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GĪTĀ, TRANSLATION & COMMENTARY, CH. XVII 1159
श्रीभगवानुवाच त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा। सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥२॥ सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत।
श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः॥ ३ ॥ worshipping the All-pervading Parameśvara, as has beer. enjoined by the Sāstras, he may run after deities (Gi. 9. 231And the question of Arjuna is, what is the ' nişthā' or state, or mental condition of such a person This question does not relate to persons, who despise the Sāstras and religion for want of faith in them, that is, to demoniac persons. Nevertheless, wherever there is occasion, the Actiors of these people also have been described ir this Chapter
The Blessed Lord said :-(2) This faith of living beings is naturaily of three kinds, sativika, rajasa, and tāmascy. Hear (how) that is so ). (3) The faith of every person, O Bhārata ! conforms to his 'sattua' (that is, to his inherent nature). Man is imbued with faith. In whatever matter (he puts) his faith, so is he (formed).
The word 'sattua' in stanza 2° means 'natural temperament, 'Reason' or 'conscience'. This word 'sattua' has been used in that sense in the Kathopanisad (Katha. 6.7); and in the Sinkarabhāsya on the Vedānta-Sūtras also, the term 'sarnia-ksetrajña' nas been used in stead of lisetrcksetrajña' (Ve.-Sū Sām. Bhā. 1. 2. 12). In short, the word
svabhāga' in stanza 2, and the word 'sattra' in stanza 3 are synonyingus; because, the doctrine that nature is nothing but Prakrti, and that Reason, and later on, Conscience, spring from Prakrti, is accepted both in Vedānta and in Samkhya philosophy. The principle, "in whatever matter (he puts) his faith, so is he (formed)" is only a repetition of of the theories, those who worship deities, go to the deities" etc., which have appeared before (Gi 7. 20, 23, 9.25); and I have discussed this subject in Chapter XIII of the Gitā-Rahasya (see Gitā. Ra. pp. 589 to 598) When it is
* This ought to be stanza 3 and not stanza 2-Trans
