Verses

Bhagavad-Gītā 16.21-24

"There are three gates leading to this hell – lust, anger and greed. Every sane man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul." "The man who has escaped these three gates of hell, O son of Kuntī, performs acts conducive to self-realization and thus gradually attains the supreme destination." "He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination." "One should therefore understand what is duty and what is not duty by the regulations of the scriptures. Knowing such rules and regulations, one should act so that he may gradually be elevated." https://vedy.online/en/bg/16/21/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/16/22/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/16/23/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/16/24/

Bhagavad-Gītā 17.2-4

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: According to the modes of nature acquired by the embodied soul, one’s faith can be of three kinds – in goodness, in passion or in ignorance. Now hear about this." "O son of Bharata, according to one’s existence under the various modes of nature, one evolves a particular kind of faith. The living being is said to be of a particular faith according to the modes he has acquired." "Men in the mode of goodness worship the demigods; those in the mode of passion worship the demons; and those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits." https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/2/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/3/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/4/

Bhagavad-Gītā 17.7-10

"Even the food each person prefers is of three kinds, according to the three modes of material nature. The same is true of sacrifices, austerities and charity. Now hear of the distinctions between them." "Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart." "Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distress, misery and disease." "Food prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is tasteless, decomposed and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and untouchable things is dear to those in the mode of darkness." https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/7/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/8/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/9/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/10/

Bhagavad-Gītā 17.11-13

"Of sacrifices, the sacrifice performed according to the directions of scripture, as a matter of duty, by those who desire no reward, is of the nature of goodness." "But the sacrifice performed for some material benefit, or for the sake of pride, O chief of the Bhāratas, you should know to be in the mode of passion." "Any sacrifice performed without regard for the directions of scripture, without distribution of prasādam [spiritual food], without chanting of Vedic hymns and remunerations to the priests, and without faith is considered to be in the mode of ignorance." https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/11/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/12/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/13/

Bhagavad-Gītā 17.14-16

"Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Supreme Lord, the brāhmaṇas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence." "Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature." "And satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purification of one’s existence are the austerities of the mind." https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/14/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/15/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/16/

Bhagavad-Gītā 17.17-19

"This threefold austerity, performed with transcendental faith by men not expecting material benefits but engaged only for the sake of the Supreme, is called austerity in goodness." "Penance performed out of pride and for the sake of gaining respect, honor and worship is said to be in the mode of passion. It is neither stable nor permanent." "Penance performed out of foolishness, with self-torture or to destroy or injure others, is said to be in the mode of ignorance." https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/17/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/18/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/19/

Bhagavad-Gītā 17.20-22

"Charity given out of duty, without expectation of return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person is considered to be in the mode of goodness." "But charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood is said to be charity in the mode of passion." "And charity performed at an impure place, at an improper time, to unworthy persons, or without proper attention and respect is said to be in the mode of ignorance." https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/20/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/21/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/22/

Bhagavad-Gītā 17.23-28

"From the beginning of creation, the three words oṁ tat sat were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. These three symbolic representations were used by brāhmaṇas while chanting the hymns of the Vedas and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme." "Therefore, transcendentalists undertaking performances of sacrifice, charity and penance in accordance with scriptural regulations begin always with oṁ, to attain the Supreme." "Without desiring fruitive results, one should perform various kinds of sacrifice, penance and charity with the word tat. The purpose of such transcendental activities is to get free from material entanglement." "The Absolute Truth is the objective of devotional sacrifice, and it is indicated by the word sat. The performer of such sacrifice is also called sat, as are all works of sacrifice, penance and charity which, true to the absolute nature, are performed to please the Supreme Person, O son of Pṛthā." "Anything done as sacrifice, charity or penance without faith in the Supreme, O son of Pṛthā, is impermanent. It is called asat and is useless both in this life and the next." https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/23/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/24/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/25/ & 17.26-27 & https://vedy.online/en/bg/17/28/

Bhagavad-Gītā 18.2

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: The giving up of activities that are based on material desire is what great learned men call the renounced order of life [sannyāsa]. And giving up the results of all activities is what the wise call renunciation [tyāga]." https://vedy.online/en/bg/18/2/

Bhagavad-Gītā 18.5-6

"Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be given up; they must be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity and penance purify even the great souls." "All these activities should be performed without attachment or any expectation of result. They should be performed as a matter of duty, O son of Pṛthā. That is My final opinion." https://vedy.online/en/bg/18/5/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/18/6/

Bhagavad-Gītā 18.7-9

"Prescribed duties should never be renounced. If one gives up his prescribed duties because of illusion, such renunciation is said to be in the mode of ignorance." "Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome or out of fear of bodily discomfort is said to have renounced in the mode of passion. Such action never leads to the elevation of renunciation." "O Arjuna, when one performs his prescribed duty only because it ought to be done, and renounces all material association and all attachment to the fruit, his renunciation is said to be in the mode of goodness." https://vedy.online/en/bg/18/7/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/18/8/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/18/9/

Bhagavad-Gītā 18.10-11

"The intelligent renouncer situated in the mode of goodness, neither hateful of inauspicious work nor attached to auspicious work, has no doubts about work." "It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to give up all activities. But he who renounces the fruits of action is called one who has truly renounced." https://vedy.online/en/bg/18/10/ & https://vedy.online/en/bg/18/11/