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Chapter 3 · Karma-yoga · 43 verses

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Duty & actionChapter 3 · Karma-yoga
3.133.15

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 3.14

The cycle of sacrifice and duty

अन्नाद्भ‍वन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः ।

यज्ञा‍द्भ‍‍वति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भ‍वः ॥ १४ ॥

annād bhavanti bhūtāni

parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ

yajñād bhavati parjanyo

yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ

Translation

All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajña [sacrifice], and yajña is born of prescribed duties.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Food, Sacrifice, and Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1All living bodies depend on food grains, grains on rain, rain on sacrifice, and sacrifice on prescribed duties.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that worshiping Kṛṣṇa also satisfies the demigods, who serve Him by managing material affairs.
  3. 3Offer food to Kṛṣṇa before eating. Accepting this food, called prasādam, removes past sinful reactions and protects against material contamination.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 3, Karma-yoga: the cycle of sacrifice and duty.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Act dutifully without attachment to fruits.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 3.14 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?

Practice

Do one task today purely because it is right.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 3 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 3.10The cycle of sacrifice and dutyBG 3.11The cycle of sacrifice and dutyBG 2.47Responsibility without ownership of outcomes

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.