# BH Gita Ch17 - Sraddhatraya VY

By [Prabhat Kumar](https://dylit.info/user/prabhatdylit6)

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Chapter 17 – Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga Verse 1-6 According to your Swabhav (perspective – Sattavik, Rajas, and Tamas) you perform your actions. Accordingly, you will fall into the path of prakriti. As your atma identifies with Chitta, you acquire the Swabhav. The reverse process of identification with body starts with the combination of Bhakti, Karma, Jnana (Gyan) Yoga and Pranayama. Through this process you start moving towards spiritualism. Pranayama (tantra vidya) allows you to clean your body. Once body becomes pure, you start experiencing/acquiring siddhi. Example: Bulb light is projected through the color of glass, even though the element is white. Similarly, if your atma is identified with body you say I am an engineer, I am so and so. Shabri’s Sraddha – to the level of madness where she is utterly focused on Bhagawan Rama. This is Bhakti Pradhan. Jnana (Gyan) is not relevant here. Shat – Dha: Sat ko dharan karna. In this sansar – you have Gyanam or Vigyanam (ordinary knowledge and extraordinary knowledge). Then you go towards Pragyanam. When you acquire Shraddha – then you start progressing fast from Tamas to Rajas and from Rajas to Sattavik. As we continue to focus on Sattawa – we continue towards the path of Ultimate Truth. This is related to Jnana (Gyan) Pradhan. Shraddha – I am there. I am in Dwait. Till I am here we have three Gunnas. Jnana (Gyan) also needs Shraddha (the property of a person). Bhakti – gets rid of difference between Atma and Parmatma. Verse 7-10 - The type of foods that are promoting Sattavik, Rajasik and Tamas gunna. But there are mansik food too. In Dwait, physical and spiritual world are inter-related. They affect each other. Verse 11-13 - Yagya (knowing I’svara) – there is no translation that can depict the bhava of yagya. Any positive actions without selfish reason with complete Shraddha for the benefit of others. In performing yagya, one should have bhava of gratefulness. This Bhava is great and powerful. Dakshina is important in yagya. Perform your karma with the bhava of yagya (without attachment to results) – reaching Swa (Atma). THE KARMA PERFORMED FOR THE SAKE OF PARMATMA is known as the karma performed with scriptures. Such actions do not bind you with your body. The karma performed for Vishnu is yagya with full of Shraddha, positive and for the benefits of others. Verse 11-13 - Any person performs his/her actions according to the Swabhav. How a person progresses from the current state? This will depend on an external factor. Shradha is one of the major tools to apply that external factor. There are measures to evaluate the properties of his/her actions. The measurement of Sattavik, Rajas and Tamas are delineated in these verses. In first stage – we know that sun rises from the east. Then we learn that Sun appears due to the rotation of earth. Then we reach at the stage where there is no east or west. Verse 14-16 - The Bhava changes according to the stage of Spirituality – Unconditional love is one stage before oneness. You are still in duality. Sanatan dharma is based on Self inquiry. Swarup – confined with you (True-Self). Swabhav – emotions are attached to you. Your goal is to move towards Swarup. Arjun has Swabhav and is a combination of three gunnas. We are in field of actions – Kurukshetra like Arjun. My body, mind and Pragya are behaving according to our Swabhav, which is based on three gunnas. Then, from tamas you perform actions with rajas guna. Then you move towards Sattavik. Verse 16 – The unperturbed mind, gentle and calm mind with purity of purpose (with integrity) will not get distracted due to self-control. When such a person performs actions, it is called austerity of mind – now your mind is functioning the way it is supposed to be. How your mind behaves depends upon the training of the mind?