FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 17.13

విధిహీనమసృష్టాన్నం మన్‍త్రహీనమదక్షిణమ్ । శ్రద్ధావిరహితం యజ్ఞం తామసం పరిచక్షతే ॥ ౧౩ ॥
vidhi-hīnam asṛṣṭānnaṁ
[vidhi-heenam asrishtaannam]
mantra-hīnam adakṣiṇam
[mantra-heenam adakshinam]
śraddhā-virahitaṁ yajñaṁ
[shraddhaa-virahitam yajnam]
tāmasaṁ paricakṣate
[taamasam parichakshate]
Word-for-word
vidhi - hīnam — without scriptural direction asṛṣṭa - annam — without distribution of prasādam mantra - hīnam — with no chanting of the Vedic hymns adakṣiṇam — with no remunerations to the priests śraddhā — faith virahitam — without yajñam — sacrifice tāmasam — in the mode of ignorance paricakṣate — is to be considered .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vidhi-hīnam asṛṣṭānnaṁ
vidhi - hīnam
without scriptural direction
asṛṣṭa - annam
without distribution of prasādam
mantra-hīnam adakṣiṇam
mantra - hīnam
with no chanting of the Vedic hymns
adakṣiṇam
with no remunerations to the priests
śraddhā-virahitaṁ yajñaṁ
śraddhā
faith
virahitam
without
yajñam
sacrifice
tāmasaṁ paricakṣate
tāmasam
in the mode of ignorance
paricakṣate
is to be considered .
Important Words
  • vidhi - hīnam — without scriptural direction
    Compound: vidhi (rule) + hīnam (lacking, abandoned). The exact inverse of vidhi-diṣṭaḥ in verse 11. The chapter is built on these symmetric pairs: what makes sattvic, when removed, makes tamasic.
  • asṛṣṭa - annam — without distribution of prasādam
    Compound: a- (not) + sṛṣṭa (distributed, sent forth) + anna (food). A sacrifice that does not feed others is tamasic by definition. The act of offering must overflow into hospitality, or its mode collapses.
  • mantra - hīnam — with no chanting of Vedic hymns
    Mantra (sacred sound) + hīnam (lacking). The śabda-brahman dimension of yajña, removed. Without sacred sound the fire is only fire, not a sacrament.
  • adakṣiṇam — with no remunerations to the priests
    Privative a- + dakṣiṇā (the right-hand gift to the officiating brāhmaṇas). A traditionally vital element: the dakṣiṇā completes the yajña. Its absence marks the sacrifice as not merely incomplete but tamasic — the host has refused to honour the agents of the rite.
  • virahitam — without
    Past participle of vi + √rah — separated from, abandoned by. Used in the verse with śraddhā: 'separated from faith.' The final and most decisive defect. Recall 17.3: śraddhā-mayo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ — a person is faith. A sacrifice virahita of śraddhā is a sacrifice without a person; only a shell of motion remains.
Any sacrifice performed without regard for the directions of scripture, without distribution of prasādam [spiritual food], without chanting of Vedic hymns and remunerations to the priests, and without faith is considered to be in the mode of ignorance.
Purport

Faith in the mode of darkness or ignorance is actually faithlessness. Sometimes people worship some demigod just to make money and then spend the money for recreation, ignoring the scriptural injunctions. Such ceremonial shows of religiosity are not accepted as genuine. They are all in the mode of darkness; they produce a demoniac mentality and do not benefit human society.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
13. They say that the sacrifice which is contrary to scripture, with no food given in charity, without proper mantras, in which the priests are not paid, and which is performed without faith, is tamasic.
Commentary

Asṛṣṭa annam means without giving food in charity.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
13. They say that the sacrifice which is contrary to scripture, with no food given in charity, without proper mantras, in which the priests are not paid, and which is performed without faith, is tamasic.
Commentary

