Bhagavad Gita 17.3

sattvānurūpā sarvasya

śraddhā bhavati bhārata

śraddhā-mayo ’yaṁ puruṣo

yo yac-chraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ

 

Faith shapes each being from within,

According to the nature they’re in;

A person is made of what they believe,

As one has faith, so one shall achieve.

 

My dear Lord, give me a vision of faith that is both sobering and empowering.

O all-knowing Lord, when I am born into this world, I bring a particular faith-orientation with me based on my past karma. Let me be sobered by understanding how much this fated faith shapes me, often below the radar of my awareness. It shapes not just how I look at the world or what stands out to me, but also what I consider valuable, reliable, and non-negotiable. It doesn’t just prompt me toward some choices by default; it even frames my conception of the range of options among which I can choose.

O supremely empowering Lord, help me appreciate that my faith is not entirely fated by my previous lives. Empower me to see how my faith is acquired, often osmotically, from the people around me, the culture in which I live, the religion prevailing in my social circle, the education I receive, and even through what I visualize, contemplate, and fantasize. Guide me to engage with all of them carefully, constructively, and creatively, so that I can revise my resulting faith.

O merciful Lord, bless me with the conviction that my past faith does not determine my future fate. Help me to use me present to center my faith in you so I can free myself from the limiting trajectory of my fated faith. May my faith in you empower me to ultimately reach you—the supremely auspicious, glorious, and joyous destination.

***

17.03 O son of Bharata, according to one’s existence under the various modes of nature, one evolves a particular kind of faith. The living being is said to be of a particular faith according to the modes he has acquired.