Bhagavad Gita · 3.13 · Path of Selfless Service·13 of 43
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः।भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥
yajña-śhiṣhṭāśhinaḥ santo muchyante
sarva-kilbiṣhaiḥ bhuñjate te tvaghaṁ pāpā ye pachantyātma-kāraṇāt
Sanskrit recitation
Work as offering · 3.10–3.16 · Teaching
Translation
The righteous who eat the remnants of the sacrifice are freed from all sins; but those sinful ones who cook food solely for their own sake indeed consume sin.
Meaning
Those who, after performing the five great sacrifices, eat the remnants of the food are freed from all the sins committed by these five agents of insect slaughter, viz., (1) the pestle and mortar, (2) the grinding stone, (3) the fireplace, (4) the place where the waterpot is kept, and (5) the broom. These are the five places where injury to life is daily committed. The sins are washed away by the performance of the five MahaYajnas or great sacrifices which every Dvija(twicorn or the people belonging to the first three castes in Hindu society, especially the Brahmin) ought to perform1. DevaYajna Offering sacrifices to the gods which will satisfy them,2. BrahmaYajna or RishiYajna Teaching and reciting the scriptures which will satisfy Brahman and the Rishis,3. PitriYajna Offering libations of water to ones ancestors which will satisfy the manes,4. NriYajna The feeding of the hungry and the guests, and,5. BhutaYajna The feeding of the subhuman species, such as animals, birds, etc.
After Swami Sivananda
Work as offering· 3.10–3.16→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 3.10The Creator, having in the beginning created mankind together with sacrifice, said, "By this shall you propagate; let this be the milch cow of your desires—the cow that yields all the desired objects."
- 3.11With this, nourish the gods, and may the gods nourish you; thus, nourishing each other, you shall attain the highest good.
- 3.12The gods, nourished by the sacrifice, will give you the desired objects. So, he who enjoys the objects given by the gods without offering anything in return is indeed a thief.
3.13The righteous who eat the remnants of the sacrifice are freed from all sins; but those sinful ones who cook food solely for their own sake indeed consume sin.
- 3.14From food come forth beings; from rain, food is produced; from sacrifice arises rain, and sacrifice is born of action.
- 3.15Know that action comes from Brahma, and Brahma comes from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all-pervasive Brahma ever rests in sacrifice.
- 3.16He who does not follow the wheel thus set in motion, who is of sinful life, rejoicing in the senses, lives in vain, O Arjuna.
Word-by-word→
- te
- they
- tu
- but
- ye
- who
- agham
- sins
- sarva
- all kinds of
- pachanti
- cook (food)
- santaḥ
- saintly persons
- bhuñjate
- enjoy
- muchyante
- are released
- pāpāḥ
- sinners
- aśhinaḥ
- eaters
- kilbiṣhaiḥ
- from sins
- ātma-kāraṇāt
- for their own sake
- yajña-śhiṣhṭa
- of remnants of food offered in sacrifice
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