BG 17.01 ye sastra-vidhim utsajya... cited

Expressions researched:
"sattvam aho rajas tamah" |"tesam nistha tu ka krsna" |"yajante sraddhayanvitah" |"ye sastra-vidhim utsrjya"

BG Chapters 13 - 18

BG 17.1, Translation and Purport:

Arjuna inquired: O Kṛṣṇa, what is the situation of those who do not follow the principles of scripture but worship according to their own imagination? Are they in goodness, in passion or in ignorance?

In the Fourth Chapter, thirty-ninth verse, it is said that a person faithful to a particular type of worship gradually becomes elevated to the stage of knowledge and attains the highest perfectional stage of peace and prosperity. In the Sixteenth Chapter, it is concluded that one who does not follow the principles laid down in the scriptures is called an asura, demon, and one who follows the scriptural injunctions faithfully is called a deva, or demigod. Now, if one, with faith, follows some rules which are not mentioned in the scriptural injunctions, what is his position? This doubt of Arjuna's is to be cleared by Kṛṣṇa. Are those who create some sort of God by selecting a human being and placing their faith in him worshiping in goodness, passion or ignorance? Do such persons attain the perfectional stage of life? Is it possible for them to be situated in real knowledge and elevate themselves to the highest perfectional stage? Do those who do not follow the rules and regulations of the scriptures but who have faith in something and worship gods and demigods and men attain success in their effort? Arjuna is putting these questions to Kṛṣṇa.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 17.1-3 -- Honolulu, July 4, 1974:

Prabhupāda: (three times:) Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (recites verses with devotees).

arjuna uvāca

ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya

yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ

teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa

sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ

śrī bhagavān uvāca

tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā

dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā

sāttvikī rājasī caiva

tāmasī ceti tāṁ śṛṇu

sattvānurūpā sarvasya

śraddhā bhavati bhārata

śraddhāmayo 'yaṁ puruṣo

yo yac chraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ

So arjuna uvāca means Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is teacher, and Arjuna is student. So this is the process of spiritual advancement. As it is indicated in the Vedas, tad-vijñānārtham. Tad-vijñānārtham means "To understand that transcendental science," gurum eva abhigacchet "one must take shelter of guru." It cannot be manufactured. Those who manufacture the method of understanding transcendental science, they are not bona fide. So we have already discussed many times that śāstra-vidhi. Guru means one who teaches the regulative principle from śāstra, from authorized scripture. That is guru. Guru cannot be anyone. Ācārya. Ācārya means one who knows the regulative principle or direction in the śāstra. He practically behaves in terms of the śāstra regulative principle and teaches his student also in the same way. He is called ācārya. Acainoti yaḥ śāstrāṇi.(?) He knows the purport of śāstra, he behaves himself according to the terms of the śāstra and he teaches his disciple in the same term. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). This is the process.

Lecture on BG 17.1-3 -- Honolulu, July 4, 1974:

So Arjuna is asking, "So there are many who actually do not follow the principles of śāstra, but they have got some faith. Then what is the result of such mentality?" Ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya: "Not following the śāstra-vidhi, the regulative principle mentioned in the śāstra," yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ, "they also make one guru or incarnation or this or that. There are so many going on. So what is the result of such activities?" This is very important question because there are so many pseudo so-called gurus. They do not know what is śāstra, neither they follow the principle. Still, they gather some people, and the world is full with such not bona fide gathering. So but they have faith in their—so-called guru that some way or other, so-called meditation... These things are going on.

So what is the result of this? It is very important question. Ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ. But they have got faith. Faith is there but misguided. Teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa, that, then faith, that blind faith, how it is to be defined? Why? What will be the result?" Teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa. Now, "Whether it is faith in sattva-guṇa or faith in rajo-guṇa or faith in tamo-guṇa?" Because without coming to the platform of sattva-guṇa, nobody can advance in spiritual life. That is a fact. Just like nobody is allowed to enter the law college unless he is graduate. This restriction is there. What he will understand, law? He must be a graduate. So similarly, first of all, one has to come to the platform of sattva-guṇa. Then spiritual knowledge begins. Because spiritual knowledge is above sattva-guṇa. Above sattva-guṇa. So sattva-guṇa is the best quality, when one brain is clear and he can see things as they are, no hazy understanding but clear understanding. So sattva-guṇa is the qualification of brāhmaṇa.