Verse 17.1

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 17.1:

अर्जुन उवाच–
ये शास्त्र-विधिम् उत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ।
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वम् आहो रजस् तमः ॥ १ ॥

arjuna uvāca–
ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ |
teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ || 1 ||

arjuna uvāca–Arjuna said; ye–who; śāstra-vidhim–the injunctions of scripture; utsṛjya–giving up; yajante–worship; śraddhayā anvitāḥ–with faith; teṣām–their; niṣṭhā–condition; tu–indeed; kā–what?; kṛṣṇa–O Kṛṣṇa; sattvam–goodness; āho–or; rajaḥ–passion; tamaḥ–darkness.

Arjuna inquired: O Kṛṣṇa, what is the position of those who give up the injunctions of scripture but still perform worship with faith? Is their condition in goodness, passion or ignorance?

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

In this Seventeenth Chapter, Śrī Bhagavān explains that which is in goodness, passion or ignorance, in response to the following question of Arjuna: “You described the nature of the demons and then concluded by saying that those who transgress scriptural regulations and act whimsically do not attain perfection, happiness or the supreme destination (Gītā 16.23). Now I have a question. What is the basis of faith, or niṣṭhā, of those who transgress the injunctions of scripture and, free from a mood of enjoyment and endowed with such faith, whimsically perform sacrifices–such as austerity, jñāna and mantra (japa)? Is it sāttvika, rājasika or tāmasika? Please explain this.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura comments that upon hearing the conclusion of the last chapter, Arjuna said, “O Kṛṣṇa, I have a doubt. Previously (in Gītā 4.39), You said that only men of faith achieve jñāna. Then You said (in Gītā 16.23) that those who transgress the injunctions of scripture and, impelled by mundane desires, engage in fruitive acts do not attain perfection, happiness or the supreme destination. My question is, ‘What is the position of those who faithfully cultivate something that is opposed to scripture? Do people with such whimsical faith achieve purity of existence, which is the result of jñāna-yoga and other yoga processes? Please tell me clearly about the resolve of those who give up the injunctions of scripture but who perform worship with faith. Is it in the mode of goodness, passion or ignorance?’”