Chapter 17, Verse 3
Sraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga — Sanskrit shloka, transliteration, word meanings, English translation, and commentary.
Original Sanskrit verse
Transliteration
Word meanings
sattva-anurūpā—conforming to the nature of one’s mind; sarvasya—all; śhraddhā—faith; bhavati—is; bhārata—Arjun, the scion of Bharat; śhraddhāmayaḥ—possessing faith; ayam—that; puruṣhaḥ—human being; yaḥ—who; yat-śhraddhaḥ—whatever the nature of their faith; saḥ—their; eva—verily; saḥ—they
English translation
The faith of each is in accordance with their nature, O Arjuna. People consist of their faith; as a person's faith is, so are they.
— Swami Sivananda
Listen to Shloka 17.3
Commentary
The faith of every person conforms to his inherent nature or natural temperament. Man is imbued with faith. The term Svabhava is the last verse and the word Sattva in the present one are synonymous. A mans character may be judged by his faith. A mans faith shows what his character is. A man is what his faith has made him. A mans conduct in life is moulded or shaped by his faith. His faith will indicate his Nishtha (state of being; conviction). The faith of each man is according to his natural disposition or the specific tendencies or Samskaras or the selfreprodutive latent impressions of the good and bad actions which were performed in the past births. The faith of each man takes its colour and ality from the stuff of his being; his temperament; tendencies or Samskaras. Sattva Nature Natural disposition the mind with its specific tendencies. Each Every living being. Purusha Man The individual soul which is caught up in the wheel of transmigration the soul alified by mind. Sraddhamayah Full of faith Just as the Annamaya Kosa is full of food; just as the Anandamaya Kosa is full of bliss; so also the Antahkarana (mind; intellect; etc.) is full of faith. The man consists of his faith that which his faith is; he is verily that. This theory is only a repetition of the theory propounded in chapter VII; verses 20 and 23; and in chapter IX; verse 25.
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
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