Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga (श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगः)

Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga (Samskrit: श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगः) is the name of the seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. The theme of this chapter is a response to Arjuna's query about the advice of Shri Krishna in chapter sixteen.

अध्यायसारः ॥ Summary of the Seventeenth Chapter

In the previous Chapter Shri Krishna says that,

यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः । न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ॥१६.२३॥

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ । ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि ॥१६.२४॥

yaḥ śāstravidhimutsr̥jya vartate kāmakārataḥ । na sa siddhimavāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim ॥16.23॥

tasmācchāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te kāryākāryavyavasthitau । jñātvā śāstravidhānoktaṁ karma kartumihārhasi ॥16.24॥

Meaning: He who, casting aside the ordinances of the scriptures, acts under the impulse of desire, attains neither perfection nor happiness nor the supreme goal. Therefore, let the scripture be the authority in determining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done. Having known what is said in the ordinance of the scriptures, one should act here in this world. Based on this, Arjuna asks,“What about those who, even though setting aside scriptural injunctions yet perform worship with shraddha ?”

ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः । तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥१७.१॥ ye śāstravidhimutsr̥jya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ । teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kr̥ṣṇa sattvamāho rajastamaḥ ॥17.1॥

To this, Shri Krishna replies that the shraddha of such people who ignore the injunctions of the scriptures could be either Sattvik, Rajasik or Tamasik in accordance with the basic nature of the person. And, conversely, as is the kind of shraddha, so develops the nature of the person. Thus, in all things like yajna, worship, charity, penance, etc., these qualities become expressed in accordance with the kind of shraddha in which the person concerned is based and they produce results in accordance with the quality of the doer’s shraddha.

Therefore, acts done with right shraddha lead to supreme blessedness while, those done without any shraddha whatsoever, become barren and useless.

त्रिविधा श्रद्धा ॥ Trividha Shraddha

The Bhagavad Gita explains the concept of Shraddha with respect to the Trigunas. It says that Shraddha of people that is born of their individual natures, is of three kinds viz. Sattviki, Rajasi and Tamasi characterized by sattva, rajas and tamas respectively.

त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा । सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥१७.२॥ trividhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāvajā । sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṁ śr̥ṇu ॥17.2॥

Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are together referred to as Trigunas. In Samkhya darshana, they refer to the three metaphysical properties that Prakrti or primordial nature is composed of and are different from the concept of Gunas in the Vaisheshika darshana. It is an interaction between these Samkhyan Trigunas that leads to manifestation of the material universe from the Trigunatmika Prakrti. Manas or mind that plays a key role in all experiences, by mediating between the senses and the intellect to convert simple impressions into preception, is one of the 25 tattvas that evolves from Prakriti. It is believed that the effect is of the same nature as the cause. Therefore, the trigunas present in Prakrti as the three modes of material energy are also present in the mind as 3 types of characteristics. However, they are found in varying proportions in different people. Based on the predominent guna, one's mind-type is classified as Sattvika, Rajasika or Tamasika that in turn influences one's emotions and behaviour.

Since human emotions are largely dependent on the predominence of trigunas in one's mind, the typology of Shraddha, which is a firm belief, an emotion one has towards a deity, person or shastra, is also described as threefold in nature viz. Sattviki, Rajasi and Tamasi, based on one's individual nature.

श्रद्धायाः स्वरूपं प्रभावश्च ॥ Nature and Impact of Shraddha

The Bhagavad Gita emphasizes that the inherent qualities of one’s mind mould one’s Shraddha. And of whatever nature one’s shraddha is, that the person personifies.

सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत । श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥१७.३॥ sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata । śraddhāmayo'yaṁ puruṣo yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ ॥17.3॥

Commenting on this verse, Sri Aurobindo adds that whatever one has faith to see as possible in himself and strive for, that one can create and become.Thus, Shraddha has the ability to shape a person.

