Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 3 › Verse 12
Bhagavad Gītā 3.12: Remember to give back
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः ।
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः ॥
iṣṭānbhogānhi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ
tairdattānapradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
Nourished by sacrifice, the gods will give you the enjoyments you desire. Whoever enjoys what they have given without offering anything to them is merely a thief. Strong words for ingratitude: to take from the shared order of life without returning anything is a kind of theft.
For children
Krishna says: “Nature gives us food, water and sunshine. If we only take and never give back, that is like stealing.”
The Creator’s words from 3.10 continue: what we receive should be given back.
Word by word
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा — The gods will give you the good things you wish for
- iṣṭa: wished for
- bhoga: good things, enjoyment
- deva: god
दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः — pleased by your offering
- dāsyante: will give
- yajñabhāvita: pleased by offering
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो — but one who takes their gifts without giving back
- datta: given
- apradāya: without giving back
यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः — and enjoys them alone is a thief
- bhuṅkte: enjoys, eats
- stena: thief
Kṛṣṇa speaks this verse. The Sanskrit is checked against four editions; meanings and word notes are simple learning aids written for MahaPrabha Gurukul, awaiting review by a Sanskrit teacher.