त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः । कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्रयं त्यजेत्
There are three gates to hell, destructive of the self: desire, anger, and greed; therefore, one should abandon these three.
एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः । आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम्
Freed from these three gates of darkness, O son of Kunti, a person acts for his own welfare and then attains the highest state.
यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः। न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्
He who, abandoning scriptural injunctions, acts according to his own desires, does not attain perfection, happiness, or the supreme goal.
तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ । ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि
Therefore, scripture is your authority in determining what is to be done and what is not to be done. Knowing the rules prescribed by scripture, you should act here.
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विता। तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्वमाहो सजस्तमः
Those who, abandoning scriptural injunctions, worship with faith—what is their position, O Krishna? Is it in goodness, passion, or darkness?
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा। सात्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां श्रृणु
Faith is threefold in embodied beings, arising from their nature: sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Hear about them.
सत्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत। श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः
Faith corresponds to each one's nature, O Bharata. A person is made of faith; whatever his faith is, so he is.
यजन्ते सात्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः। प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः
The sattvic worship the gods; the rajasic worship yakshas and rakshasas; others, the tamasic, worship spirits and hosts of beings.
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः । दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः
Those people who perform fierce austerities not prescribed by scripture, joined with hypocrisy and ego, driven by desire and attachment and strength—
कर्शयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः। मां चैवान्तः शरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्
Tormenting the group of elements in the body, lacking understanding, and Me also dwelling within the body—know them to have demonic resolve.
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः । यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं श्रृणु
Food, too, is liked by all in three kinds; so also are sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Hear the distinction among them.
आयुःसत्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः । रस्याःस्रिग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराःसात्विकप्रियाः
Foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction, that are savory, oily, firm, and pleasing, are dear to those of sattvic nature.
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः । आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः
Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, excessively hot, sharp, dry, and burning, are preferred by those of rajasic nature, and cause pain, grief, and disease.
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्। उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्
Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, decomposed, leftover, and impure is dear to those of tamasic nature.
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते। यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्विकः
A sacrifice that is offered according to scriptural injunction, by those who do not seek reward, with the mind firmly set on the thought, 'it must be performed,' is considered sattvic.
अभिसंघाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्। इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्
But know that sacrifice which is performed for the sake of reward or for show, O best of the Bharatas, as rajasic.
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् । श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते
Sacrifice that is contrary to scriptural rule, where no food is given, without mantras, without gifts to priests, and without faith, is declared to be tamasic.
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् । ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते
Worship of the gods, the twice-born, teachers, and the wise, purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and nonviolence—these are called bodily austerity.
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्भयं तप उच्यते
Speech that does not cause distress, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, as well as study and recitation of the scriptures—these are called austerity of speech.
मनःप्रसादः सम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः । भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते
Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control, and purity of disposition—these are called mental austerity.
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्रिविधं नरैः । अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्विकं परिचक्षते
This threefold austerity, practiced with supreme faith by steadfast people who do not seek reward, is called sattvic.
सत्कारमानपूजाराथं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् । क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम्
Austerity that is performed for the sake of honor, respect, and worship, or with hypocrisy, is said to be rajasic, unstable and impermanent.
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः । परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्
Austerity that is performed with a deluded understanding, by torturing oneself or for the purpose of harming others, is declared to be tamasic.
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे । देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्विकं स्मृतम्
That charity which is given with the thought, 'it should be given,' to one who does no favor in return, at the right place, time, and to a worthy recipient, is remembered as sattvic.
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः । दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्
But that which is given in expectation of return, or with a view to some result, or grudgingly, is remembered as rajasic charity.
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते। असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्
Charity that is given at the wrong place or time, to unworthy recipients, without respect or with contempt, is declared to be tamasic.
ओंतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृताः । ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा
'Om, Tat, Sat'—this is declared to be the threefold designation of Brahman. By this, the brahmins, the Vedas, and sacrifices were ordained in ancient times.
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः । प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्
Therefore, uttering 'Om,' acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity, as prescribed in the scriptures, are always begun by those who seek Brahman.
तदित्यनभिसंधाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः । दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः
Thus, without attachment to the result, acts of sacrifice, austerity, and various forms of charity are performed by those who seek liberation.
सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रुयुज्यते। प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते
The word 'sat' is used in the sense of reality and goodness; O Partha, it is also applied to praiseworthy action.