विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् ।
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥
श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
शास्त्रविधिसे हीन, अन्नदानसे रहित, बिना मन्त्रोंके, बिना दक्षिणाके और बिना श्रद्धाके किये जानेवाले यज्ञको तामस यज्ञ कहते हैं ॥
English
They call a sacrifice dark when it lacks scriptural rule, food offering, mantra, fee, and trust.
What this verse means
A sacrifice done without proper guidance, offering, mantra, giving, or trust is called dark and lifeless.
Context & commentary
On the Kurukshetra battlefield, Krishna is classifying the three kinds of sacrifice for Arjuna. After describing pure and driven offerings, he names the lowest form: a ritual performed mechanically, without trust or reverence, which cannot uplift the one who performs it.
Why this verse still matters
You light a candle, say the words, and still feel nothing because your attention never arrived. A practice done on autopilot may look complete, yet it carries no real force.
The takeaway
What you do matters less than the sincerity and care you bring to it.
Word-by-word translation
विधिहीनम् (without rule) / असृष्टान्नम् (without offered food) / मन्त्रहीनम् (without mantra) / अदक्षिणम् (without fee) / श्रद्धाविरहितम् (without trust) / यज्ञम् (sacrifice) / तामसम् (dark) / परिचक्षते (they call)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17: Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga — The Three Kinds of Faith, which contains 28 verses.
Explore related themes: shraddha (34 verses), yajna (32 verses), tamas (18 verses)