Public domain translation by Sir Edwin Arnold (1885), via Project Gutenberg. Presented unabridged.
Arjuna.<br/> If men forsake the holy ordinance,<br/> Heedless of Shastras, yet keep faith at heart<br/> And worship, what shall be the state of those,<br/> Great Krishna! Sattwan, Rajas, Tamas? Say!
Krishna.<br/> Threefold the faith is of mankind and springs<br/> From those three qualities,--becoming "true,"<br/> Or "passion-stained," or "dark," as thou shalt hear!
The faith of each believer, Indian Prince!<br/> Conforms itself to what he truly is.<br/> Where thou shalt see a worshipper, that one<br/> To what he worships lives assimilate,<br/> [Such as the shrine, so is the votary,]<br/> The "soothfast" souls adore true gods; the souls<br/> Obeying Rajas worship Rakshasas[FN#34]<br/> Or Yakshas; and the men of Darkness pray<br/> To Pretas and to Bhutas.[FN#35] Yea, and those<br/> Who practise bitter penance, not enjoined<br/> By rightful rule--penance which hath its root<br/> In self-sufficient, proud hypocrisies--<br/> Those men, passion-beset, violent, wild,<br/> Torturing--the witless ones--My elements<br/> Shut in fair company within their flesh,<br/> (Nay, Me myself, present within the flesh!)<br/> Know them to devils devoted, not to Heaven!<br/> For like as foods are threefold for mankind<br/> In nourishing, so is there threefold way<br/> Of worship, abstinence, and almsgiving!<br/> Hear this of Me! there is a food which brings<br/> Force, substance, strength, and health, and joy to live,<br/> Being well-seasoned, cordial, comforting,<br/> The "Soothfast" meat. And there be foods which bring<br/> Aches and unrests, and burning blood, and grief,<br/> Being too biting, heating, salt, and sharp,<br/> And therefore craved by too strong appetite.<br/> And there is foul food--kept from over-night,[FN#36]<br/> Savourless, filthy, which the foul will eat,<br/> A feast of rottenness, meet for the lips<br/> Of such as love the "Darkness."
Thus with rites;--<br/> A sacrifice not for rewardment made,<br/> Offered in rightful wise, when he who vows<br/> Sayeth, with heart devout, "This I should do!"<br/> Is "Soothfast" rite. But sacrifice for gain,<br/> Offered for good repute, be sure that this,<br/> O Best of Bharatas! is Rajas-rite,<br/> With stamp of "passion." And a sacrifice<br/> Offered against the laws, with no due dole<br/> Of food-giving, with no accompaniment<br/> Of hallowed hymn, nor largesse to the priests,<br/> In faithless celebration, call it vile,<br/> The deed of "Darkness!"--lost!
Worship of gods<br/> Meriting worship; lowly reverence<br/> Of Twice-borns, Teachers, Elders; Purity,<br/> Rectitude, and the Brahmacharya's vow,<br/> And not to injure any helpless thing,--<br/> These make a true religiousness of Act.
Words causing no man woe, words ever true,<br/> Gentle and pleasing words, and those ye say<br/> In murmured reading of a Sacred Writ,--<br/> These make the true religiousness of Speech.
Serenity of soul, benignity,<br/> Sway of the silent Spirit, constant stress<br/> To sanctify the Nature,--these things make<br/> Good rite, and true religiousness of Mind.
Such threefold faith, in highest piety<br/> Kept, with no hope of gain, by hearts devote,<br/> Is perfect work of Sattwan, true belief.
Religion shown in act of proud display<br/> To win good entertainment, worship, fame,<br/> Such--say I--is of Rajas, rash and vain.
Religion followed by a witless will<br/> To torture self, or come at power to hurt<br/> Another,--'tis of Tamas, dark and ill.
The gift lovingly given, when one shall say<br/> "Now must I gladly give!" when he who takes<br/> Can render nothing back; made in due place,<br/> Due time, and to a meet recipient,<br/> Is gift of Sattwan, fair and profitable.
The gift selfishly given, where to receive<br/> Is hoped again, or when some end is sought,<br/> Or where the gift is proffered with a grudge,<br/> This is of Rajas, stained with impulse, ill.
The gift churlishly flung, at evil time,<br/> In wrongful place, to base recipient,<br/> Made in disdain or harsh unkindliness,<br/> Is gift of Tamas, dark; it doth not bless![FN#37]
HERE ENDETH CHAPTER XVII. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,<br/> Entitled "Sraddhatrayavibhagayog,"<br/> Or "The Book of Religion by the Threefold Kinds of Faith."