Mahabharata · 6.39.1
॥
Devanāgarī
अर्जुन उवाच
ये शास्त्रविधिम् उत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ॥
तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वम् आहो रजस् तमः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
arjuna uvāca
ye śāstravidhim utsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ ||
teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अर्जुन उवाचarjuna uvācaArjuna said; Arjuna spoke
ये शास्त्रविधिम् उत्सृज्यye śāstravidhim utsṛjyawho, having abandoned the injunction of the shastra; those who rejected the rule of scripture
यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताःyajante śraddhayānvitāḥworship, endowed with faith; perform sacrifice with faith
तेषां निष्ठा तु काteṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kāwhat then is their steadfastness; what is their foundation
कृष्णkṛṣṇaO Krishna; Krishna
सत्त्वम् आहो रजस् तमःsattvam āho rajas tamaḥis it sattva, or rajas, or tamas; goodness, passion, or darkness
Translation
Arjuna said: "O Krishna, what is the position of those who, abandoning the injunction of the shastra, nevertheless worship with faith? Does it belong to sattva, to rajas, or to tamas?"
Version
eccce5ebaea3 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:02:20 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Arjuna's question sharpens the line between faith and self-will. Religious sentiment alone is not enough: one must understand which quality of nature colors this faith and where it leads.