Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 13 (BG 3.13) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

3.13 यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः who eat the remnants of the sacrifice? सन्तः the righteous? मुच्यन्ते are freed? सर्वकिल्बिषैः from all sins? भुञ्जते eat? ते those? तु indeed? अघम् sin? पापाः sinful ones? ये who? पचन्ति cook? आत्मकारणात् for their own sake.Commentary Those who? after performing the five great sacrifices? eat the remnants of the food are freed from all the sins committed by these five agents of insect slaughter? viz.? (1) the pestle and mortar? (2) the grinding stone? (3) the fireplace? (4) the place where the waterpot is kept? and (5) the broom. These are the five places where injury to life is daily committed. The sins are washed away by the performance of the five MahaYajnas or great sacrifices which every Dvija(twicorn or the people belonging to the first three castes in Hindu society? especially the Brahmin) ought to perform1. DevaYajna Offering sacrifices to the gods which will satisfy them?2. BrahmaYajna or RishiYajna Teaching and reciting the scriptures which will satisfy Brahman and the Rishis?3. PitriYajna Offering libations of water to ones ancestors which will satisfy the manes?4. NriYajna The feeding of the hungry and the guests? and?5. BhutaYajna The feeding of the subhuman species? such as animals? birds? etc.

Commentaries

Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.

This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

Modern

This passage describes those who are entirely different from criminals who live on society's wealth without contributing to its production. Noble persons perform actions with the spirit of sacrifice, accept only their rightful share of the fruits earned, and thereby become free from all sin. Sins committed in the past cause suffering in the present, and sins of the present will become sources of sorrow in the future. Therefore, the only means to eliminate suffering in society is for awakened persons to perform collective work with the spirit of sacrifice and remain content by accepting only the remaining fruits. In contrast, those who cook only for themselves eat only sin. This verse reveals that Sri Krishna is entirely opposed to individual accumulation of wealth—not in the sense of a communist, but rather He opposes the principle of hoarding society's resources as one's own. The Lord condemns those who, driven by greed for wealth, gather riches solely for their own enjoyment without regard for the suffering of the poor and unfortunate in society. Such a person is said here to eat sin itself. For the following reasons too, humans must perform action, because through action alone does the wheel of the universe turn. How this is so—the answer is...