(, ) is a Sanskrit term often glossed in English as ''faith''. The term figures importantly in the literature, teachings, and discourse of

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...

, and

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

Sri Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo (born Aurobindo Ghose; 15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950) was an Indian Modern yoga gurus, yogi, maharishi, and Indian nationalist. He also edited the newspaper Bande Mataram (publication), ''Bande Mataram''. Aurobindo st ...

describes as "the soul's belief in the Divine's existence, wisdom, power, love, and grace". Without diacritical marks, it is usually written as . Faith plays a crucial role within Hinduism, underpinning all assumptions, beliefs, and inferences. Within Hinduism, having faith means one maintains trust in god, scriptures, dharma, and the path of liberation (). The ''Brihadranyaka Upanishad'' (3.9.21) states that "the resting ground of faith is the heart", emphasising that to have faith is to follow ones heart and intuition. Within Hinduism, a key understanding of faith is maintaining trust in the scriptures. Hindus believe that it is not possible to understand or experience god directly with human senses, and so god's presence is inferred through descriptions in the scriptures. An example of this can be seen in ''Brihadaranyak Upanishad'' 3.8.9: Śraddhã can be associated with faith, trust, confidence, and loyalty. The teacher Ammachi describes it as the "constant alertness arising from Love", and when choosing a single word to translate it into English, has used "awareness". Other writers have also described the concept with emphasis on the intersection of faith and mindfulness, and it has been translated in this vein with words such as "diligence". One of the key pillars which supports faith in Hinduism is bhakti. Bhakti means intense and devotional love towards god, and together with faith, supports the path towards moksha, the ultimate goal of life within the Hindu belief system.

Śraddhā in the Bhagavad Gita

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; ), often referred to as the Gita (), is a Hindu texts, Hindu scripture, dated to the second or first century BCE, which forms part of the Hindu epic, epic poem Mahabharata. The Gita is a synthesis of various strands of Ind ...

, the term ''śraddhã'' is mentioned 17 times across eight chapters, emphasizing its significance. in verse 3.31,

Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...

tells Arjuna that those who faithfully adhere to his teachings, have ''śraddhã'' (faith or trust) in him and are not jealous, attain liberation from the bondage of karma. This contrasts ''śraddhã'' with ''asuya'' (envy or jealousy), indicating that when one has ''śraddhã'', they do not find fault with or envy others. This suggests that spiritual practitioners should cultivate ''śraddhã'' and avoid jealousy, ultimately bridging the gap between self and others. Verse 4.39 emphasizes ''śraddhã'' as crucial for acquiring '' jnana'' (knowledge). In verses 6.39-6.47, Krishna underscores the interconnectedness of ''śraddhã'', ''jñāna'', and '' abhyasa'' (diligent effort) in the journey toward self-realization. Krishna assures Arjuna that with ''śraddhã'' and sincere effort, one will attain spiritual success despite setbacks. Verse 9.22 signifies the role of ''śraddhã'' in bhakti yoga, stressing unwavering faith and single-minded focus on the divine. In verse 9.23, Krishna emphasizes his acceptance of various forms of worship offered with genuine faith and devotion:

Notes

{{Virtues Faith Hindu theology Sanskrit words and phrases

Śraddhā in the Bhagavad Gita

See also

Notes