Chapter 3, Verse 12
Part of 3: Karm Yog — कर्मयोगइष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः। तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः॥
Transliteration
iṣhṭān bhogān hi vo devā dāsyante yajña-bhāvitāḥ tair dattān apradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ
Meaning
The 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.
Word-by-word meaning
iṣhṭān — desiredbhogān — necessities of lifehi — certainlyvaḥ — unto youdevāḥ — the celestial godsdāsyante — will grantyajña-bhāvitāḥ — satisfied by sacrificetaiḥ — by themdattān — things grantedapradāya — without offeringebhyaḥ — to themyaḥ — whobhuṅkte — enjoysstenaḥ — thieveseva — verilysaḥ — they
Commentary
When the gods are pleased with you sacrifices, they will bestow on you all the desired objects such as children, cattle, property, etc. He who enjoys what has been given to him by the gods, i.e., he who gratifies the cravings of his own body and the senses without offering anything to the gods in return is a veritable thief. He is really a dacoit of the property of the gods.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 12?▼
The 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.
Which chapter and verse of the Bhagavad Gita is this?▼
This is verse 12 of Chapter 3 (Karm Yog — Path of Selfless Service) of the Bhagavad Gita, a scripture of 18 chapters and 700 verses spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna.