Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 12

Chapter 3 – Karma Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः ।
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः ॥

Transliteration

iṣṭānbhogānhi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ .
tairdattānapradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ ॥

Meaning

Gratified by sacrifice, the devas will give you the enjoyments you desire. One who enjoys what they have given without offering anything in return is verily a thief.

Word meanings

इष्टान् – desired
भोगान् – enjoyments
हि – indeed
वः – to you
देवाः – the devas
दास्यन्ते – will give
यज्ञभाविताः – gratified by sacrifice
तैः – by them
दत्तान् – the given (gifts)
अप्रदाय – without offering
एभ्यः – to these
यः – who
भुङ्क्ते – enjoys
स्तेनः – a thief
एव – indeed
सः – he

Anvaya (word order)

यज्ञभाविताः देवाः वः इष्टान् भोगान् दास्यन्ते हि; यः तैः दत्तान् एभ्यः अप्रदाय भुङ्क्ते, सः स्तेनः एव ।

Explanation

The reasoning of the last verse reaches its conclusion. When the devas — the generous powers of nature — are pleased by our sacrifice, they bestow the comforts we seek. But the Lord adds a stern warning: one who receives everything and returns nothing is ‘stena’, a thief.

The standard of theft here is subtle and profound. Theft is not merely taking another's property; to consume for oneself alone what has come from society, nature and God, with no gratitude and no service, is also theft. Our body, knowledge, food, air and water are all the fruit of someone's labour or gift.

Shankara says that one who enjoys without giving the devas their share is like a stealer of others' wealth. Ramanuja clarifies that all enjoyments belong to the Lord, and to take them without first offering them is a fault.

The practical message is that wealth is truly used in sharing. Greed, hoarding and living only for oneself make us poor within.

Context

Verse 3.11 gave the principle of mutual nourishment. Verse 3.12 shows the consequence of violating it, and 3.13 will add that those who partake of the remnants of sacrifice are freed from sin.

Life lesson

Learn to give back something from what you have received. Enjoyment without gratitude is theft; generosity sanctifies wealth.

Key terms

Yajna-bhavita: gratified or nourished by sacrifice
Stena: a thief
Bhoga: objects of enjoyment