Faith

As Scripture says, 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen' (Hebrews 11:1).

Whoever hears my words and believes in the one who sent me will have eternal life, will never be condemned for their sins, and has transitioned from death to life.

But those who follow this deathless teaching of dharma as I have declared it, with faith, holding me as supreme — those devotees are exceedingly dear to me.

The Blessed Lord said: Those who, fixing their minds on me, worship me, ever steadfast and endowed with the highest faith — I regard these as the most perfectly yoked in yoga.

You may believe in a God with form or a formless God, but your faith must be genuine and complete. It is through faith alone that one achieves everything.

Even the person who listens to it with faith and without ill-will — even that one shall be liberated and shall attain the auspicious realms of the righteous.

Whatever is offered, given, or performed in austerity without faith, O Partha — that is called 'Asat'; it avails nothing, neither here nor after death.

And among all yogis, the one who, with inner being immersed in Me, worships Me with faith — that one I regard as the most completely united with Me.

Those human beings who always follow this teaching of Mine with faith and without envy — they too are released from the bondage of actions.

The faith of each person, O Bharata, conforms to their nature. The person is made of faith; whatever one's faith, such indeed is that one.

The Blessed Lord said: The faith of embodied beings is threefold, born of their own nature — sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Hear about these.

Others again, not knowing thus, take to worship having heard of it from others. Even these, devoted to what they have heard, cross beyond death.

Those who have no faith in this dharma, O scorcher of foes, without attaining Me, return again to the path of death and repeated becoming.

Endowed with that faith, such a person performs the worship of that form and obtains thereby the desired fruits — which are in truth ordained by Me alone.

Whatever form a devotee wishes to worship with faith, I make that very faith of theirs steady and unwavering.

Arjuna said: One who has faith but lacks perseverance, whose mind has strayed from yoga — without reaching the perfection of yoga, O Krishna, what path does such a person tread?

The one who has faith and is devoted to it, with senses restrained, attains knowledge. Having attained knowledge, one swiftly reaches the highest peace.

The sage said to them: Dwell with me for a full year, practising austerity, celibacy, and faith; then ask whatever questions you wish. If I know, I shall reveal all to you.

That threefold austerity practised with highest faith by persons of discipline, without desire for fruit — that is called sattvic.

Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is the state of those who worship with faith, yet set aside the injunctions of scripture — is it sattva, rajas, or tamas?