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Unit 3 Open Book Assessment Question 3

The document discusses how religious practices can be analyzed according to the three modes of material nature - goodness, passion, and ignorance - as described in the Bhagavad Gita. People dominated by goodness seek the demigods and perform charitable acts. Those dominated by passion also worship demigods but are more motivated by sense gratification. Those dominated by ignorance have faith in ghosts and spirits or tantric practices and engage in harmful acts. Ultimately, one must try to rise above the three modes and take shelter of Krishna to attain the eternal religion.

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2K views2 pages

Unit 3 Open Book Assessment Question 3

The document discusses how religious practices can be analyzed according to the three modes of material nature - goodness, passion, and ignorance - as described in the Bhagavad Gita. People dominated by goodness seek the demigods and perform charitable acts. Those dominated by passion also worship demigods but are more motivated by sense gratification. Those dominated by ignorance have faith in ghosts and spirits or tantric practices and engage in harmful acts. Ultimately, one must try to rise above the three modes and take shelter of Krishna to attain the eternal religion.

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Name : Lokesh Dewani

Unit 3 Open Book Assessment

Q3: Explain, in your own words, how different religious practices can be analysed, according to the
modes of material nature, with reference to Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 17, 1-3 verses & purports.

(Understanding)

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 Lord Shri Krishna says tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā there are three types of
faith, but first we have to understand that what is Shraddha, Shraddha means complete faith and people
follow different religions according to their faith and this faith is the result of the deeds of the previous
birth, Dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā (B.G.17.2) But we should keep this in mind that, the faith which is
according to the scriptures, is the only faith that can do welfare of living entity, that is why Arjuna asks
Lord Krishna in verse 17.1 that ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya Yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ who do not follow the
principles of scripture but worship according to their own imagination, teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa, what is
the situation of those? And Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport of B.G. 17.1 That one who does not
follow the principles laid down in the scriptures is called an asura, demon, and one who follows the
scriptural injunctions faithfully is called a deva, or demigod.

Now let’s try to know that how people follow the religions in three modes, like in our society there are
three types of classes, one class in which satogun(mode of goodness) predominates and the second
class in which Rajogun(mode of passion) predominates and the third class in which tamoguna (mode of
ignorance) predominates. Such people who have the predominance of goodness (satogun) seeks the
shelter of the demigods and asks them for good boons. Such people refrains from doing any such work
which harms others, remains contented, performs Yagya, charity and penance and opens schools and
hospitals for the benefit of others and they consider, keeping their ancestors happy as their religion.

Now we will discuss about such class in which Rajogun (passion) predominates, such people also go to
the shelter of demigods only, their faith is on demigods, but sometimes it is seen that such people also
get influenced by those miraculous Babas, And they also develop faith in them, but most of the people
affected by Rajogun have the mentality of sense gratification, they consider sense gratification as their
goal in life and they are greedy, so such people believe that the demigods gives fruits of their activities
quickly and gives whatever they want and due to many desires, they have faith in demigods, and
worshipping demigods becomes their only religion and they are not concerned with anyone’s profit and
loss. You must have come to hear the dialogue many times, “Apna kaam hay banta to bhar me jaye
janta” or “Baap bada na bhaiya sabse bada rupaiya”, such people are never satisfied, and for the
fulfillment of these desires, their human life is wasted. These people also believe in the karm-kand, And
in purport of B.G. 17.3 Srila Prabhupada writes this faith as artificial faith ( कृत्रिम) and because of such
artificial faith and following such religions they do not take the advantage of human life.

Now we will discuss about such people in whom tamogun (mode of ignorance)is dominant, such
Ignorant people’s faith is on ghosts and spirits or on other forms of goddess Durga like Kali, Chamunda
and Tantra Vidya and such people are in deep darkness, They don’t even understand what is good and
what is bad; drinking alcohol, eating meat on the pretext of sacrifice, they consider this as their religion
and are always engaged in such heinous deeds and some people through black magic controls ghost
souls and make them do wrong things, but the end of such people is very bad and they have to face the
torture of hell. Ultimately Srila Prabhupada Explains in the purport of B.G. 17.3 Everyone has a particular
type of faith, regardless of what he is. But his faith is considered good, passionate or ignorant according
to the nature he has acquired. Thus, according to his particular type of faith, one associates with certain
persons. But we must remember that every living soul is beyond these three Modes and as soon as he
forgets his eternal relation with Krishna for whom it is said in (Sri Chaitanya Charitamrit, Madhya) (jīvera
‘svarūpa’ haya kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’); Then he comes under the control of these three modes and
because of a special kind of faith, he considers any such religion as the best, which has neither any basis
nor any tradition, nor is it mentioned in any scripture, and Being in bondage of these three modes, he is
always unhappy and cannot get rid of these bondages until he takes shelter of Lord Sri Krishna through
Spiritual Master because this is the real religion, the eternal religion, that Is why Lord Shri Krishna says in
B.G. 18.66 sarva-dharmān parityajya; Finally in last, there are different types of faiths and many
religions in our society because of these three modes, One should Try to rise above these three modes!

Hare Krishna 🙏

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