Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya 511

Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya

Chapter-17 Śraddhā-traya-vibhāga Yogaḥ

yajante sātvikā devān yakṣa rakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ | pretān bhūtagaṇāṃścānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ || 4 || 4. The Sattvic types worship the gods. The Rajasic types worship Yakshas and Rakshasas, and the others, classified as Tamasic, worship Pretas and the host of Bhūtas. Commentary Those who are predominantly in the Mode of Goodness worship the gods. In other words, the conviction that the worship of the gods leads to supreme joy, unassociated with suffering is categorised as Sattvic in nature. Those in the Mode of Passion worship Nature Spirits (Yakṣas) and Protectors (Rakshasas). The others, who are in the Mode of Ignorance, worship disembodied spirits (Pretas) and the hosts of elementals (Bhūtas). The conviction associated with Passion brings about limited joy intermingled with suffering, while the conviction arising from Ignorance gives rise to extremely limited joy verging on suffering. Thus there are varying types of results regarding the worship and other acts which are enjoined in the Scriptures and are done with conviction . However, no happiness whatsoever will result from the performance of charity, tapas (self-discipline) and sacrifices etc., not enjoined in the Scriptures and therefore in violation of Krishna’s teachings. In fact only calamity results from them. Sri Krishna proceeds to explain this more fully.