Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17: Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga

(Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith)

28 verses · Jnana Yoga

The seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna describes the three types of faith corresponding to the three modes of the material nature. Lord Krishna further reveals that it is the nature of faith that determines the quality of life and the character of living entities. Those who have faith in passion and ignorance perform actions that yield temporary, material results while those who have faith in goodness perform actions in accordance with scriptural instructions and hence their hearts get further purified.

भगवद गीता का सत्रहवा अध्याय श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग है। इस अध्याय में, कृष्ण भौतिक प्रकृति के तीन गुणों से संबंधित तीन प्रकार के विश्वासों का वर्णन करते हैं। भगवान कृष्ण आगे बताते हैं कि यह विश्वास की प्रकृति है जो जीवन की गुणवत्ता और जीवित संस्थाओं के चरित्र को निर्धारित करती है। जो लोग लालसा और अज्ञानता में विश्वास रखते हैं, वे ऐसे कार्य करते हैं जो कि अस्थायी और भौतिक फल देते हैं परन्तु जो लोग अच्छाई में विश्वास रखते हैं वे शास्त्रपूर्ण निर्देशों के अनुसार कार्य करते हैं और इसलिए उन्हें स्थायी और अधिक प्रवीण फल प्राप्त होते हैं जो मन को और भी शुद्ध करते हैं।

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17: Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga – Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith

Themes in this chapter

  • Faith according to the gunas
  • Food, sacrifice, and tapas
  • Om Tat Sat

Important teachings

  • Faith itself takes the color of sattva, rajas, or tamas.
  • Food, giving, austerity, and worship are classified so that practice can be examined honestly.
  • The traditional utterance Om Tat Sat is explained as a way of consecrating action.

All verses in Chapter 17

Chapter questions

What is Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 about?

The seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna describes the three types of faith corresponding to the three modes of the material nature. Lord Krishna further reveals that it is the nature of faith that determines the quality of life and the character of living entities. Those who have faith in passion and ignorance perform actions that yield temporary, material results while those who have faith in goodness perform actions in accordance with scriptural instructions and hence their hearts get further purified.

How many verses are in Chapter 17?

Chapter 17, Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga, contains 28 verses.