FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 17.28

అశ్రద్ధయా హుతం దత్తం తపస్తప్‍తం కృతం చ యత్ । అసదిత్యుచ్యతే పార్థ న చ తత్ప్రేత్య నో ఇహ ॥ ౨౮ ॥
aśraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ
[ashraddhayaa hutam dattam]
tapas taptaṁ kṛtaṁ ca yat
[tapas taptam kritam cha yat]
asad ity ucyate pārtha
[asad ity uchyate paartha]
na ca tat pretya no iha
[na cha tat pretya no iha]
Word-for-word
aśraddhayā — without faith hutam — offered in sacrifice dattam — given tapaḥ — penance taptam — executed kṛtam — performed ca — also yat — that which asat — false iti — thus ucyate — is said to be pārtha — O son of Pṛthā na — never ca — also tat — that pretya — after death na u — nor iha — in this life .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
aśraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ
aśraddhayā
without faith
hutam
offered in sacrifice
dattam
given
tapas taptaṁ kṛtaṁ ca yat
tapaḥ
penance
taptam
executed
kṛtam
performed
ca
also
yat
that which
asad ity ucyate pārtha
asat
false
iti
thus
ucyate
is said to be
pārtha
O son of Pṛthā
na ca tat pretya no iha
na
never
ca
also
tat
that
pretya
after death
na u
nor
iha
in this life .
Important Words
  • aśraddhayā — without faith
    Instrumental of aśraddhā — privative a- + śraddhā. The chapter ends on the same word it began with — śraddhā — now in its absence. The whole chapter has been argument for śraddhā's centrality; the final verse delivers the negative case. Without śraddhā: nothing.
  • hutam — offered in sacrifice
    Past participle of √hu — to offer into fire. The verse opens its closing roll-call with the yajña participle. Note the rhythm: hutam, dattam, taptam, kṛtam — four perfect participles, four complete actions held up for inspection and stamped asat.
  • taptam — executed
    Past participle of √tap — to heat, to perform tapas. The same root as tapas itself. Used in the verse for executed austerity. The very heat of tapas, without śraddhā, generates no fruit — the participle's perfectness underscores the wasted completeness of the act.
  • asat — false, un-real
    Privative a- + sat. The chapter's central pun reaches its terminus. Sat consecrates; asat negates. Activities lacking śraddhā fall outside sat and earn the asat-label — un-real, un-enduring, un-counted. The exact inversion of the syllable that has structured the previous five verses.
  • pretya — after death
    Gerund of pra + √i — 'having gone forth (from the body).' Used in the verse with the negation na. Paired with iha (in this life), the verse seals both temporal directions: faithless activity yields nothing now and nothing after death. The double sealing leaves no consolation prize for sincere effort wrongly grounded.
Anything done as sacrifice, charity or penance without faith in the Supreme, O son of Pṛthā, is impermanent. It is called asat and is useless both in this life and the next.
Purport

Anything done without the transcendental objective – whether it be sacrifice, charity or penance – is useless. Therefore in this verse it is declared that such activities are abominable. Everything should be done for the Supreme in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Without such faith, and without the proper guidance, there can never be any fruit. In all the Vedic scriptures, faith in the Supreme is advised. In the pursuit of all Vedic instructions, the ultimate goal is the understanding of Kṛṣṇa. No one can obtain success without following this principle. Therefore, the best course is to work from the very beginning in Kṛṣṇa consciousness under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. That is the way to make everything successful. In the conditional state, people are attracted to worshiping demigods, ghosts, or Yakṣas like Kuvera. The mode of goodness is better than the modes of passion and ignorance, but one who takes directly to Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental to all three modes of material nature. Although there is a process of gradual elevation, if one, by the association of pure devotees, takes directly to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the best way. And that is recommended in this chapter. To achieve success in this way, one must first find the proper spiritual master and receive training under his direction. Then one can achieve faith in the Supreme. When that faith matures, in course of time, it is called love of God. This love is the ultimate goal of the living entities. One should therefore take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness directly. That is the message of this Seventeenth Chapter. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Seventeenth Chapter of the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā in the matter of the Divisions of Faith.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
28. O son of Pṛthā, whatever is offered in the fire, whatever is given in charity, whatever is undertaken as austerity, but which is done without faith, is called asat since it bears no result now or in the next life.
Commentary

