Bhagavad Gita BG 17.17
Chapter 17, Verse 17 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः । अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥
shraddhaya paraya taptam tapas tat tri-vidham naraih aphala-kankshibhir yuktaih sattvikam paricakshate
Meaning
That threefold austerity (of body, speech, and mind) practiced by people with the highest faith (shraddha paraya), by those who are disciplined (yuktaih) and without desire for fruit — is called sattvic.
Understanding
The integration verse: the three-level tapas (body, speech, mind) forms a unified whole. What makes it sattvic? Two conditions working together: shraddha paraya (the highest, most pure faith — paraya = supreme, the best kind of shraddha) and aphala-kankshibhih yuktaih (by those without any desire for fruit who are disciplined/committed — yuktaih implies they are yoga-aligned, not scattered). The combination of supreme faith and fruit-free motivation is what qualifies the austerity as sattvic. This is the point where the two main threads of Ch17 come together: shraddha (the inner orientation of faith) determining the quality of action. Even the most rigorous austerity at all three levels — body, speech, mind — becomes mere performance if it lacks genuine shraddha and is colored by desire for results.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| परया | paraya | with the highest, supreme, most excellent (feminine of para) |
| तप्तम् | taptam | practiced, undergone, lit. 'heated' (tapas = that which burns/purifies) |
| त्रिविधम् | tri-vidham | threefold — of three kinds (referring to body, speech, mind) |
| अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिः | aphala-kankshibhih | by those who do not desire fruit |
| युक्तैः | yuktaih | by those who are disciplined, yoked, committed (from yuj = to join/discipline) |
| परिचक्षते | paricakshate | is declared, is called, is recognized as |
| श्रद्धया | śraddhayā | with faith |
| परया | parāyā | supreme, transcendental |
| तपः | tapaḥ | austerity |
| तत् | tat | that |
| नरैः | naraiḥ | by persons |
| अफल-काङ्क्षिभिः | aphala-kāṅkṣibhiḥ | by those not desiring results |
| युक्तैः | yuktaiḥ | engaged |
| सात्त्विकम् | sāttvikam | in goodness |
| परिचक्षते | paricakṣate | is declared |