Arjuna said: Those who, laying aside scripture, worship with faith—what is their state, O Krishna—sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic?

Stale, tasteless, putrid, leftover, impure food is dear to the tamasic.

The sacrifice performed according to rule by those who seek no fruit, with the mind fixed on ‘it must be done’, is sattvic.

But the sacrifice performed for fruit and for show—know that as rajasic.

Without rule, without food offered, without mantras, without gift to priests, without faith—the sacrifice is called tamasic.

Worship of gods, twice-born, teacher and wise; purity, straightness, celibacy, non-injury—this is bodily austerity.

Speech that does not agitate, that is true, pleasant and beneficial; and regular recitation—this is austerity of speech.

Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control, purity of disposition—this is called mental austerity.

Austerity performed with supreme faith by balanced people without desire for fruit is considered sattvic, threefold (body, speech, mind).

The austerity practiced for respect, honor and worship, and out of hypocrisy, is said to be rajasic—unstable and impermanent.

Austerity performed with foolish obstinacy, torturing oneself or to harm others—that is declared tamasic.

The Lord said: Faith of embodied beings is threefold, born of nature—sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Hear of it.

Gift given with the thought ‘it should be given,’ to one who cannot repay, at the right place, time and to a worthy person—this is sattvic.

But the gift given expecting return or fruit, or grudgingly—this is called rajasic.

Gift given at wrong place and time, to unworthy persons, without respect and with contempt—this is declared tamasic.

‘Om Tat Sat’—this threefold designation of Brahman; by this the Brahmanas, the Vedas and sacrifices were ordained of old.

Therefore, uttering ‘Om’ the acts of sacrifice, gift and austerity, as enjoined, are always undertaken by seekers of Brahman.

Uttering ‘Tat’ (That), without attachment to fruit, the acts of sacrifice, austerity, and various gifts are performed by seekers of liberation.

‘Sat’ is used in the sense of real and good; and the word ‘Sat’ is used for praiseworthy action, O Partha.

Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity and gift is called ‘Sat’; and action done for That is also called ‘Sat’.

Whatever is offered, given, or austerity performed, or any act done without faith is called ‘asat’—it is nothing here or hereafter.

As is one’s sattva (inner quality), so is one’s faith, O Bharata. A person is made of faith; whatever his faith, that indeed he is.

Sattvic worship the gods; rajasic worship yakshas and rakshasas; tamasic worship the ghosts and spirits.

Those who practice terrible austerities not enjoined by scripture, joined with hypocrisy and ego, driven by desire and passion…

Tormenting the aggregate of beings in the body, and Me dwelling within—know them as of demonic resolve.

Food is dear to all in three ways; so too sacrifice, austerity and gift—hear their distinctions.

Foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy—juicy, oily, substantial, pleasing—are dear to the sattvic.

Bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry, burning foods—preferred by the rajasic—produce pain, grief, and disease.