Sradha refers to one’s belief and faith and ‘thraya’ to the three forces of
Prakriti. The minds of individuals can be categorized into three on the basis of the
intensity of the influence of the forces (gunas) of prakriti in them. They are Sattvika,
Rajasika and Tamasika. If an individual’s mind is dominated by Sattva guna rather
than Rajo guna and Tamo guna he is said to be Sattvika. Where Rajo guna is
dominant, he is called Rajasika and Tamasika in whom Tamo guna is the
dominating force. In every individual these three principles are present in varied
degrees or intensities i.e. human mind is a composition of these three forces. As a result of the permutation and combination of these three forces the entire world
appears to be different with infinite nature and existence. In this chapter it is
discussed as to the influence of operative principles of Prakriti in human beings.
Develop infallible faith in God and lead a life of happiness and peacefulness.
Arjuna asked: Krisna, some worship the Gods with faith and some others with faith but without observing the directions of scriptures. What is their position? Whether Sattvika, Rajasika or Tamasika?
Sri Krisna said: According to faith and nature of the worshippers, they are categorized into Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. You hear from Me.
Arjuna, faith is formed according to the culture and mental states of everyone. Whatever be the nature of his faith, he will be that, invariably.
Those with Sattvika mental disposition worship Gods, and those with Rajasika mindset worship demons or demi-gods and that the Tamasika worship sprits of the dead and the ghosts. Men of real knowledge and wisdom say that the character of a person can be understood on the basis of the deity he selects for worship. The Sattvika men of mental status worship divine symbols. They are the worshippers of divine light or consciousness. Sattvika man strives for real knowledge and tries to attain the Supreme consciousness. But the Rajasika worship Demi-Gods or demons representing power and that they want to gain power, fame, siddhi (extra ordinary mental power) and wealth by worshipping symbols representing power. The Tamasika worship the spirit of the dead and the gone to attain certain powers of inhuman nature. They usually do many wrong deeds and harm the common man. They really follow witchcraft. There are some who worship human beings to attain some extra ordinary mental powers. It is too Tamasika worship. Such worships prevent spiritual progress. The worships by Sattvika are desirable and are usually directed towards the ultimate truth. Not worshipping any God is better than the worship of Saktheya( power worship).
Some do severe penance not according to the directions of the scriptures. They are under the influence of egotism, ignorance, severe attachment to sensual enjoyments and power. They really torture the body and soul by practicing severe penance, rituals and sacrifices. Egotism, arrogance and greed for wealth and power are their characteristic nature. They are mainly concerned with material gains rather than attaining the freedom for the tortured soul within. They have found out that by worshipping symbols representing power; they can attain certain mental powers, wealth and social status. These are the peculiarities of those with Asura dispositions.
Remaining in the heart of the human beings as soul, I suffer the pain of demoniac actions. With the help of the twenty-three factors representing our body, wrong and cruel actions are performed by the people with Asura disposition. The results of such actions are suffered by the soul within. These combinations of twenty-three factors are responsible for promoting good deeds as well. When the mind is directed towards light it becomes divine and when it is directed towards ignorance and sin and it is Asura.
Even the food we take can be classified into three relating to the mental status of the persons (Sattvika, Rajasika, and Tamasika). Giving of alms, penance and sacrifices are also of the three types as above. You hear it from Me.
For Sattvika persons their food habits shall be according to their age, vital force, body power, health and comforts, so also for promoting their health; pleasing food items like sweets, items combined with ghee etc. are said to be suitable. Meat, egg, fish etc.are not included in the food items of Sattvika as they are considered Tamasika. For Sattvika men vegetarian food is preferable. But most of the people take too much non-vegetarian food items for improving their health. They are the least worried of the purity of their minds and are mainly concerned with the taste attributed to the non-vegetarian food. ‘Ahimsa paramodharma’, means non-violence is the ultimate moral obligation. Killing or promoting to kill animals, birds etc. comes under violence.
Bitter, acid, salty, too hot, pungent (strong odor), dry and burning food are liked by Rajasika men. These items cause to illness and sorrow. In short Sattvika types of people are very rare and than those with Rajasika and Tamasika nature. If it is so, most of our representatives are Rajasika or Tamasika types. Therefore, there would not be any shortage of problems. We shall not expect much from them. It is interesting to note that once a chief representative of the people’s party told that he had consumed more number of chicken than any fox ever did.We can hope that he has not become a fox. Our civil rules must be made very strict and practically useful as in the case of developed nations to efficiently control the people with Rajasika and Tamasika nature.
People with Tamasika bent of mind prefer to half cooked, half ripe, stale, insipid (flavourless), rotten and polluted food. They prefer to those food items prepared even before a night. However there is no one purely Tamasika or Rajasika.
One performing any sacrifice properly with purity of mind is said to be Sattvika. Most of the sacrifices of Sattvika are carried out with a view to purifying one’s mind. Such sacrifices are for the welfare of others as well.