Sacrifice without food distribution (asṛṣṭa annam), in which the mantras are lacking in pitch or syllables, and which is without faith since there is animosity towards the priest (śraddhā virahitam), is known as sacrifice in the mode of ignorance.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Sacrifice in the mode of ignorance

Without scriptural directions
Without distribution of prasadam
Without chanting of Vedic Hymns and remuneration to the priests
Without faith
Faith in ignorance is faithlessness
e.g. Worshiping demigods to make some money and spend for recreation
Ignoring scriptures
Ceremonial show of religiosity
These produce demoniac mentality
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
17.13 Paricaksate, they delclare; that yajnam, sacrifice; as tamasam, done through tamas; which is vidhi-hinam, contrary to injunction, opposed to what is enjoined; asrstannam, in which food is not distributed-a sacrifice in which food (annam) is not distributed (asrstam) to Brahmanas; mantra-hinam, in which mantras are not used, which is bereft of mantras, intonation and distinct pronunciation; adaksinam, in which offerings are not made to priests as prescribed; and which is sraddha-virahitam, devoid of faith. After that, now is being stated the three kinds of austerity:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
17.13 They say that sacrifice is Tamasa, which is bereft of the authority of injunction of Brahmanas of learning and good conduct as 'Do this sacrifice,' which is 'Asrstanna' viz., which uses offerings (materials) not sanctioned by the Sastras; which is performed without recitation of hymns; and which is bereft of gifts and faith. Now, to explain the threefold division of austerities according to their source in the Gunas, Sri Krsna describes their differences in respect of the body, speech and mind:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
17.11-13 Aphala-etc. upto paricaksate. Stabilizing mind : by firmly believing. Also for the sake of display etc. Display : an intention 'Let the world take me to be of this natrue'. That which is devoid of scriptural injunction : that which is devoid of rituals prescribed in the scriptures. The same [feature] is elaborated by the attributives 'That in which no food is distributed' etc.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
17.13 They declare that sacrifice to be Tamasic which is contrary to the ordinances of the scriptures, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid of Mantras, gifts and faith.
Commentary

17.13 विधिहीनम् without keeping to ordinance? असृष्टान्नम् in which no food is distributed? मन्त्रहीनम् which is devoid of Mantras? अदक्षिणम् which is devoid of gifts? श्रद्धाविरहितम् which is devoid of faith? यज्ञम् sacrifice? तामसम् Tamasic? परिचक्षते (they) declare.Commentary A sacrifice performed by a Tamasic man is never guided by any consideration for the prescribed rites or incantation. You will find every irregularity in this sacrifice. No food is distributed. No fees which are prescribed in the scriptures are given to the priests. The Mantras are not changed properly. The hymns recited are defective in utterance and accent. Sometimes there is no recitation at all. There is no faith. A man who performs such a sacrifice does not get any merit.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
17.13 They declare that sacrifice as 'done through tamas' which is contrary to injunction, in which food is not distributed, in which mantras are not used, in which offerings are not made to priests, and which is devoid of faith.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
17.13 Sacrifice that is contrary to scriptural command, that is unaccompanied by prayers or gifts of food or money, and is without faith - that is the product of Ignorance.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses
BG 16.17 BG 16.23 BG 9.25 SB 4.2.23 SB 4.19.37 SB 7.15.12 CC Madhya 19.159 CC Madhya 22.118 CC Ādi 7.72 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.7BRS 1.2.113
Concepts
ShraddhaYajna
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Sacrifice without scripture, food distribution, mantra, charity, or faith — is tamasic.
Practical Applications
  • Reject 'sacrifice' that lacks the basic elements.
  • Don't tolerate degraded ritual.
  • Restore the elements.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'sacrifice' have I tolerated despite missing key elements?
  • What restoration would honor it?
Analogy

Tamasic sacrifice is like a meal cooked with no fire, no salt, no host, no guest — yet still called a feast. The form has been so stripped that the soul of the act is no longer present. Going through motions can be worse than not moving at all.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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