

Answer 1

BG 17.4
yajante sāttvikā devān
yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ
pretān bhūta-gaṇāṁś cānye
yajante tāmasā janāḥ

yajante—worship; sāttvikāḥ—those who are in the mode of goodness; devān—demigods; yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ—those who are in the mode of passion worship demons; pretān—dead spirits; bhūta-gaṇān—ghosts; ca anye—and others; yajante—worship; tāmasāḥ—in the mode of ignorance; janāḥ—people.

Men in the mode of goodness worship the demigods; those in the mode of passion worship the demons; and those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits.

Question 2

Foods in Mode of Goodness

Answer 2

17.8-10
āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-
sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ
rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā
āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ

kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣṇa-
tīkṣṇa-rūkṣa-vidāhinaḥ
āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā
duḥkha-śokāmaya-pradāḥ

yāta-yāmaṁ gata-rasaṁ
pūti paryuṣitaṁ ca yat
ucchiṣṭam api cāmedhyaṁ
bhojanaṁ tāmasa-priyam

Foods in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such nourishing foods are sweet, juicy, fattening and palatable. Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, pungent, dry and hot, are liked by people in the modes of passion. Such foods cause pain, distress, and disease. Food cooked more than three hours before being eaten, which is tasteless, stale, putrid, decomposed and unclean, is food liked by people in the mode of ignorance.

Question 3

Austerity of Speech

Answer 3

17.15
anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ
satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat
svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva
vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate

anudvega—not agitating; karam—producing; vākyam—words; satyam—truthful; priya—dear; hitam—beneficial; ca—also; yat—which; svādhyāya—Vedic study; abhyasanam—practice; ca—also; eva—certainly; vāṅmayaṁ—of the voice; tapaḥ—austerity; ucyate—is said to be.

Austerity of speech consists in speaking truthfully and beneficially and in avoiding speech that offends. One should also recite the Vedas regularly.

Question 4

Austerity of Mind

Answer 4

17.16
manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ
maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ
bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat
tapo mānasam ucyate

manaḥ-prasādaḥ—satisfaction of the mind; saumyatvam—without duplicity towards others; maunam—gravity; ātma—self; vinigrahaḥ—control; bhāva—nature; saṁśuddhiḥ—purification; iti—thus; etat—that is; tapaḥ—austerity; mānasam—of the mind; ucyate—is said to be.

And serenity, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purity of thought are the austerities of the mind.