“I have heard about sat actions (those indicating Brahman). What about asat actions?” Whatever oblation is offered, whatever charity is given, whatever austerity is undertaken, whatever other actions is performed, is asat if performed without faith. If there is no faith, [Note: Sattvika faith is understood here.] whatever oblations are offered are actually not offered, whatever charity is given is actually not give, whether austerity is performed is actually not given, and whatever is done is actually not done. Everything is asat, since one obtains no results in the next world (pretya) or in this world (iha). This chapter describes how sattvic actions of various types, performed with faith, lead to liberation. Thus the commentaries on the seventeenth chapter of the Gītā have been completed for the pleasure of the devotees’ hearts, by the mercy of the ācāryas.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
28. O son of Pṛthā, whatever is offered in the fire, whatever is given in charity, whatever else is undertaken, but which is done without faith, is called asat since it bears no result now or in the next life.
Commentary

Therefore all acts should be done with sattvika faith. [Note: Sattvika svabhāva does not necessarily imply following scriptures, as explained in verse 4. However it is easier and most likely for those with sattva faith, worshipping devas and following sattvika eating, sacrifice and charity, to adopt the scriptural injunctions and dedicate the acts to Viṣṇu with om tat sat. One follower of Rāmānuja mentions that there must be obedience to scripture and faith as well. Faith without scripture and scripture without faith are both unproductive.] Without that, all acts are useless. Such acts are criticized in this verse. Whatever sacrifice (hutam), charity (dattam), or austerity, or anything else, such as praises or respect, is performed without faith (in scripture), it is all asat, useless. Why? Ca indicates the reason. It is all useless since, being done without faith, it does not give results in the next life (pretya), because the prescribed acts were not perfectly executed, nor does it even give fame in this life (iha), because such faithless acts are condemned by the saintly. Rejecting faith arising from ones impressions, one who takes shelter of faith arising from scripture will be qualified for the highest goal. This is the ordinance of the seventeenth chapter. Chapter 18

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

In his Purport, Srila Prabhupada says: "Although there is a process of gradual elevation, if one, by the association of pure devotees, takes directly to Krsna consciousness, that is the best way. And that is recommended in this chapter. To achieve success in this way, one must first find the proper spiritual master and receive training under his direction. Then one can achieve faith in the Supreme. When that faith matures, in course of time, it is called love of God. This love is the ultimate goal of the living entities. One should therefore take to Krsna consciousness directly. That is the message of Seventeenth Chapter. That is the conclusion this Chapter, that one should direct his energies, not through the gradual process of becoming elevated on the tree of the material world, gradually transmigrating like a karma‑kandi, but one should by the mercy of thy spiritual master directly understand the purpose of the gradual elevation, and directly take to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thereby cutting completely his entanglements and attachments in the material world. Thus this Chapter concludes like any other chapter has concluded, that we should take directly to the devotional service of the Lord.

THUS ENDS THE STUDY OF CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

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

Religious activity not done in proper consciousness is practically useless

Anything without faith in the Supreme is impermanent and is called ‘asat’; and is useless in this life and in the next
END OF CHAPTER 17 
Focus of Learning

(a) This verse declares that sacrifice, charity and penance without faith in the Supreme is

abominable

Because it is useless, being temporary
Without such faith and proper guidance, there can never be any fruit
No success is obtained without following the principle

(b) Why this principle of ‘Faith in Supreme’ is emphasized

Ultimate goal of all Vedic instructions is to understand Krishna
Advice of all Vedas – In all Vedic scriptures ‘Faith in Supreme’ is advised

(c) Best course of work recommended to make everything successful

Work from the very beginning in Krishna consciousness under the guidance of the bona-fide spiritual master

(d) Direct Krishna consciousness is better than gradual elevation

In conditional state – One is attracted to different worship based on three modes as per Text 17.4
Krishna consciousness is transcendental to all three modes
Message of Chapter 17 – Take to the direct Krishna consciousness process by the association of Krishna conscious devotees (Best recommended method)

(e) How to find success in the process of Krishna consciousness

First find the proper spiritual master then
Receive training under spiritual master
Then one achieves faith in Supreme
When that faith matures, it is called Love of god (ultimate goal of living-entities)

Bhagavad Gita Notes

CHAPTER 17 Appendix

Selected Texts extracted from “Surrender unto Me”

Introduction

Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa introduces Chapter Seventeen with Arjuna inquiring:

You have described in the previous chapter that those who study the Vedas, follow their injunctions, try to

understand their meaning and have faith in their authority are devas. You have then described those who dis-

regard the Vedas and act outside the scope of Vedic injunctions as asuras. Now I have a question: What is

the position of those who have comprehended the difficult texts of the Vedas, both learning them by rote

and understanding their meaning, but who—because of lack of diligence—abandon the Vedic injunctions and

instead worship demigods and others with the kind of faith found in worldly conduct? What is their position

relative to the above-ascertained distinctions between the devas and asuras? Please answer this, taking into

consideration both their neglect of Vedic injunctions and their possession of sincere faith.

