Way To Worship (17.1-17.6)🔗

Arjuna asks a beautiful question, 'Kṛṣṇa, those who discard the scriptures, śāstras and perform sacrifices, what is their position? Is it sātvic, rājasic or tāmasic? What is the state of people who don't follow these instructions, and instead worship with śraddha, authenticity as per their own beliefs?'

Please listen. Worship or sacrifice can occur at many levels. Arjuna's question is based on the three attributes or guṇas and our energy levels. Each of these is guided by scriptural instructions on how to perform the worship, when and where, etc.

Kṛṣṇa explains that the way we worship depends on our natural disposition, the guṇa, attributes that we are born with–satva, goodness, rajas, aggression, or tamas, ignorance.

Śraddha here refers to the faith that comes out of authenticity in action or good work. Yet pure goodness goes beyond all material acts. Only a person whose nature is pure goodness can connect with the Divine, with Existence—yajante sāttvikā devān (17.4). An Enlightened Master goes beyond the three guṇas of satva, rajas and tamas because he burns out all his saṁskāras, karmas, of which these triguṇas are a product.

Kṛṣṇa says that our style of worship depends on our nature, sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata (17.3). A person established in satva worships devatas (deities, gods) who are peaceful, yajante sāttvikā devān. A person established in rajas worships yakṣas (supernatural beings) and rākṣasas (demons), yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ. A person established in tamas (ignorance) worships pretas (spirits) and bhūtas (ghosts), pretān bhūta-gaṇāṁś cānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ (17.4). Based upon our ideal, our guṇas (attributes) can be described.