Bhagavad Gita - Daily - II CHAPTER 3-12 II

July 6, 2009

Gita 3-12

isthaan bhogaan hi vo devaa, daasyante yajna-bhaavitaah |

tair dattaan apradaayaibhyo, yo bhunkte stena eva sah || 3-12 ||

" Fostered by the sacrifice (Yajna), the gods, will bestow upon you all the

requisites necessary for performing your duty. He who relishes these, without

using these in the service of others, is verily a thief. "

Comment:

The body is made of five elements, it is only a small part of this huge

creation. Therefore the three types of bodies - gross, subtle and causal are of

the world and for the world. The body is not the least bit of use to the Self,

however, putting this body to good use alone be helpful to the self. Proper

utilization of the body means using the body for the service of others or

dedicating this body (entrusting it, handing it over) for the service of the

world. The person who, does not utilize the things he has acquired or received

for the benefit of those who are in need but uses them for himself only, he is a

thief. He should receive the same punishment as is imposed on a thief.

From " Gita Prabodhani " in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji

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Chapter 3, Verse 12 is as follows;

IShtaan = desired (materials, tools and equipments)

Bhogaan = objects (to perform bounden duty i.e. selfless service with sacrifice)

Hi = so

VaH = to you

DevaaH = gods

Daasyante = will give

Yadnya-BhaavitaaH = cherished by sacrifice

TaiH = by them

Dattan = given

Apradaaya = without offering

EbhyaH = to them

YaH = who

Bhunkte = not only eats but enjoys all the objects required for the sustenance

StenaH = thief

Eva = verily

SaH = he

English translation:-

Fostered by acts of sacrifice (Yadnya) gods shall bestow on you the desired

enjoyments as well as objects to perform your bounden duties. He, who enjoys the

gifts given by them (gods) without offering them anything in return, is indeed a

thief.

Comment:

This world is replete with facilities and amenities that have arisen as a result

of the sacrifices of the innumerable, unsung heroes and heroines. The food that

one consumes, the house that one lives in, the clothing that one wears, the

public transportation system that one uses; these are all created by the

sacrifices made by a number of people in all levels of a society or a nation.

While availing of the benefits of all such facilities and amenities, every

Sadhak ought to undergo a process of self introspection and must evaluate how

his / her actions in every walk of life are accentuating the very process of

nourishment and nurturing of everyone in the surroundings as well.

While one continues to sacrifice for the benefit of the entire humanity,

blessings from many beneficiaries emanate from them as a natural consequence.

Whatever a Sadhak does must be beneficial to all the stake holders.

It reminds me of the four way test of the Rotary International Foundation. Of

the things we think, say or do: Is it the Truth? Is it Fair to all the

concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial

to all the concerned? This simple and straightforward Four Way Test was written

by Mr. Herbert J Taylor, a Rotarian in Chicago in USA in 1932.

The people with the natural inclination for indolence, inaction and ignorance

are called as `Taamasika' and they are known to derive benefits as a one way

street, without giving anything in return to the society or the nation they

belong to, let alone the entire humanity. Their creative capacities and

productive potentials are totally unutilised. Such people are called as thieves.

They are mere burdens to the entire mankind as they destroy the very fabric of

mutual dependence coupled with individual selfless contributions for the

upliftment of the entire community.

" The darkest hour of your life is, when you plan to get money without earning

it " .... Horace Greely.

" The best person, amongst all of you, is the one who is best at repaying the

debt. " …. Prophet Mohammed.

In fact our cultural ethos is based on `RhuNa' i.e. indebtedness. We express our

sincere, heartfelt gratitude from time to time to our parents, to our teachers,

to our community, to our mother nation and ultimately to the Supreme Being for

all their nourishments and encouragements. Our cultural foundation is the set of

duties and not a set of inalienable rights. We always have a concept of `Human

Duties Commission' as against `Human Rights Commission'.

