CH 3, Verse 12

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Chapter 3

Verse 12

 

IshhTaan bhogaan hi vo devaa daasyante

yaGYna-bhaavitaaH /

tair dattaan apradaay'aibhyo yo bhuNte stena eva saH

//

 

The Gods, nourished by Yajna, will give you the

enjoyments you seek. Verily, he is a thief who enjoys

the gifts given by the Gods without offering (a share)

to them in return.

 

LESSONS FROM BHAGAVAD GITA – 19

As taught by Parama Pujya Sri Swamiji

Compiled by: Swami Dattananda

Bhakti Mala, December 1993

 

Nothing exists in this universe for itself. The Sun,

the moon, the planets, the oceans, rivers, mountains,

air, water, fire, earth, sky and everything exist for

everything else. This sacrifice (yajna) for the sake

of others is the divine design that is behind the

entire panorama of this universe. Our existence in

this world is also conditioned by the same divine

design, which means every one of us has to live for

the sake of others and not for the sake of oneself.

 

So when a man performs an action with a selfish motive

the forces of nature (or the Gods presiding over the

cosmic forces) resent such interference with their

harmonious functionings. The resentment comes in the

form of a reaction that recoils upon the person,

adversely giving him pain and sorrow. All cosmic

forces have presiding deities who are called Gods.

Self-realized souls are also Gods. Actually, we do

not have many number of Gods. These Gods are the many

degrees of the same supreme Godhead in various veils

of manifestation.

 

The highest aim of man must be self-sacrifice. He

shall live for the sake of others and perform all his

actions as a dedication to God. Then the Gods will be

very much pleased with him and they will give him all

the enjoyments he wants.

 

“The Gods, nourished by Yajna, will give you the

enjoyments you seek. Verily, he is a thief who enjoys

the gifts given by the Gods without offering (a share)

to them in return” (Chapter 3, Verse 12).

 

Gods will definitely grant the desires of all people

if they perform sacrifices. But if a portion of the

blessings bestowed on them by God were not returned to

God (God’s children) by way of charitable gifts or

dedicated selfless service, they would prove

themselves to be thieves.

 

Man, in all ways, is indebted to God. The air that he

inhales, the water he drinks, the earth on which he

lives, benefits of the sunlight and moonlight, his

intelligence, wealth, social status, are all gifts of

God. Man must be grateful to God for all these

blessings. So if a man enjoys all these gifts of God

without offering a part of them to God or to fellow

beings, he certainly becomes a robber.

 

 

 

 

 

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