Shloka 28
Abhimanyu’s Assault on Bhīṣma’s Screen; Banner-Felling and Reinforcements (सौभद्र-भीष्म-समरः)
सम्बन्ध-- इस प्रकार श्रद्धापूर्वक किये हुए शास्त्र-विह्चित यज्ञ, तप; दान आदि कमोंका महत्त्व बतलाया गया; उसे सुनकर यह जिज्ञासा होती है कि जो शास्त्रविद्वित यज्ञादि कर्म बिना श्रद्धाके किये जाते है; उनका क्या फल होता है: इसपर भगवान् इस अध्यायका उपसंहार करते हुए कहते हैं-- अश्रद्धया हुत॑ं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्ः । असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत् प्रेत्य नो इह,हे अर्जुन! बिना श्रद्धाके किया हुआ हवन, दिया हुआ दान एवं तपा हुआ तप और जो कुछ भी किया हुआ शुभ कर्म है--वह समस्त “असत'--इस प्रकार कहा जाता है; इसलिये वह न तो इस लोकमें लाभदायक है और न मरनेके बाद ही?
aśraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ tapas taptaṁ kṛtaṁ ca yat | asad ity ucyate pārtha na ca tat pretya no iha ||
Arjuna, whatever is offered in sacrifice, given in charity, or undertaken as austerity—indeed, whatever good act is performed—when done without faith is called “asat,” unreal and fruitless. Such action brings no benefit here in this life, nor after death.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Actions that appear religious or virtuous—sacrifice, charity, austerity, or any good deed—become spiritually ineffective when performed without śraddhā (faithful, reverent intent). Lacking that inner orientation, they are termed asat and yield no enduring benefit either in this life or beyond.
In the Kurukṣetra dialogue, after hearing about the role of faith in classifying and elevating practices, Arjuna’s concern naturally extends to acts done without faith. This verse serves as the concluding judgment: such faithless performances are declared fruitless, closing the chapter’s teaching on śraddhā.