Sanjay Mehta

Shraddha is loosely translated to faith in English.  Shraddha is a firm conviction in the words of Shaastra and Guru/Aachaarya.

Shraddha allows not only to know and appreciate the shaastra but also absorb ad assimilate their teachings.  Shraddha transforms into awareness (Gyan) and influence all actions.

Arjun asked:

O Krishna, where do they stand who ignore the injunctions of the Shaastra, but still worship with Shraddha?  Is it Sattava, Rajas, or Tamas?

Bhagwan said:

त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा,
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां शृणु || २ ||

Trividhaa bhavati shraddha dehinam saa svabhaavajaa
Saattvikii raajasii chaiva taamasii cheti tam shrunu

Every human being is born with innate Shraddha which can be of three kinds: Sattvic, Raajasic or Taamasic based on:

of worship one undertakes.

If a person has sattvic, Shraddha, he/she will be attracted to sattvic deities;  if he/she has Raajasic Shraddha; materialistic deities and in case of Taamasic Shraddaha , he/she will be attracted to Taamasic deities.

After describing three types of Shraddha Bhagwan describes three types (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) of four-fold of spiritual practices:  1. Ahar (food), 2. Yagya (action performed as worship), 3. Tapas (austerity) and 4. Danam (charity/contribution)).  Out of all Tapah (austerities), Tapah of mind is of highest order.

Bhagwan said:

मनः प्रसाद: सौमयत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रह:,
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते || १६ ||

Manah prasaadah saumyatvam maunmaatmavinigraha
Bhaavsanshuddhirityetattapo maanasmuchyate ||16||

Mental quietude, gentleness, silence, mind control, purity of motive, all these are said to be mental austerity (Tapah of mind)

Bhagwan further described the significance of powerful mantra “Om Tat Sat.”  Its utterance can convert all the rajasic and tamasic activities/tendencies into sattvic tendencies/Shraddha.

ॐ तत्सदिति  निर्देशो  ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविध:  स्मृत:   || २३ ||

Om  tat-sat  iti  nirdesho  brahmanah  trividhah  smratah ||23||

It is powerful mantra made up of three names of Bhagwan: Om Tat Sat.

Bhagwan concludes the topic of Shraddha:

अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तापस्तप्त कृतं छ यत
असदित्युचते पार्थ न छ तत्प्रेत्य नो इह || २८ ||

Ashradhhyaa hutam dattam taapastaptam krutam ch yat
Asadityuchate Parth na chh tatprtetya no ih ||28||

Whatever Yagya (action performed as worship), Tapas (austerity) and Daanam (charity)  are performed without Shraddha, are termed as ‘Asat,’ devoid of divinity.

Essence

Image Credit
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Krishna_tells_Gita_to_Arjun.jpg