Verse 17.3
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत | श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ||३||
Transliteration (IAST)
sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata | śraddhāmayo 'yaṁ puruṣo yo yac-chraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ ||3||
Word-by-Word Meanings
Translation
The faith of each person is in accordance with their nature, O Bharata. A person is made of their faith; as is their faith, so verily are they.
Commentary
This is one of the most profound psychological insights of the Gita. Shankaracharya explains that 'śraddhāmayaḥ puruṣaḥ' means a person is essentially constituted by their faith - what one believes and values determines what one becomes. Ramanuja interprets sattva here as the inner disposition (antaḥkaraṇa) shaped by past impressions. This verse establishes that faith is not merely belief but the fundamental orientation of consciousness.