Those who are driven by insatiable desire, relying on it as their foundation, become filled with hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance. Deluded by false understanding, they hold distorted views and act with impure resolves. Such people are constantly beset by endless anxieties that only end with death itself. Their hearts are devoted solely to the enjoyment of desires, and they are convinced that this fleeting world is all that exists. Bound tightly by hundreds of cords of hope, they surrender themselves to desire and anger. In their pursuit of enjoyment, they strive endlessly to accumulate wealth, often by unjust means. Their thoughts are consumed with acquisition: “Today I have gained this; tomorrow I shall obtain that. This is mine, and this wealth will be mine again.” Their minds are filled with rivalry and violence: “That enemy has been slain by me, and others too shall I kill. I am the lord, the enjoyer, accomplished, strong, and happy.” They boast, “I am wealthy and high-born; who else is equal to me? I will sacrifice, give, and rejoice.” Thus, deluded by ignorance, distracted by countless thoughts, and caught in the net of delusion, they remain attached to the enjoyment of desires. Ultimately, they fall into impure hells. Their minds, torn by conflicting thoughts and enveloped in confusion, cannot escape this fate. These individuals, intoxicated with self-glory, stubbornness, pride, and wealth, perform sacrifices only in name, contrary to scriptural injunctions, filled with hypocrisy. Taking refuge in ego, strength, arrogance, desire, and anger, they become hateful and envious, even towards Me, dwelling within their own and others’ bodies. Those who are thus hateful, cruel, and the lowest among men, I constantly cast into evil births, into demonic wombs, within the cycle of existence. Entering such demonic wombs, birth after birth, they remain deluded, failing to reach Me, O son of Kunti, and sink to the lowest state. There are three gates that lead to hell and destroy the self: desire, anger, and greed. Therefore, one should abandon this triple darkness. Freed from these three gates, one acts for one’s own welfare and attains the highest path. But whoever, disregarding the injunctions of scripture, acts according to his own desires does not attain perfection, happiness, or the supreme goal. Therefore, let scripture be your authority in determining what should and should not be done. Knowing the teachings of scripture, you should act accordingly in this world. At this, Arjuna asked, “O Krishna, what of those who, endowed with faith, perform worship but disregard the injunctions of scripture? Is their state sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic?” The Blessed Lord replied, “Faith is of three kinds, arising from the nature of embodied beings: sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Hear of these, O Bharata. The faith of each person conforms to their nature; indeed, one is made of faith—whatever one’s faith, so they are. Those who are sattvic worship the gods; those who are rajasic worship yakshas and rakshasas; while those of tamasic nature worship spirits and hosts of ghosts. There are also those who, not following scriptural ordinance, perform severe austerities out of hypocrisy and ego, driven by desire and attachment. They torment both the elements of their own bodies and Me, who dwell within. Know them to be of demonic resolve. Food, too, is dear to all, but is of three kinds; so also are sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Listen to their distinctions. Foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction—those that are savory, unctuous, firm, and pleasing to the heart—are dear to the sattvic. Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, excessively hot, pungent, dry, and burning are preferred by the rajasic and bring pain, grief, and disease. Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, decomposed, leftover, and impure is dear to the tamasic. A sacrifice performed according to scriptural ordinance, with no desire for reward and with the thought, ‘It must be done,’ is sattvic. Sacrifice performed with a desire for reward or for the sake of ostentation is rajasic. Sacrifice that is contrary to ordinance, where food is not distributed, which lacks mantras, offerings, and faith, is declared to be tamasic. Worship of the gods, the twice-born, teachers, and the wise, together with purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and nonviolence—these are called bodily austerity. Speech that does not cause agitation, that is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, along with regular study and recitation, is austerity of speech. Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control, and purity of disposition—this is called mental austerity. This threefold austerity, practiced with supreme faith by steadfast souls without desire for reward, is sattvic. Austerity performed for the sake of respect, honor, or worship, and with hypocrisy, is passionate, unsteady, and insincere. Austerity undertaken with deluded understanding, causing suffering to oneself or others, is of darkness. A gift that is given with the thought, ‘It should be given,’ to one who does no service in return, at the proper place and time, and to a worthy person, is pure. That which is given with expectation of return, or with desire for reward, or reluctantly, is passionate. That which is given at the wrong place or time, to unworthy recipients, or without respect, is declared to be of darkness. ‘Om Tat Sat’—this threefold designation of Brahman is remembered; by it, the Brahmins, the Vedas, and sacrifices were ordained in ancient times. Therefore, uttering ‘Om,’ those who know Brahman always begin acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity, as prescribed. Uttering ‘Tat,’ without seeking reward, various acts of sacrifice, austerity, and charity are performed by those who desire liberation.