Bhagavad-gītā 3.13

Explain simply

Speaker: Śrī Kṛṣṇa

यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः ।
भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥१३॥

yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo
mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ
bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā
ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt

Word for word (synonyms)

yajña-śiṣṭa
food taken after performance of *yajña*
aśinaḥ
eaters
santaḥ
the devotees
mucyante
get relief from
sarva
all kinds of
kilbiṣaiḥ
sins
bhuñjate
enjoy
te
they
tu
but
agham
grievous sins
pāpāḥ
sinners
ye
those
pacanti
prepare food
ātma-kāraṇāt
for sense enjoyment

Translation

The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.

Defined in the Gītā

Sacrifice

Which sacrifice is the greatest?

O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice of knowledge is greater than the sacrifice of material possessions. O son of Pṛthā, after all, the sacrifice of work culminates in transcendental knowledge.

Bhagavad-gītā 4.33

See the definition

Purport

Other scriptures cited in this purport: Brahma-saṁhitā

The devotees of the Supreme Lord, or the persons who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, are called santas, and they are always in love with the Lord as it is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā: premāñjana- cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. The santas, being always in a compact of love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda (the giver of all pleasures), or Mukunda (the giver of liberation), or Kṛṣṇa (the all-attractive person), cannot accept anything without first offering it to the Supreme Person. Therefore, such devotees always perform yajñas in different modes of devotional service, such as śravaṇam, kīrtanam, smaraṇam, arcanam, etc., and these performances of yajñas keep them always aloof from all kinds of contamination of sinful association in the material world. Others, who prepare food for self or sense gratification, are not only thieves, but are also the eaters of all kinds of sins. How can a person be happy if he is both a thief and sinful? It is not possible. Therefore, in order for people to become happy in all respects, they must be taught to perform the easy process of saṅkīrtana-yajña, in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, there can be no peace or happiness in the world.

What this verse teaches

One should eat food which is first offered in sacrifce, otherwise he is a thief

In thematic compilations 1

Demigod Worship

  • Introduction: Kṛṣṇa establishes the process of sacrifice and the dutiful worship of the demigods, for the fulfilment of the basic necessities of the human society. One who enjoys the results of one’s work without offering them in a sacrifice, is a thief. (3.10-14)
Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures 4

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.