Arjuna inquired: O Krishna, what is the position of those who worship with faith, but ignore the injunctions of the scriptures? Is their faith in the mode of goodness, passion, or ignorance?

The Supreme Lord said: Faith is of three types, born of the embodied soul’s acquired nature, whether good, passionate, or ignorant. Now hear of this:

O Bharat, the faith of all living beings is governed by their consciousness. The living being possesses faith by constitution. He is that which his faith is.

Persons with faith of the nature of goodness worship the demigods, persons with faith of a passionate nature worship the Yaksa demigods and Raksasa demons, while those with faith of the nature of ignorance worship the ghosts and spirits.

Full of pride and egoism, motivated by ambition, attachment, and power, ignorant persons perform severe austerities unsanctioned by the scriptures and torture the body’s natural elements and the soul within. Know them to be of demoniacal faith.

According to the three modes of material nature, there are also three kinds of food preference. In the same way, there are three kinds of sacrifice, three kinds of austerity, and three kinds of charity. Now hear of these:

Foods that increase longevity, vitality, strength, health, happiness, and loving kindness, and which are tasty, succulent, wholesome, and pleasant, are dear to persons of the nature of goodness.

Foods dear to persons of passionate nature are too bitter, too sour, too salty, too hot, too pungent, too dry, and too heating. Such foods cause pain, sorrow, and illness.

Dear to the ignorant are foods that are stale, tasteless, foul-smelling or were cooked the day before, remnants (other than that of worshippable persons), and impure foods (such as meat, wine, and onions).

That sacrifice which is in accordance with scriptural injunctions and faithfully performed by a person free from fruitive desire, is sacrifice of the nature of goodness.

But, O Bharat, know that sacrifice which is performed in fruitive expectation and as a display of pomp and grandeur, is sacrifice of the nature of passion.

And that sacrifice which ignores the injunctions of the scriptures, which is performed without the distribution of foodstuffs, without uttering the appropriate mantras, without offerings to the priests, and without faith, is known as sacrifice in ignorance.

Worship of the deity, the brahman, the spiritual master, and the enlightened soul, purity, simplicity, celibacy, and nonviolence — these all constitute austerity of the body.

Speech which does not disturb others, which is truthful, pleasing yet beneficial, as well as regular recitation of the Vedas — all these are known as verbal austerity.

Self-satisfaction, benevolence, stability, mental control, and pure-heartedness are all known as mental austerity.

When performed by a desireless, devout soul with deep faith in the Supreme Lord, this threefold austerity of thought, word, and deed is of the nature of goodness.

That unenduring, transitory austerity which is proudly performed for the sake of gain, worship, name, and fame, is known as austerity of the nature of passion.

That austerity which is performed with dubious intent, causing self-torture, or meant to harm others, is known as austerity of the nature of ignorance.

The gift which is given without expectation of return, with the conviction that it ought to be given, at an appropriate place and time, and to an appropriate recipient, is considered to be of the nature of goodness.

Otherwise, the gift begrudgingly given in expectation of gaining something in return, or with a desire for a reward (such as the attainment of heaven), is considered to be of the nature of passion.

The gift given disrespectfully and scornfully to an unworthy recipient at an improper place and time is considered to be of the nature of ignorance.

The scriptures say that the words Om Tat Sat indicate Brahman, the Supreme Spirit. At the time of the universal manifestation, the brahmans, the Vedas, and sacrifices were manifested by these three words.

Thus the followers of the Vedas always utter the syllable Om representing Brahman, the Absolute, to initiate their prescribed duties of sacrifice, charity, and austerity.

Persons aspiring for liberation utter the word Tat, representing Brahman, the Absolute, to invoke the performance of various acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity without motivation for the results.

O Partha, the word Sat, representing Brahman, the Absolute, indicates the truth and persons dedicated to the truth. Therefore, the word Sat is uttered to invoke the performance of auspicious activities.

The word Sat is said to indicate the eternality of sacrifice, austerity, and charity. And action for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord is called Sat — truth.

O Partha, sacrifice, charity, and austerity or any action performed without faith in the Supreme is known as asat, or untruth. Such works cannot bring an auspicious result, either in this world or the next.