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
17.28 O son of Prtha, whatever is hutam, offered in sacrifice, poured as oblation; and dattam, given in charity to Brahmanas,without faith; whatever tapah, austerity; is taptam, performed without faith; so also, whatever is krtam, done without faith, e.g. praise, salutation, etc.; all that ucyate, is said to be; asat iti, of no avail, since it is outside th course of discipline leading to Me. Ca, and, although involving great effort; na ca tat, it is of no conseence; pretya, after death, for producing (some) result; na, nor even for any result; iha, because it is condemned by the wise. [Thus it is established in this chapter that, among persons who are not at all versed in the scriptures, but are possessed of (either of the) three characterisitcs of sattva, (rajas) etc., only those shall attain to Liberation who steadfastly resort to sattva alone by partaking of sattvika food, (performing sattvika) sacrifices) etc. to te exclusion of rajasika and tamasika food etc., who destroy any defect that might arise in sacrifice etc. by uttering the names of Brahman, who have fully purified their intellect, and who have attained to the realization of Truth arising from one's being endowed with such disciplines as hearing and and thinking (sravana, manana) of, and meditation (nididhyasana) on Brahman.]
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
17.28 Offerings etc., when performed without faith, are Asat (i.e., unreal, bereft of efficiency), although they might be what has been enjoined by the Sastras. Why so? Because it is naught here or hereafter; it will not lead to release nor to any desirable result in Samsara.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
17.28 Asradhaya etc. ASAT : not praiseworthy (or inauspicious). Therefore Happiness just easily arises for those who exert in the prasieworthy (or auspicious) act.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
17.28 Whatever is sacrificed, given or performed, and whatever austerity is practised without faith, it is called 'Asat', O Arjuna; it is naught here or hereafter (after death).
Commentary

17.28 अश्रद्धया without faith? हुतम् is sacrificed? दत्तम् given? तपः austerity? तप्तम् is practised? कृतम् performed? च and? यत् whatever? असत् Asat? इति thus? उच्यते is called? पार्थ O Partha? न not? च and? तत् that? प्रेत्य hereafter (after death)? न not? इह here.Commentary Asat That which changes form and has no permanent existence. It does not mean nonexistence as such.Acts of sacrifice? austerity and gift that are performed without faith? under pressure? or to prevent some sort of trouble or to gratify a craving? are Asat in their nature. They yield no permanent benefit or fruit to anybody.Any sacrifice? austerity or gift done without dedicating it to the Lord will be of no avail to the doer in this earthly life here or in the life beyond hereafter. It would be as useless as showers of rain falling on rocky ground or pouring oblations of ghee (clarified butter) on cold ashes. If you have no faith you will become egoistic and obstinate. Your heart will become hard. If you perform even hundreds of sacrifices without faith? without the spirit of selfsurrender to the Lord? even if you distribute the wealth of the whole world in charity without faith in and devotion to the Lord? all these would be worthless and useless. The sages will not appreciate such sacrifices or gifts. Energy? money and time are simply wasted.Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita? the science of the Eternal? the scripture of Yoga? the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna? ends the seventeenth discourse entitledThe Yoga of the Division of the Threefold Faith. ,

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
17.28 O son of Prtha, whatever is offered in sacrifice and given in charity, as also whatever austerity is undertakne or whatever is done without, faith, is said to be of on avail. And it is of no conseence after death, nor here.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
17.28 Whatsoever is done without faith, whether it be sacrifice, austerity or gift or anything else, as called Asat' (meaning Unreal') for it is the negation of Sat,' O Arjuna! Such an act has no significance, here or hereafter."
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)
Related verses
BG 9.3 BG 4.40 BG 6.37 SB 1.2.8 SB 11.14.21 SB 10.2.32 CC Madhya 22.62 CC Madhya 22.64 CC Madhya 19.152 Taittirīya Upaniṣad 1.11BRS 1.2.92
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Anything done as sacrifice, charity, austerity without faith in the Supreme — is asat; useless here, useless hereafter.
Practical Applications
  • Address faithlessness explicitly; without faith, the action is asat.
  • Cultivate faith as the activating principle.
  • Don't waste effort on faithless action.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is faith absent from my otherwise-correct actions?
  • What restores faith?
Analogy

Action without faith in the Supreme is like sowing seeds on a polished stone — every step of farming is performed correctly, every motion is sincere, but the substratum cannot grow anything. Useless here because nothing sprouts in this life; useless hereafter because nothing carries forward. Faithlessness is not a moral failing alone — it is barren ground.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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