Joy Through Faith

May 11, 2026

Sri Krishna says, “Those who, free from negative thoughts and filled with faith, always follow this teaching of mine, are also freed from all actions” (3.31). Shraddha is generally understood to mean faith or belief, but Shraddha transcends both. In this state, we are free from doubt and all our questions are resolved.

Humanity believed that the sun revolved around the Earth until it was discovered that the opposite was true. Thus, belief is dependent on external factors, while faith is an internal state. Secondly, faith exists as the polar opposite of disbelief, while reverence transcends both. Thirdly, reverence differs from blind belief where one is unwilling to listen to the other side. Reverence is the assimilation of everything into oneness. While faith and belief can be borrowed, reverence is purely experiential. To understand the whole, it is necessary to understand its opposite. Therefore, Shree Krishna immediately states the opposite: deluded people do not practice these teachings and are doomed (3.32). A fundamental teaching in the Gita is that enlightenment comes from awareness, not suppression. This is reflected when Sri Krishna says, “Even a wise person acts according to the tendencies of his nature, as all living beings act according to their nature. What can suppression do?” (3.33) We all like certain foods and dislike others. The same is true for smells, sounds, and beauty. One person is loved by some and disliked by others. Someone is liked today and hated later, or vice versa.