Verse 17.13

Verse 17.13: “Deficient in prescribed procedure, without food-offerings, deficient in Mantra-recitation without largesses, and altogether lacking faith: that sacrifice they speak of as Tamas-dominated. (189)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

In the mating (marriages) of animals and birds the aid of an astrologer is not solicited, lust alone suffices (it determines the time)! In that way, in the Tamas-dominated sacrifices, perversity (āgraha) is the only root cause. If it ever be necessary for the wind to search its own way for blowing, or for Death to come after ascertaining a propitious time (muhūrta), or for the fire to feel afraid to bum an unholy thing, then only the conduct of the Tamas-dominated sacrifices could be according to precepts: (otherwise) the Tamasic one is all unrestrained, Oh Dhanurdhara. He cares neither for the prescribed procedure nor for the proper incantation of Mantras, just as a fly puts her mouth in any sort of food she comes across without caring to think (about its suitability etc.) in any way.

Where the Brahmins are looked down with the feeling of enmity (by the Tamas-ridden) what scope is left for giving any largesses? In the fulness of his self-conceit he goes on squandering away whatever he has got, like the fire getting entangled in a whirl-wind. Thus with absolutely no faith (in such sacrifices) enormous wealth is squandered in vain, in the way is plundered the house of a dying person without issue. Such a semblance of sacrifice is called Tamas-dominated sacrifice,” said the Lord of Goddess Lakshmi.

(He further said), “The water of the Ganges is all one and the same; yet it flows through different courses carrying dirt in some places while remaining clean and pure in others. In that way the austerities are three-fold, according to the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas). The performance of one (type of austerities) yields sin, and the other leads to emancipation. Should you be desirous of knowing how these three classes of austerities came into being, know first what is austerity. I preach it to you first and I shall then explain how Gunas have classified it into three different kinds. What is called austerity is, hear ye, three-fold (i) of body, (ii) mind and (iii) speech.