Arjuna said: Those who discard scriptural rules but worship with faith—what is their status, O Krishna? Is it sattva, rajas, or tamas?

The Blessed Lord said: The faith of embodied beings is threefold, born of their own nature—sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Hear about it.

The faith of each person corresponds to their nature, O Bharata. A person is made of faith; as is their faith, so are they.

Sattvic persons worship the gods; rajasic, the demigods and demons; and tamasic people worship ghosts and spirits.

Those who perform terrible austerities not enjoined by scripture, possessed by hypocrisy and ego, driven by lust, attachment, and force—

Torturing the bodily elements and also Me dwelling within the body—know these senseless ones to be of demonic resolve.

Food also is of three kinds, dear to each type. So too are sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Hear the distinction among them.

Foods that promote longevity, virtue, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction, which are savory, mild, substantial, and agreeable—these are dear to the sattvic.

Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry, and burning are desired by the rajasic. They cause pain, grief, and disease.

Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, leftover, and impure is dear to the tamasic.

Sacrifice that is offered according to scriptural rules by those not seeking reward, with the mind fixed on 'this is to be done'—that is sattvic.

But sacrifice performed for the sake of reward or for show, O best of Bharatas—know that to be rajasic.

Sacrifice without proper rules, without food distribution, without mantras, without gifts, and devoid of faith—that is declared tamasic.

Worship of the gods, the twice-born, teachers, and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-violence—this is called austerity of the body.

Speech that causes no distress, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, along with regular study of scriptures—this is called austerity of speech.

Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control, and purity of thought—this is called austerity of the mind.

This threefold austerity, practiced with supreme faith by those not seeking reward, with disciplined minds—that is declared sattvic.

Austerity performed for honor, respect, and worship, or with hypocrisy—that is declared rajasic, unstable, and impermanent.

Austerity performed with foolish stubbornness, with self-torture, or to destroy another—that is declared tamasic.

Charity given simply because it ought to be given, to a worthy person, at the right place and time, without expectation of return—that is considered sattvic.

But charity given reluctantly, expecting something in return or some reward—that is considered rajasic.

Charity given at wrong place and time, to unworthy recipients, without respect or with contempt—that is declared tamasic.

'Om Tat Sat'—this is the threefold designation of Brahman. By this were ordained the brahmanas, the Vedas, and sacrifices of old.

Therefore, acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity prescribed by scripture are always begun by the followers of Brahman with the utterance of 'Om.'

With the utterance of 'Tat,' without aiming at results, various acts of sacrifice, austerity, and charity are performed by those seeking liberation.

'Sat' is used to denote reality and goodness; likewise, O Partha, 'Sat' is used for auspicious action.

Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is also called 'Sat.' Action for the sake of That is also called 'Sat.'

Whatever is sacrificed, given, or performed, and whatever austerity is practiced without faith—that is called 'Asat,' O Partha. It is nothing, neither here nor after death.