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Shloka 4

Abhimanyu’s Assault on Bhīṣma’s Screen; Banner-Felling and Reinforcements (सौभद्र-भीष्म-समरः)

हे भारत! सभी मनुष्योंकी श्रद्धा उनके अन्तःकरणके अनुरूप होती है। यह पुरुष श्रद्धामय है, इसलिये जो पुरुष जैसी श्रद्धावाला है, वह स्वयं भी वही हैः ३ ।।

arjuna uvāca | he bhārata sarva-manuṣyāṇāṁ śraddhā teṣāṁ antaḥkaraṇa-anurūpā bhavati | ayaṁ puruṣaḥ śraddhā-mayaḥ | tasmāt yādṛśī śraddhā yasya sa eva saḥ || (tataḥ) bhagavān uvāca | yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi rājasāḥ | pretān bhūta-gaṇān anye yajante tāmasā janāḥ ||

ਹੇ ਭਾਰਤ! ਸਭ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਰਧਾ ਉਸਦੇ ਅੰਦਰਲੇ ਸੁਭਾਵ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਸ਼ਰਧਾ-ਮਯ ਹੈ; ਜਿਸ ਦੀ ਜਿਹੀ ਸ਼ਰਧਾ, ਉਹ ਆਪ ਵੀ ਓਹੋ ਜਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਲਈ— ਸਾਤ੍ਤਵਿਕ ਲੋਕ ਦੇਵਤਿਆਂ ਦੀ ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ, ਰਾਜਸ ਲੋਕ ਯਕਸ਼ਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਰਾਖਸ਼ਸਾਂ ਦੀ, ਅਤੇ ਤਾਮਸ ਲੋਕ ਪ੍ਰੇਤਾਂ ਤੇ ਭੂਤ-ਗਣਾਂ ਦੀ ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ।

यजन्तेthey worship
यजन्ते:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootयज्
FormLat, Parasmaipada, 3, Plural, Present
सात्त्विकाःsattvic (people)
सात्त्विकाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसात्त्विक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
देवान्the gods
देवान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
यक्षyakshas
यक्ष:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयक्ष
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
रक्षांसिrakshasas/demons
रक्षांसि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरक्षस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
राजसाःrajasic (people)
राजसाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootराजस
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
प्रेतान्departed spirits
प्रेतान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेत
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
भूतगणान्hosts of bhutas
भूतगणान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभूतगण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अन्येothers
अन्ये:
Karta
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootअन्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
यजन्तेworship
यजन्ते:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootयज्
FormLat, Parasmaipada, 3, Plural, Present
तामसाःtamasic (people)
तामसाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootतामस
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
जनाःpeople
जनाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

अजुन उवाच

A
Arjuna
B
Bhagavān (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
B
Bhārata (address to Arjuna as descendant of Bharata)
D
Devas
Y
Yakṣas
R
Rākṣasas
P
Pretas
B
Bhūta-gaṇas

Educational Q&A

Faith (śraddhā) mirrors one’s inner constitution and, through repeated orientation and worship, shapes what one becomes. The guṇas are visible through the objects of reverence: sattva tends toward devas, rajas toward power-oriented beings like yakṣas and rākṣasas, and tamas toward pretas and bhūtas.

In the Gītā dialogue on the battlefield, Arjuna raises a psychological-ethical observation about faith and identity. Kṛṣṇa answers by classifying worship according to the three guṇas, giving Arjuna a practical way to discern inner tendencies by outward religious orientation.