Srimad Bhagavad-Gita Chapter-17. Slokam-12.

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Swami Swaroopananda

November 22 at 9:06 PM  · 

Chinmaya Tapovan Ashram is located in the idyllic valley of Sidhbari, where this great institution was founded by Pujya Gurudev, to impart in-depth learning of the Gita and the Vedantic scriptures. Seekers can find themselves within the heart of nature, surrounded by majestic Himalayan peaks, imbibing knowledge at the various camps and discourses conducted at the Sandeepan HIM.

The entire campus has a positive, vibrating energy drawn from Gurudev’s samadhi alongside the Shri Rama and Shri Hanumana temples.

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Wednesday, November 24, 2021. 7:00 PM.
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita
Chapter-17. { Sraddha-traya-vibhaga-yogam }

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Slokam-13.



"vidhi-hinam asrshtannam   mantra-hinam-adakshinam,

sraddha-virahitam  yajnam   tamasam  paricakshate."

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Translation :

vidhi-hinam  =  without  minding  the  scriptural direction;

asrshtannam   =  without distribution of prasadam  ( food  given )  to  others;

mantra-hinam  =  wrongly  prounced  mantram  with  mistakes  ( with no proper  chanting of the Vedic hymns );

adakshinam  =  without  paying  remunerations  to  priests  ( who  perform  yahnam  on  behalf  of  the sacrificer );

sraddha-virahitam  yajnam  =  faithless  yajnam;

tamasam  paricakshate  =  said  to  be  ( considered  as  )  Tamasam  ( tamasic yajnam ).

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Slokam explained  :

"Sacrifice devoid of faith and contrary to the injunctions of the scriptures, in which no food is offered, no mantras chanted, and no donation made, is to be considered in the mode of ignorance."


And that sacrifice performed in defiance of scriptural injunctions, in which no spiritual food is distributed, no hymns are chanted and no remunerations are made to the priests, and which is faithless-that sacrifice is of the nature of ignorance.

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Commentary :


At every moment in life, individuals have choices regarding which actions to perform. There are proper actions that are beneficial for society and for us. At the same time, there are inappropriate actions that are harmful for others and us. However, who is to decide what is beneficial and what is harmful? And in case a dispute arises, what is the basis for resolving it? If everyone makes their own decisions then pandemonium will prevail. So the injunctions of the scriptures serve as guide maps and wherever a doubt arises, we consult these scriptures for ascertaining the propriety of any action. However, those in the mode of ignorance do not have faith in the scriptures. They carry out religious ceremonies but disregard the ordinances of the scriptures.


In India, specific gods and goddess associated with each festival are worshipped with great pomp and splendor. Often the motive behind the external grandeur of the ceremony—gaudy decorations, dazzling illumination, and blaring music—is to collect contributions from the neighborhood. Further, the Vedic injunction of offering a donation to the priests performing religious ceremony, as a mark of gratitude and respect, is not followed. Sacrifice in which such injunctions of the scriptures are ignored and a self-determined process is followed, due to laziness, indifference, or belligerence, is in the mode of ignorance. Such faith is actually a form of faithlessness in God and the scriptures.



Any religious ritual or ceremony of any kind that is vidhi-hinam or devoid of following the ordinances and injunctions of the Vedic scriptures and without being conducted by Vaisnavas and brahmanas who are pre-eminent both in precept and in practice is recognizably known to be fully situated in tama guna the mode of ignorance. 


The words asrsta-annam means without the sanctified food and ingredients required to perform a bonafide yagna or propitiation and worship. 


The prohibition is that no ingredient may be acquired from those without faith in Lord Krishna; so it is a mandatory requirement that all ingredients are to be received only from devotees. 


Those situated in tama guna cannot fulfil this mandate. 


So in conclusion whatever religious activity that is performed without adhering to the authority of the Vedic scriptures, without Vaisnavas and brahmanas chanting Vedic mantras and without adoration of the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations and expansions is not valid and being bogus is totally situated in tama guna. 


If such activities were anyway somehow or other able to be clandestinely orchestrated by unqualified schemers it would still have no efficacy due to the absence of devotion to Lord Krishna and lack of faith in the absolute authority of the Vedic scriptures.


Furthermore Lord Krishna states that rituals contrary to the Vedic scriptures meaning those which are forbidden and prohibited in the Vedic scriptures as well as ceremonies not endorsed by the Vedic scriptures meaning all those where the ordinances and injunctions of the Vedic scriptures are not observed; both are irrevocably locked in tama guna the mode of ignorance. 


Whatever religious activity or ritual that is enacted anywhere in creation, if it is devoid of duly initiated Vaisnavas and brahmanas chanting prescribed Vedic mantras, if it is devoid of propitiation and worship to the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations as revealed in Vedic scriptures and if it is devoid of faith in the Supreme Lord Krishna it is known to be irrefutably and irrevocably situated in the inertia of tama guna.


The ritual or ceremony of any kind that is devoid of guidance of the Vedics scriptures and ignores and refrains from following the injunctions and ordinances of the Vedic scriptures due to indifference or belligerence is know to be firmly situated in tama guna. 


Wherever no Vedic mantras are chanted by duly initiated Vaisnavas and brahmanas, wherever there is no devotion to the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations and expansions as revealed in Vedic scriptures ad wherever there is an absence of faith in Lord Krishna is always irrevocably situated in tama guna.


Faith in the mode of darkness or ignorance is actually faithlessness. 


Sometimes people worship some demigod just to make money and then spend the money for recreation, ignoring the scriptural injunctions. 


Such ceremonial shows of religiosity are not accepted as genuine. 


They are all in the mode of darkness; they produce a demoniac mentality and do not benefit human society.


To be continued  ...




Chinmaya Mission 

October 31 at 9:28 PM  · 

With God's grace and Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda's blessing, a new administrative block was inaugurated today at N V Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Shegaon. 

Shri Prakash Mukund (District Education Officer - Secondary), Buldhana graced this ocassion and extended warm greetings to all! Here are few glimpses of the inauguration.

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