Verse 17.2

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 17.2:

त्रि-विधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभाव-जा ।
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥ २ ॥

tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṃ sā svabhāva-jā |
sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṃ śṛṇu || 2 ||

śrī bhagavān uvāca–the Supreme Lord said; tri-vidhā–of three kinds; bhavati–is; śraddhā–the faith; dehinām–of human beings; sā–that (faith); svabhāva-jā–born of one’s nature formed in previous lives; sāttvikī–goodness; rājasī–passion; ca–and; eva–certainly; tāmasī–ignorance; ca–and; iti–about; tām–that; śṛṇu–now hear.

Śrī Bhagavān replied: The faith of human beings is of three types: in goodness, passion and ignorance, and it arises due to past life impressions. It has been formed through the collective impressions made upon one’s consciousness through one’s experiences in many lives. Now hear about this.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

“O Arjuna, first hear about the niṣṭhā, or resolve, of those who perform bhajana in accordance with the codes of scripture. I will then speak about the niṣṭhā of those whose worship violates those rules. The word sva-bhāva-jā means ‘that which is born of past impressions’. It is also of three types.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

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

Some think that it is diffi-cult to follow the injunctions of scripture, while others give up following them out of laziness and a mundane faith that have arisen from past life impressions, and they whimsically worship various demigods. The faith of these people is of three types: in goodness, passion or ignorance (sāttvika, rājasika or tāmasika). However, faith that is aimed at cultivating bhakti to Śrī Bhagavān under the guidance of pure devotees, who are well versed in scripture, is nirguṇa, or transcendental to the modes. There is something to consider in this regard. In the initial stages, the faith of a bhakti-sādhaka may be in the mode of goodness, but by the influence of saintly persons, it quickly becomes firmly fixed in transcendence. At that time, while meticulously following the rules and regulations of scripture and engaging with strong faith in hearing, chanting and remembering of the holy name and hari-kathā, a sādhaka progresses on the path of bhakti.