Bhagavad Gita -Srila Prabhupada 679

Shrimad Bhagavad Gita As It Is -Shri Shrimad A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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The Divisions of Faith
Chapter 17: Verse- 28

asraddhayä hutam dattam tapas taptam krtam ca yat
asad ity ucyate pärtha na ca tat pretya no iha[1]

TRANSLATION

Anything done as sacrifice, charity or penance without faith in the Supreme, O son of Påthä, is impermanent. It is called asat and is useless both in this life and the next.


PURPORT

Anything done without the transcendental objective—whether it be sacrifice, charity or penance—is useless. Therefore in this verse it is declared that such activities are abominable. Everything should be done for the Supreme in krsna consciousness. Without such faith, and without the proper guidance, there can never be any fruit. In all the Vedic scriptures, faith in the Supreme is advised. In the pursuit of all Vedic instructions, the ultimate goal is the understanding of Krsna. No one can obtain success without following this principle. Therefore, the best course is to work from the very beginning in Krsna consciousness under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master.

That is the way to make everything successful. In the conditional state, people are attracted to worshiping demigods, ghosts, or Yaksas like Kuvera. The mode of goodness is better than the modes of passion and ignorance, but one who takes directly to krsna consciousness is transcendental to all three modes of material nature. Although there is a process of gradual elevation, if one, by the association of pure devotees, takes directly to krsna consciousness, that is the best way. And that is recommended in this chapter. To achieve success in this way, one must first find the proper spiritual master and receive training under his direction. Then one can achieve faith in the Supreme. When that faith matures, in course of time, it is called love of God. This love is the ultimate goal of the living entities. One should therefore take to krsna consciousness directly. That is the message of this Seventeenth Chapter.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Seventeenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of the Divisions of Faith.


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References

  1. assraddhayä=without faith; hutam=offered in sacrifice; dattam=given; tapah=penance; taptam=executed; krtam=performed; ca=also; yat=that which; asat=false; iti=thus; ucyate=is said to be; pärtha=O son of Prtha; na=never; ca=also; tat=that; pretya=after death ;na u=nor; iha=in this life.

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