
                                 CHAPTER XVII
                  OF RELIGION BY THE THREEFOLD KINDS OF FAITH
                                       
   _Arjuna._ If men forsake the holy ordinance,
   Heedless of Shastras, yet keep faith at heart
   And worship, what shall be the state of those,
   Great Krishna! Sattwan, Rajas, Tamas? Say!
   _Krishna._ Threefold the faith is of mankind, and springs
   From those three qualities,- becoming "true,"
   Or "passion-stained," or "dark," as thou shalt hear!
   
   The faith of each believer, Indian Prince!
   Conforms itself to what he truly is.
   Where thou shalt see a worshipper, that one
   To what he worships lives assimilate,
   [Such as the shrine, so is the votary,]
   The "soothfast" souls adore true gods; the souls
   Obeying Rajas worship Rakshasas
   Or Yakshas; and the men of Darkness pray
   To Pretas and to Bhutas. Yea, and those
   Who practise bitter penance, not enjoined
   By rightful rule- penance which hath its root
   In self-sufficient, proud hypocrisies-
   Those men, passion-beset, violent, wild,
   Torturing- the witless ones- My elements
   Shut in fair company within their flesh,
   (Nay, Me myself, present within the flesh!)
   Know them to devils devoted, not to Heaven!
   For like as foods are threefold for mankind
   In nourishing, so is there threefold way
   Of worship, abstinence, and almsgiving!
   Hear this of Me! there is a food which brings
   Force, substance, strength, and health, and joy to live,
   Being well-seasoned, cordial, comforting,
   The "Soothfast" meat. And there be foods which bring
   Aches and unrests, and burning blood, and grief
   Being too biting, heating, salt, and sharp,
   And therefore craved by too strong appetite.
   And there is foul food- kept from over-night,
   Savourless, filthy, which the foul will eat,
   A feast of rottenness, meet for the lips
   Of such as love the "Darkness."
   
   Thus with rites;-
   A sacrifice not for rewardment made,
   Offered in rightful wise, when he who vows
   Sayeth, with heart devout, "This I should do!
   Is "Soothfast" rite. But sacrifice for gain,
   Offered for good repute, be sure that this,
   O Best of Bharatas! is Rajas-rite,
   With stamp of "passion." And a sacrifice
   Offered against the laws, with no due dole
   Of food-giving, with no accompaniment
   Of hallowed hymn, nor largesse to the priests,
   In faithless celebration, call it vile,
   The deed of "Darkness!"- lost!
   Worship of gods
   Meriting worship; lowly reverence
   Of Twice-borns, Teachers, Elders; Purity,
   Rectitude, and the Brahmacharya's vow,
   And not to injure any helpless thing,-
   These make a true religiousness of Act.
   
   Words causing no man woe, words ever true,
   Gentle and pleasing words, and those ye say
   In murmured reading of a Sacred Writ,-
   These make the true religiousness of Speech.
   
   Serenity of soul, benignity,
   Sway of the silent Spirit, constant stress
   To sanctify the Nature,- these things make
   Good rite, and true religiousness of Mind.
   
   Such threefold faith, in highest piety
   Kept, with no hope of gain, by hearts devote
   Is perfect work of Sattwan, true belief.
   
   Religion shown in act of proud display
   To win good entertainment, worship, fame,
   Such- say I- is of Rajas, rash and vain.
   
   Religion followed by a witless will
   To torture self, or come at power to hurt
   Another,- 'tis of Tamas, dark and ill.
   
   The gift lovingly given, when one shall say
   "Now must I gladly give!" when he who takes
   Can render nothing back; made in due place,
   Due time, and to a meet recipient,
   Is gift of Sattwan, fair and profitable.
   
   The gift selfishly given, where to receive
   Is hoped again, or when some end is sought,
   Or where the gift is proffered with a grudge,
   This is of Rajas, stained with impulse, ill.
   
   The gift churlishly flung, at evil time,
   In wrongful place, to base recipient,
   Made in disdain or harsh unkindliness,
   Is gift of Tamas, dark; it doth not bless!
   
   HERE ENDETH CHAPTER XVII OF THE
   BHAGAVAD-GITA,
   Entitled "Sraddhatrayavibhagayog,"
   Or "The Book of Religion by the Threefold
   Kinds of Faith."