Shraddha and Individual Choice

Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are the inherent qualities in one's mind that mould one's shraddha. Each of these Trigunas has an inherent tendency. It is said,

सत्त्वं सुखे संजयति रजः कर्मणि भारत । ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे संजयत्युत ॥१४.९॥ sattvaṁ sukhe saṁjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhārata । jñānamāvr̥tya tu tamaḥ pramāde saṁjayatyuta ॥14.9॥

Meaning: Sattva enjoins one to happiness; rajas conditions one towards fruitive action and tamas veils knowledge and binds one to unmindfulness. Therefore, the nature of one’s shraddha that is based on the predominence of the trigunas in oneself influences the choices one makes. Reflecting this impact of shraddha on individual choice, the Bhagavad Gita states,

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः । प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥१७.४॥ yajante sāttvikā devānyakṣarakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ । pretānbhūtagaṇāṁścānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ ॥17.4॥

Meaning: People in whom sattva prevails worship the devas; people in whom rajas prevails worship the yakshas and rakshasas, and people in whom tamas prevails worship the pretas and bhutaganas.

केऽसुराः ? Who are Asuras ?

Chapter 16 of the Bhagavad Gita concludes with the statement that those who act under the impulse of desire by casting aside the ordinances of scriptures neither attain happiness nor the Supreme goal. And therefore, one must take scriptures as authoritative in determining the dos and donts and act accordingly.

यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः । न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ॥१६.२३॥

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ । ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि ॥१६.२४॥

yaḥ śāstravidhimutsr̥jya vartate kāmakārataḥ । na sa siddhimavāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim ॥16.23॥

tasmācchāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te kāryākāryavyavasthitau । jñātvā śāstravidhānoktaṁ karma kartumihārhasi ॥16.24॥

This forms the basis for the discussion on Shraddha, its role in determining the basic nature of people, its influence on individual choices, etc. in the 17th chapter. Having enumerated the threefold typology of Shraddha based on the Trigunas, Shri Krishna now returns to the fundamental question that prompted the discussion ie. 'who are those who act in disobedience to Vedic scriptures'. To this, he answers,

अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः । दम्भाहंकारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥१७.५॥

कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः । मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥१७.६॥

aśāstravihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ । dambhāhaṁkārasaṁyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ ॥17.5॥

karṣayantaḥ śarīrasthaṁ bhūtagrāmamacetasaḥ । māṁ caivāntaḥśarīrasthaṁ tānviddhyāsuraniścayān ॥17.6॥

Meaning: People who subject themselves to severe austerities and penances not recommended in the scriptures, perform them out of pride and egoism being impelled by the force of lust and attachment, who are foolish, they not only torture the material elements of the body but also the Supreme being dwelling within. And they are to be known as Asuras.

त्रिविधः विन्यासः ॥ Threefold Typology

And the nature of shraddha of a person, reflects in the choices one makes. And it is based on one’s shraddha and inherent qualities, that one chooses the kind of yajna, tapas and dana one performs. 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.

shraddha is the foundation of Yajna, Dana, Tapa and Karma as it is the presence of shraddha that makes them virtuous. Choice depends on the nature.

as is the kind of shraddha, so develops the nature of the person. Thus, in all things like yajna, worship, charity, penance, etc., these qualities become expressed in accordance with the kind of shraddha in which the person concerned is based and they produce results in accordance with the quality of the doer’s shraddha.

आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः । यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ॥१७- ७॥

Ahara

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः । रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥१७- ८॥

कट्‌वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः । आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥१७- ९॥

यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् । उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥१७- १०॥

Yajna

अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते । यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥१७- ११॥

अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् । इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥१७- १२॥

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् । श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥१७- १३॥

Tapa

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् । ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥१७- १४॥

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥१७- १५॥

मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः । भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥१७- १६॥

श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः । अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥१७- १७॥

सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् । क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥१७- १८॥

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः । परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥१७- १९॥

Dana

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे । देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥१७- २०॥

यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः । दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥१७- २१॥

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते । असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥१७- २२॥

Om tat sat

ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः । ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥१७- २३॥

तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः । प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥१७- २४॥

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः । दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥१७- २५॥

सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते । प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥१७- २६॥

Sat & Asat

यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते । कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥१७- २७॥

अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् । असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥१७- २८॥

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे  श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगो नाम सप्तदशोऽध्यायः ॥१७॥