अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्।
असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह।।17.28।।
।।17.28।।हे पार्थ अश्रद्धासे किया हुआ हवन? दिया हुआ दान और तपा हुआ तप तथा और भी जो,कुछ किया जाय? वह सब असत् -- ऐसा कहा जाता है। उसका फल न यहाँ होता है? न मरनेके बाद ही होता है अर्थात् उसका कहीं भी सत् फल नहीं होता।
Now to emphasise the paramount position and fundamental importance of undertaking all Vedic activities with sraddha or resolute faith, Lord Krishna condemns offering propitiation and worship, executing austerities and giving charity without requisite faith in the activity performed. All activities performed without faith denotes nothingness for no such activity will give any results in the present life or in future reincarnations. How can any Vedic activity devoid of sraddha cause anything to manifest in the material existence or bestow anything in this life or the next life? It is not even remotely possible. Furthermore the blemish and defect accompanying asraddha or lack of faith brings with it condemnation and ill repute is known as asat the very antithesis of SAT. So in conclusion it has been established and determined that a jiva or embodied being who completely renounces raja guna the mode of passion and tama guna the mode of ignorance and takes exclusive recourse in sattva guna the mode of goodness is qualified to realise atma tattva realisation of the immortal soul, the ultimate truth and communion with the Supreme Lord.
Since the performance of all Vedic activities are exclusively for the propitiation and worship of the Supreme Lord Krishna and any of His avatars or authorised incarnations and expansions such activities are known as SAT. The Supreme Lord is celebrated and glorified by His triplicate names of OM TAT SAT. The Vedic hymns and mantras gain power when OM TAT SAT are vibrated at their commencement and lose power if they are omitted at the end. Any hymns, chants or mantras sacred incantations recited without first uttering OM TAT SAT are known as a-sura or void of light and non- luminous. Also recitation of OM TAT SAT without comprehensively understanding its meaning bestows little faith and has meagre value. Similarly chanting Vedic mantras without knowing their meaning is worthless because Vedic mantras protect those who know the meaning reciting them as well as those who know the meaning and hear them and because of this they are known as mantras. Therefore an aspirant for advancement should always be cognizant of the meaning of the mantras during chanting and hearing. This has been revealed in the Paingi scripture. The performance of Vedic activities and the chanting of Vedic mantras while cognizant of their meaning without any expectation of reward are known as sura or luminous and enlightened. Therefore only activities performed in devotion and connected to the Supreme Lord are deemed SAT and are of the nature of perpetual goodness. All other actions contrary to this are known as asat. Activities in raja guna the mode of passion are also included as asat due to the defect of self-motivated desires which keeps one in samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death. Actions in tama guna the mode of ignorance are situated in asat as well due to a comatose state of nescience and causes one to descend into the inferior hellish worlds. Only by being established and situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness is a jiva or embodied being redeemed which leads to atma tattva realisation of the immortal soul, moksa freedom from material existence and attaining communion with the Supreme Lord. Therefore to receive salvation one should eternally perform prescribed Vedic actions in sattva guna which always pleases the Supreme Lord Krishna.
Lord Krishna concludes this chapter by emphasizing that even if prescribed Vedic activities are performed meticulously according to the ordinances and injunctions of the Vedic scriptures; if they are devoid of sraddha or resolute faith they have absolutely no value and are known as a-sat the antithesis of SAT or perpetual goodness. Without the prerequisite faith in the Supreme Lord Krishna, in the absolute authority of the Vedic scriptures, in the Vaisnava spiritual preceptor; the performance of prescribed Vedic activities bestow no rewards in this life or in subsequent reincarnations. For all time and energy, all efforts are wasted for nothing is obtained in the present life and nothing is attained in a future life for the practitioner of prescribed Vedic activities who is devoid of sraddha. So the indispensable value of resolute faith cannot be overestimated.
Lord Krishna concludes this chapter by emphasizing that even if prescribed Vedic activities are performed meticulously according to the ordinances and injunctions of the Vedic scriptures; if they are devoid of sraddha or resolute faith they have absolutely no value and are known as a-sat the antithesis of SAT or perpetual goodness. Without the prerequisite faith in the Supreme Lord Krishna, in the absolute authority of the Vedic scriptures, in the Vaisnava spiritual preceptor; the performance of prescribed Vedic activities bestow no rewards in this life or in subsequent reincarnations. For all time and energy, all efforts are wasted for nothing is obtained in the present life and nothing is attained in a future life for the practitioner of prescribed Vedic activities who is devoid of sraddha. So the indispensable value of resolute faith cannot be overestimated.