Arjuna, where one performs sacrifices (yajna) for a particular result or to show others that he is one doing such actions; is said to be Rajasika. Sacrifice also means giving up the benefits to others. Where a person performs sacrifice for the welfare of others it becomes Sattvika and desirable. We see today many sacrifices are merely physical and pseudo spiritual displays.
Sacrifices being done not following the scriptural directions, not serving food or alms to the deserved, not paying sacrificial fees or not properly chanting scared words and done carelessly are said to be Tamasika. Many of our sacrifices have become Tamasika because they are diverted from the divine path and goal. Therefore they are of no use, if not harmful. Money, time and materials used for such sacrifices may become waste, if the sacrifices are not done as prescribed in the scriptures. There is compulsory collection of money to conduct sacrifices and to provide food to the general public. Usually many receiving food from such sacrifices are rich and the affluent. It is sinful to provide food as alms to the rich, by collecting money from the poor. It is like enthusiasm shown in declaring aids and rewards generously to someone in the public, by the government and the ministers from the public exchequer.
Worshipping of Gods and respecting Brahmins, man of wisdom etc. are said to be penance of physical nature. So are the purity of body, mind, Brahmacharya, non-violence etc being considered as penance performed physically. The difference between God and Gods needs to be clearly understood. God refers to the Supreme consciousness or the Supreme Self. Gods refer to the symbolic forms such as Varuna (God of water), Vayu (God of air), Agni deva (the God of fire), Indra (God of senses), Subrahmanya (the God of justice and war), Dharmasasta (The God of justice) etc. and also various Goddesses like Saraswathy, Lakshmi, Durga etc. with definite conceptual meanings and purposes. Most of the above symbols of deities represent divine power. It is to be noted that these symbols are mental creations with definite ideational meanings. The people usually worship Gods for purposes other than attaining liberation. Right worship is the one only to attain the Supreme consciousness. Worshipping of other Gods of divine forms may act as a basis to worship the Supreme self for liberation.
Penance of words refers to one not creating discomfort to others by the use of harsh words or telling some truth not bringing ill will and also the study of Vedas, Sastras and practice of repeating His divine names. Whatever we hear now a days in media discussions are not penance of words but encounters of people, with egoistic disposition and arrogance. The divine purpose of the use of words is defeated. Words are the gifts of the Supreme.
Happiness, gentleness, ideational purity, control of mind, purity of mind etc. are said to be the penance with mind. At present we lack humbleness, love and keeping of silence, wherever necessary.
It is said that penances being performed with body, mind and words; as stated above with purity of mind and purpose, without desire for fruits of action; are Sattvika.
Those penance to attract the respect of others with selfish motives and without due commitment and sincerity are said to be Rajasika.
Those austerities performed by the unwise for the sake of selfish motives even by torturing their bodies or for the ruin of others are said to be Tamasika. Black magic (Witchery), terrorism, conspiracy etc. are Tamasika actions.
Wise men view that alms given to one, considering the right time and place to the right person on the basis of the eligibility of the person receiving it; is said to be Sattvika.
Helps given for getting something in return and done with mental tension are said to be Rajasika. When we help others it must be done with our full satisfaction. At present alms giving has become a claim of the recipient. Forceful collection of funds in the name of charity or any other public purpose has become an order of the day. There are some professionally experienced persons engaged in the collection of money in the name of political and some other organizational purposes. It is wittingly reported that when an expert, in collecting money from the public, died there were some money and the counter foils of the receipt book, in the pocket of his underwear. A gentleman remarked that such persons will continue, their profession even after their death, in the other world.
Alms given to non-deserving persons without considering; time, place and eligibility of the person and with hatred are Tamasika.
Om, Tat & Sat’ refer to the truth, knowledge and peace. It is said that Vedas and Bramanas are created with the spirit of these syllables, at the time of cosmic dawn.
Therefore the priests while performing sacrifices, alms giving and penance are being done chanting ‘Om’ taking the true meaning of it.
‘Tat’ means God that everything is done in the ideation of the Supreme. When yajna, penance and alms giving are done with the true ideation of ‘Om’, one does not desire anything than peacefulness or real knowledge.
In the performance of sacrifices ‘Sat’ is used to mean stability, alms giving and penance. It is also used as a word for the Divine consciousness.
Where sacrifices, alms giving, penance and other actions are performed carelessly, they are called Asad (negative or naught). Such actions have no relevance in this world or the world here after. All actions shall be performed according to the instructions of the scriptures and with purity of the mind. The aim of true education is to refine one’s mind. There are many educated persons expressing their social status arrogantly like professors, doctors, administrators, engineers, scientists, ministers, political leaders etc. But they are of no real use to themselves or to the society and that they are really torturing their souls with negative actions and bondages.