2 The Supreme Lord said: Such faith is of three types, according to an embodied soul's previously developed tendencies good, passionate, or ignorant. Now please hear about this from Me.

3 O Bharata, all men have a particular type of faith according to their individual mentalities. The very nature of the living being is based on faith their internal and external nature is modeled according to their faith. Therefore, their nature may be discerned according to the manner of worship or reverence in which they have faith.

4 Persons endowed with the nature of goodness worship the good-natured demigods; persons of passionate nature worship the passionate Yaksa demigods and cannibalistic Raksasa demons, while those of ignorant faith worship the ghosts and the dead, in the plane of darkness.

5, 6 Proud and pretentious fools cause the derangement of the body's natural elements and torment the indwelling soul, which is My fragmental spiritual particle. Motivated by intense craving to display their mental and bodily prowess, they perform excruciating non-scriptural austerities. You should know them as first-class confirmed demons.

7 According to the three modes of material nature, there are also three preferences of food. In the same way, there are three kinds of sacrifice, three kinds of austerity, and three kinds of charity. Now hear of all these.

8 Edible or offerable foods which increase longevity, zeal, strength, health, happiness and satisfaction, and which are succulent, milky, wholesome, and attractive these are dear to persons of the nature of goodness.

9 Edibles dear to persons of passionate nature are too bitter (nimba, etc.), too sour, too salty, too hot, too pungent (chili pepper, etc,) too dry (dry-roasted chick-peas, etc.), and too heating (mustard seed, etc.). Such foods cause unhappiness, distress, and disease.

10 Such food is dear to the ignorant: food which is cold, due to being cooked more than three hours before; food which is tasteless, exudes a bad odor, or was cooked the day before; the remnants of others (with the exception of remnants left by one's guru); and impure foodstuffs (such as meat, wine, and onions).

11 Sacrifice of the nature of goodness is in accordance with scriptural injunctions, and performed with a resolute sense of duty by a person devoid of fruitive desire.

12 But, O Bharata, know that sacrifice which is performed in fruitive expectation and merely as a display of pomp and grandeur, to be sacrifice of the nature of passion.

13 And that sacrifice which ignores the injunctions of the scriptures, which is performed without the distribution of gifts such as foodstuffs, without uttering the appropriate mantras, without presentations to the guru, and without faith, is known as sacrifice in ignorance.

14 Worship of the deity, the brahmanas, the spiritual master, and the enlightened soul, as well as cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy, and nonviolence these all constitute austerity of the body.

15 Speech which does not disturb others, which is truthful, pleasing yet beneficial, as well as regular recitation of the Vedas all these are known as verbal austerity.

16 Self-satisfaction, graceful gravity, firmness, self-control, and purification of consciousness are all known as mental austerity.

17 When performed by a desireless, devout soul with sublime faith in the Supreme Lord, this threefold austerity is of the nature of goodness.

18 That unenduring and uncertain austerity which is proudly performed just for the sake of gain, worship, and name and fame, is known as austerity of the nature of passion.

19 That austerity which is performed with foolish and injudicious preoccupation, causing self-torture or meant to harm others, is known as austerity of the nature of ignorance.

20 Charity given without expectation of return, as a matter of duty, with due consideration of place, time, and recipient, is considered to be of the nature of goodness.

21 Otherwise, charity given with an agitated mentality, in anticipation of receiving something in return, or with a desire of gaining entry into the heavenly plane, is known as charity of the nature of passion.

22 Charity given disrespectfully and scornfully to an unworthy recipient at an improper place and time is known as charity of the nature of ignorance.

23 The phrase 'Om Tat Sat' is mentioned in the scriptures as indicative of Parabrahman, the Supreme Spirit. At the time of universal creation, the brahma�as, the Vedas, and sacrifices were ordained by this threefold combination.

24 For this reason, the followers of the Vedas always begin the performance of their scripturally enjoined duties based on sacrifice, charity, and austerity, by uttering the vibration 'Om', which represents Brahman, the Absolute.

25 Vibrating the word 'Tat', which also represents Brahman, the Absolute, and rejecting the desire for the fruits of their actions, the liberation-seekers conduct the performance of different kinds of sacrifices and austerities, and execute the duty of giving charity.

26 O Partha, the word 'Sat' indicates the truth, as well as persons who are dedicated servants of truth. It is also applied in the performance of auspicious activities.

27 The word 'Sat' is employed to indicate both the eternality of the object of sacrifice, austerity, and charity, as well as duty performed for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord.

28 O Partha, sacrifice, charity, and austerity, or any duty performed without faith in the supreme objective, is known as 'asat', or depraved. Such works can never bestow an auspicious result, either in this world or the next.