Sattvic, rajasic, tamasic - every person, every food, every austerity, every act of giving carries these three flavours. The chapter ends with the sacred triple designation: Om Tat Sat.
अर्जुन उवाच । ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः । तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ॥
arjuna uvāca | ye śāstra-vidhim-utsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ | teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvam-āho rajas-tamaḥ ||
Arjuna said: Those who, setting aside scriptural rules, perform sacrifice with faith - what is their standing, O Krishna - sattva, rajas, or tamas?
श्रीभगवानुवाच । त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा । सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca | tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṃ sā svabhāva-jā | sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṃ śṛṇu ||
The Blessed Lord said: The faith of embodied beings is of three kinds, born of their own nature - sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Hear about it.
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत । श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥
sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata | śraddhā-mayo’yaṃ puruṣo yo yac-chraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ ||
The faith of each is in accord with his own nature, O Bharata. A person is made of faith - as is his faith, so is he.
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः । प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥
yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣa-rakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ | pretān bhūta-gaṇāṃś-cānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ ||
The sattvic worship the gods; the rajasic worship yakshas and rakshasas; the tamasic worship spirits of the dead and hosts of nature spirits.
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः । दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥
aśāstra-vihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ | dambhāhaṅkāra-saṃyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ ||
Those who practise terrible austerities not sanctioned by scripture, given to hypocrisy and ego, full of lust, passion, and force-
कर्शयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः । मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥
karśayantaḥ śarīra-sthaṃ bhūta-grāmam-acetasaḥ | māṃ caivāntaḥ-śarīra-sthaṃ tān viddhy-āsura-niścayān ||
- torturing the elements of the body and me also seated within - know them to be of demonic resolve.
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः । यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ॥
āhāras-tv-api sarvasya tri-vidho bhavati priyaḥ | yajñas-tapas-tathā dānaṃ teṣāṃ bhedam-imaṃ śṛṇu ||
The food of each is also of three kinds, as is sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Hear the distinction.
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः । रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥
āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ | rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ ||
Foods that promote long life, vitality, strength, health, happiness, and joy; that are juicy, smooth, substantial, agreeable - are dear to the sattvic.
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः । आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥
kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣṇa-tīkṣṇa-rūkṣa-vidāhinaḥ | āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkha-śokāmaya-pradāḥ ||
Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry, and burning are dear to the rajasic - and bring pain, sorrow, and disease.
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् । उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥
yāta-yāmaṃ gata-rasaṃ pūti paryuṣitaṃ ca yat | ucchiṣṭam-api cāmedhyaṃ bhojanaṃ tāmasa-priyam ||
Food that is stale, tasteless, rotten, kept overnight, leftover, and impure is dear to the tamasic.
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते । यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥
aphalākāṅkṣibhir-yajño vidhi-dṛṣṭo ya ijyate | yaṣṭavyam-eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ ||
The sacrifice that is offered according to the rules by those who desire no fruit, with mind firmly fixed in the thought "this is to be done," is sattvic.
अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् । इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥
abhisandhāya tu phalaṃ dambhārtham-api caiva yat | ijyate bharata-śreṣṭha taṃ yajñaṃ viddhi rājasam ||
That which is offered seeking fruit and for the sake of display - know that sacrifice to be rajasic, O best of the Bharatas.
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् । श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥
vidhi-hīnam-asṛṣṭānnaṃ mantra-hīnam-adakṣiṇam | śraddhā-virahitaṃ yajñaṃ tāmasaṃ paricakṣate ||
A sacrifice contrary to scripture, without distribution of food, without mantras, without dakshina, without faith - is called tamasic.
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् । ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥
deva-dvija-guru-prājña-pūjanaṃ śaucam-ārjavam | brahmacaryam-ahiṃsā ca śārīraṃ tapa ucyate ||
Worship of gods, twice-born, teachers, and the wise; purity, uprightness, continence, non-violence - these constitute austerity of the body.
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥
anudvega-karaṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priya-hitaṃ ca yat | svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅ-mayaṃ tapa ucyate ||
Speech that gives no offence, truthful, pleasant and beneficial, and the practice of self-study - this constitutes austerity of speech.
मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः । भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥
manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṃ maunam-ātma-vinigrahaḥ | bhāva-saṃśuddhir-ity-etat tapo mānasam-ucyate ||
Serenity of mind, kindness, silence, self-control, purity of motive - this is called austerity of the mind.
श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः । अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥
śraddhayā parayā taptaṃ tapas-tat tri-vidhaṃ naraiḥ | aphalākāṅkṣibhir-yuktaiḥ sāttvikaṃ paricakṣate ||
This threefold austerity, practised with supreme faith by men who desire no fruit and who are steadfast, is called sattvic.
सत्कारमानपूजार्थं तपो दम्भेन चैव यत् । क्रियते तदिह प्रोक्तं राजसं चलमध्रुवम् ॥
sat-kāra-māna-pūjārthaṃ tapo dambhena caiva yat | kriyate tad-iha proktaṃ rājasaṃ calam-adhruvam ||
Austerity that is performed for the sake of respect, honour, or worship, and with hypocrisy - is here called rajasic, fickle and impermanent.
मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः । परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
mūḍha-grāheṇātmano yat pīḍayā kriyate tapaḥ | parasyotsādanārthaṃ vā tat tāmasam-udāhṛtam ||
Austerity performed with foolish obstinacy by torturing oneself, or for the harm of another - that is called tamasic.
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे । देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥
dātavyam-iti yad-dānaṃ dīyate’nupakāriṇe | deśe kāle ca pātre ca tad-dānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam ||
Charity given out of a sense of duty, to one who cannot return the favour, in a worthy place, at a worthy time, to a worthy person - that is held to be sattvic.
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः । दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥
yat tu pratyupakārārthaṃ phalam-uddiśya vā punaḥ | dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṃ tad-dānaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam ||
That which is given for the sake of return or for the sake of a future fruit, or grudgingly - is held to be rajasic.
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते । असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
adeśa-kāle yad-dānam-apātrebhyaś-ca dīyate | asat-kṛtam-avajñātaṃ tat tāmasam-udāhṛtam ||
Charity given at the wrong place and time and to unworthy persons, without respect, with disdain - is held to be tamasic.
ओंतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः । ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥
oṃ-tat-sad-iti nirdeśo brahmaṇas-tri-vidhaḥ smṛtaḥ | brāhmaṇās-tena vedāś-ca yajñāś-ca vihitāḥ purā ||
Om, Tat, Sat - this threefold designation of Brahman is established. By it the brahmanas, the Vedas, and the sacrifices were ordained of old.
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः । प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥
tasmād-om-ity-udāhṛtya yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ | pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṃ brahma-vādinām ||
Therefore acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity prescribed in the scriptures are always begun by knowers of Brahman by uttering "Om."
तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः । दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥
tad-ity-anabhisandhāya phalaṃ yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ | dāna-kriyāś-ca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣa-kāṅkṣibhiḥ ||
Pronouncing "Tat," without seeking fruit, various acts of sacrifice, austerity, and charity are performed by those who seek liberation.
सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते । प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥
sad-bhāve sādhu-bhāve ca sad-ity-etat prayujyate | praśaste karmaṇi tathā sac-chabdaḥ pārtha yujyate ||
The word "Sat" is applied in the sense of being and goodness; also for praiseworthy action, the word "Sat" is used, O Partha.
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते । कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥
yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ sad-iti cocyate | karma caiva tad-arthīyaṃ sad-ity-evābhidhīyate ||
Steadfastness in sacrifice, in austerity, in charity, is called "Sat"; and action for the sake of these is also designated "Sat."
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् । असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥
aśraddhayā hutaṃ dattaṃ tapas-taptaṃ kṛtaṃ ca yat | asad-ity-ucyate pārtha na ca tat pretya no iha ||
Whatever is offered, given, or performed as austerity without faith is called "Asat," O Partha - of no use, neither here nor hereafter.
Translations are paraphrastic to keep meaning accessible. For verbatim study consult Sankaracharya, Ramanuja, Madhva, or any modern scholarly edition. Detailed verse-by-verse commentary is available at trusted sources such as sacred-texts.com and Gita Supersite (IIT-K).