17. Three Divisions of Faith

Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāg Yog

BG 17.2

Krishna replied: Let me tell you of the types of faith in all embodied beings, born of their nature - pure faith, passionate faith, and ignorant faith.

श्री भगवानुवाचत्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां श्रृणु


  • śhrī-bhagavān — Krishna

    • śhrī — supreme

    • bhagavān — God

  • uvācha — said

  • tri-vidhā — of three kinds

    • tri — three

    • vidhā — kinds

  • bhavati — is

  • śhraddhā — faith

  • dehināṁ — embodied beings
    Dehināṁ usually translates to "one who has accepted this material body". Dehī refers to any living being, especially a human being, and specifically refers to the physical body separate from the inner faculties (e.g. intellect, inner self).

  • — which

  • svabhāva-jā — born of innate nature
    sva-bhāva-jā—born of one’s innate nature

    • svabhāva

  • sāttvikī — of the nature of purity

  • rājasī — of the nature of passion

  • chaiva — and certainly

  • tāmasī — of the nature of ignorance

  • cheti — and thus

  • tāṁ — about this

  • śhṛiṇu — hear

...17.1

Krishna replied: Let me tell you of the types of faith in all embodied beings, born of their nature - pure faith, passionate faith, and ignorant faith.

[2]

Every person's faith is in accordance with their inner nature. All people possess faith, and whatever their faith may be, that is what they become.

[3]

The pure worship the gods, the passionate worship the powers of wealth and magic, while the ignorant worship ancestors and ghosts.

[4]

17.5...
Chapter 17, Verse 2