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=== यज्ञदानतपकर्मसु श्रद्धा ॥ Shraddha in Yajna, Dana, Tapa and Karma ===

=== यज्ञदानतपकर्मसु श्रद्धा ॥ Shraddha in Yajna, Dana, Tapa and Karma ===

Absence of shraddha: Making everything inauspicious

The Bhagavad Gita states that yajna, dana, tapa and karma are auspicious and must always be performed.<ref name=":4" /> <blockquote>यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत् । यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम् ॥१८.५॥<ref name=":7" /></blockquote><blockquote>''yajñadānatapaḥkarma na tyājyaṁ kāryameva tat । yajño dānaṁ tapaścaiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām ॥18.5॥''</blockquote>And as explained in the previous section of the article, one's choice of yajna, dana, tapa or karma depends on one's inherent qualities that are driven either by Sattva, Rajas or Tamas. Consequently, in verses 17.11, 17.12 and 17.13, the Bhagavad Gita points out to three types of yajnas viz. Sattvika, Rajasa and Tamasa. And it is mentioned therein that absence of shraddha makes a yajna tamasika in nature.<ref name=":4" /> <blockquote>श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥१७.१३॥<ref name=":5" /> ''śraddhāvirahitaṁ yajñaṁ tāmasaṁ paricakṣate ॥17.13॥''</blockquote>Thus, this verse is both a prohibition against performing a yajna without shraddha and an instruction for performing yajna with shraddha. Because when performed without shraddha, not only yajna but dana, tapa and karma also become asat (or inauspicious) and bear no fruit in this world or beyond.<ref name=":4" /> <blockquote>अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् । असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥१७.२८॥<ref name=":5" /></blockquote><blockquote>''aśraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ tapastaptaṁ kr̥taṁ ca yat । asadityucyate pārtha na ca tatpretya no iha ॥17.28॥''</blockquote>Thus, shraddha is the foundation of Yajna, Dana, Tapa and Karma as it is the presence of shraddha that makes them virtuous.<ref name=":4" /> 

 

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते । यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥१७.११॥

 

 

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् । श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥१७.१३॥<ref name=":5" />

 

Verses 17.11, 17.12 and 17.13, point out to three types of yajñas or sacrifices. In verse 17.13 Krsna tells Arjuna that a yajña is in the nature of tāmasika if it is performed without shraddha, without mantra, without daksinā or remuneration to the priests, without prasādam or food offerings to people attending the yajña, or without following proper procedure laid out in the śāstras. Thus, this verse is both a prohibition against performing yajña without shraddha, and an instruction for performing yajña with shraddha.

 

 

In verse 17.28, Krsna tells Arjuna that not only yajña, but dāna, tapas, and karma also performed without shraddha are said to be without truth and bear no fruit in this world or beyond.  

 

सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते । प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥१७.२६॥

 

यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते । कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥१७.२७॥

 

ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः । ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥१७.२३॥<ref name=":5" />

 

In verses 17.26 and 17.27, the word sat, as it is used in om tatsat, means auspicious, and means that brahman is truth (verse 17.23).

 

It is also stated that yajña, dāna, tapas, and karma are auspicious and must always be performed (see verses 18.329 and 18.530). When performed without shraddha these become asat or inauspicious. It is the presence of shraddha that makes them virtuous. - shraddha as the Foundation of Yajña, Dāna, Tapas, and Karma.

== भगवति श्रद्धा ॥ Shraddha in a Deity ==

== भगवति श्रद्धा ॥ Shraddha in a Deity ==