Therefore, the underlying message of Lord Krishna to Arjuna is, " Do not become a

parasite to the society or the nation. Try to become a self sufficient Yogi

rather than a burden on others. Do not become a consumer of goods and services

without contributing your might in a selfless manner. Try to become a valuable

asset to every association that you enjoin. Never ever think of becoming a

liability to the society as well as to the nation. "

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi.

July 8, 2009

Gita 3-12isthaan bhogaan hi vo devaa, daasyante yajna-bhaavitaah |tair dattaan apradaayaibhyo, yo bhunkte stena eva sah || 3-12 ||"Fostered by the sacrifice (Yajna), the gods, will bestow upon you all therequisites necessary for performing your duty. He who relishes these, withoutusing these in the service of others, is verily a thief." || 3-12 ||Comment:

'Istanbhoganhi vo deva dasyante yajnabhavitah' — Here the term 'Istabhoga' does not stand for the desired objects because in the preceding (eleventh) verse there is mention of attaining the highest good and this verse is related to the preceding verse. Secondly, as long as a man has desire for sense pleasures (Bhog), he can't ever attain the highest good. So here this term means that the gods will supply him all the required material for the performance of sacrifice (duty).

Here the expression 'Yajnabhavitah devah' means that the gods regarding it as their rights (responsibility), provide the required material to men. Now only men need to fulfill their duties (sacrifice).

'Tairdattanapradayaibhyo yo bhuhkte' — Brahma used the expression, Te devah' for the gods, because before him they were men, not gods. But here the term 'Ebhyah' stands for nearness. For God, everyone is near Him (GIta 7/26). It proves that the holy words from Divine lips, begin here. Here, the term 'Bhunkte' does not stand only for eating, but for enjoyment of all the objects (food, clothes, house and money etc.,) required for the maintenance of a body.

We owe this body to our parents, and it is they, who have fostered it. For our knowledge, we are grateful to our preceptors and sages. The gods have provided us with the material necessary for the performance of duty. The manes guide us, how to provide ourselves with comforts. Beasts, birds, trees and creeping vines etc., sacrifice themselves, in order to provide comfort to others and do good to them (though they are not aware of it). Thus, whatever material, strength, ability, rank, authority, wealth and property we possess, we owe it all, to others. So whatever we possess, should be devoted to the service of others.

The body, senses, mind and intellect etc., are not ours, these came from the world. So, if we want to enjoy worldly pleasures by regarding these as our own, they lead us to bondage. But if we perform our duty by utilizing these in rendering service to the other people, from whom we have received them, without expecting any reward, we can get rid of the bondage.

Generally, aspirants think that if they render service to the world, they will become attached to them and would get entangled in the world. But the Lord's gospel proves, that it is not service but desire, which leads to bondage. So, it is every man's duty, like the gods, to serve others and do good to them, according to his resources. The Lord and gods do not expect more from him.

'Stena eva sah'—Here, in the expression 'Sah stena' (he is a thief) the purpose of using the singular number is to emphasise the fact that, he, who without performing his duty, of giving the required objects (food, water, clothes etc.,) to others, enjoys them all alone, is a thief.

The person who without repaying the rightful due to others, enjoys the objects himself, is a thief. Thus a thief is, he who performs actions with a selfish motive in order to gain honour and praise etc. Such a person can never gain purity and peace of mind.

This body is neither different nor can be different from the world, because it is a fragment (part) of the world. Therefore, if a person assumes the body as his, without accepting the world as his, this assumption gives birth to pairs of opposites such as attachment and aversion and also evil propensities such as pride, individuality and unevenness of mind etc. An aspirant following the path of action, gets rid of the pairs of opposites such as attachment and aversion etc., easily, because whatever such a sadhak does, he does for the welfare of the world. He even practises the spiritual discipline, not for his own salvation, but for the salvation of the entire world. The reason is, that if he regards his salvation different from the salvation of others, it means that he has unevenness of mind, which is a stumbling block to his spiritual progress. He, who uses the body, senses, mind and intellect etc., which he has received from the world, for his selfish motive, is dishonest.

From "The Bhagavad Gita - Sadhak Sanjivani" in English pg. 290 - 292 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

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