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Arguna said :
What is the state of those, O Krishna! who worship with faith, (but) abandoning scripture ordinances--goodness, passion, or darkness?
The Deity said :
Faith is of three kinds in embodied (beings), it is produced from dispositions 1. It is of the quality of goodness, of the quality of passion, and of the quality of darkness. Hear about it. The faith of all, O descendant of Bharata! is conformable to the heart 2. A being here is full of faith, and whatever is a man's faith, that is a man himself 3. Those of the quality of goodness worship the gods; those of the quality of passion the Yakshas and Rakshases 4; and the others, the people of the quality of darkness, worship departed (spirits) and the multitudes of Bhūtas. Know those to be of demoniac convictions, who practise fierce penance 5 not ordained by scripture; who are full of ostentatiousness and egoism, and of desire, attachment, and stubbornness; who are without discernment; and who torment the groups of organs in (their) bodies, and me also seated within (those) bodies. The food also, which is liked by all, and likewise the sacrifice, the penance, and gifts, are of three kinds. Listen to the distinctions regarding them as follows. The kinds of food which increase life, energy, strength, health, comfort, and relish, which are savoury, oleaginous, full of nutrition, and agreeable, are liked by the good. The kinds of food which are bitter, acid, saltish, too hot, sharp, rough, and. burning, and which cause pain. grief, and disease, are desired by the passionate.
Foot Notes :
1. I. e. the result of the actions in a former birth, cf. supra.
2. The hearts of gods are said to be good, those of Yakshas &c. passionate, those of men mixed, and so forth.
3. Faith is the dominant principle in man, and he is good, passionate, or dark, as his faith is.
4. Goldstücker, Remains, I, 154.
5. Troublesome to oneself and others, as standing on heated stones, &c. 'Egoism' (Ahankāra) = the feeling that one is worthy of honour, Nīlakantha.
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