Gita 17.2
Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga
श्रीभगवानुवाच | त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा | सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ||२||
śrī-bhagavān uvāca | trividhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā | sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṁ śṛṇu ||2||
In essence: Krishna reveals the fundamental insight: Faith itself is threefold - sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic - born from one's inherent nature, and this determines everything about one's spiritual life.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "So even faith isn't safe from the gunas? I thought faith was purely spiritual."
Guru: "Nothing in manifestation escapes the gunas - they are the very fabric of prakriti. But this is not discouraging news. It means your faith can be understood, evaluated, and elevated. A tamasic person isn't faithless - they have tamasic faith. The work is to transform its quality."
Sadhak: "What makes faith 'born of one's nature'? Isn't faith a choice?"
Guru: "On the surface, faith seems chosen. But look deeper - why do you find certain teachings compelling while others leave you cold? Why does one person instinctively trust a sattvic path while another is drawn to power-seeking practices? Your svabhava - your accumulated inner tendencies - shapes what resonates with you. This isn't fatalism; svabhava can be transformed through conscious effort and grace."
Sadhak: "Then how do I know what kind of faith I have?"
Guru: "Examine what you worship, what you eat, what sacrifices you perform, what austerities you practice. Krishna will explain each. But even simpler: what do you ultimately want from your spiritual life? Liberation and truth? Power and success? Security and comfort? Your deepest desire reveals your faith's quality."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Upon waking, examine the quality of faith that arises naturally. Do you feel drawn toward purity and wisdom (sattvic)? Achievement and activity (rajasic)? Or resistance and dullness (tamasic)? Simply observe without judgment - awareness itself begins transformation.
Notice how your faith influences decisions throughout the day. When choosing what to engage with - work, entertainment, conversations - observe what your faith is directed toward. Are you seeking truth, success, or just comfort? Each choice either reinforces or transforms your svabhava.
Before sleep, set intention for the quality of faith you wish to cultivate. Invoke sattvic influences - read uplifting scripture, recall noble teachings, pray for purification of faith. Sleep itself will be influenced by the predominant guna, so orient toward sattva.