Bhagavad Gita 17.1 — Faith Without Scriptural Guidance: Which Mode Does It Belong To?
अर्जुन उवाच ।
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ।
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥ १७.१ ॥
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Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is the condition of those who set aside the injunctions of the scriptures but worship with faith? Is it one of goodness (sattva), passion (rajas), or ignorance (tamas)?
Transliteration (IAST)
Word Separation
The Sanskrit verse is separated into individual words (Padched) for easier study.
Word Meanings
| Line 1 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| ye | those who |
| śhāstravidhim | the injunctions of the scriptures; the rules prescribed by the scriptures |
| utsṛjya | having discarded; having set aside |
| yajante | worship; perform sacrifice |
| śhraddhayā | with faith |
| anvitāḥ | endowed; filled |
| Line 2 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| teṣhām | their |
| niṣhṭhā | condition; standing; steadfast state |
| tu | then; indeed |
| kā | what |
| kṛṣṇa | O Krishna |
| sattvam | the mode of goodness; purity |
| āho | or |
| rajaḥ | the mode of passion |
| tamaḥ | the mode of ignorance; inertia |
| Line 1 | Line 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| ye | those who | teṣhām | their |
| śhāstravidhim | the injunctions of the scriptures; the rules prescribed by the scriptures | niṣhṭhā | condition; standing; steadfast state |
| utsṛjya | having discarded; having set aside | tu | then; indeed |
| yajante | worship; perform sacrifice | kā | what |
| śhraddhayā | with faith | kṛṣṇa | O Krishna |
| anvitāḥ | endowed; filled | sattvam | the mode of goodness; purity |
| āho | or | ||
| rajaḥ | the mode of passion | ||
| tamaḥ | the mode of ignorance; inertia | ||
Detailed Meaning
Introduction
Chapter 17 opens with a sincere question from Arjuna. Having heard in the previous chapter that those who abandon the injunctions of the scriptures and act on desire attain neither perfection nor happiness, he wonders about people who do not follow the scriptures but still worship with faith. What is the true standing of such people?
Essence
Arjuna's Honest Doubt
At the end of Chapter 16, Lord Krishna declared that the scripture (śāstra) is the standard by which one should decide what to do and what to avoid. This raised a very natural doubt in Arjuna's mind. In the real world, countless people have never studied the scriptures or may not even know their rules, yet they worship, pray, fast, and perform rituals with deep sincerity. Are they all to be dismissed as acting out of desire? Arjuna does not want a theoretical answer; he wants to understand real people as they actually are.
Ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya (those who set aside the scriptural injunction): The phrase does not necessarily describe rebellious or arrogant people. It also covers those who act out of ignorance, convenience, family custom, or simple lack of access to the teaching. Arjuna is asking about all who worship without following the prescribed method.
Śraddhayānvitāḥ (endowed with faith): This is the heart of the question. These people are not indifferent or faithless; they have śraddhā, a deep inner trust and conviction. Arjuna therefore asks what the quality of such faith is.
Niṣṭhā (the foundation or standing): Niṣṭhā means the ground on which a person's inner life is established. Arjuna offers three possibilities: sattva (purity and clarity), rajas (passion and restlessness), or tamas (inertia and darkness). He has already heard in earlier chapters that these three guṇas govern all of nature, and now he wants to know how they govern something as personal as faith.
The question shows that in the Gita, the real test of spirituality is not only what outward act a person performs, but what inner quality drives it. The same ritual can spring from purity, from ambition, or from delusion.
Message for Everyday Life (Looking Beneath the Surface of Belief)
Do not judge faith by its outward form: In daily life we tend to measure a person's spirituality by labels, rituals, and appearances. Arjuna's question invites us to look deeper and ask what motive and what quality of mind lie behind a belief or practice.
Practical approach: Examine your own habits of worship, discipline, or service. Ask yourself honestly: Is this growing out of clarity and love, out of the desire for recognition, or out of fear and habit? Sincere self-questioning, just like Arjuna's, is the first step toward purifying one's faith.
Arjuna's Honest Doubt
At the end of Chapter 16, Lord Krishna declared that the scripture (śāstra) is the standard by which one should decide what to do and what to avoid. This raised a very natural doubt in Arjuna's mind. In the real world, countless people have never studied the scriptures or may not even know their rules, yet they worship, pray, fast, and perform rituals with deep sincerity. Are they all to be dismissed as acting out of desire? Arjuna does not want a theoretical answer; he wants to understand real people as they actually are.
Ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya (those who set aside the scriptural injunction): The phrase does not necessarily describe rebellious or arrogant people. It also covers those who act out of ignorance, convenience, family custom, or simple lack of access to the teaching. Arjuna is asking about all who worship without following the prescribed method.
Śraddhayānvitāḥ (endowed with faith): This is the heart of the question. These people are not indifferent or faithless; they have śraddhā, a deep inner trust and conviction. Arjuna therefore asks what the quality of such faith is.
Niṣṭhā (the foundation or standing): Niṣṭhā means the ground on which a person's inner life is established. Arjuna offers three possibilities: sattva (purity and clarity), rajas (passion and restlessness), or tamas (inertia and darkness). He has already heard in earlier chapters that these three guṇas govern all of nature, and now he wants to know how they govern something as personal as faith.
The question shows that in the Gita, the real test of spirituality is not only what outward act a person performs, but what inner quality drives it. The same ritual can spring from purity, from ambition, or from delusion.
Message for Everyday Life (Looking Beneath the Surface of Belief)
Do not judge faith by its outward form: In daily life we tend to measure a person's spirituality by labels, rituals, and appearances. Arjuna's question invites us to look deeper and ask what motive and what quality of mind lie behind a belief or practice.
Practical approach: Examine your own habits of worship, discipline, or service. Ask yourself honestly: Is this growing out of clarity and love, out of the desire for recognition, or out of fear and habit? Sincere self-questioning, just like Arjuna's, is the first step toward purifying one's faith.
Next Topic
Arjuna has asked whether the faith of those who ignore the scriptures belongs to sattva, rajas, or tamas. Lord Krishna now answers directly, explaining that faith itself is not a single uniform thing but takes three distinct forms.
Hidden Messages In This Shloka
Reflect on this verse from different perspectives and see which deeper message opens up for you.
Wisdom Nuggets
Sincerity is the starting point of devotion, not its final destination.
Everyone believes in something; wisdom lies in knowing what.
A question asked honestly opens the door to a deeper answer.
Good intentions travel farther on a well-lit road.
What fuels our faith shapes who we become.
The wise ask before they judge.
Every belief has a root in the mind that holds it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Arjuna ask this question?
What does 'śhāstravidhi' (the rules laid down by the scriptures) mean in this verse?
What does 'niṣhṭhā' (steadfast condition or standing) refer to?
What are 'sattva' (goodness), 'rajas' (passion) and 'tamas' (ignorance)?
What is the practical message of this verse in one sentence?
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