Bhagavad Gita BG 3.13
Chapter 3, Verse 13 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः । भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥ १३ ॥
yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ bhuñjate te tv aghaṃ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt
Meaning
The virtuous who eat only the remnants of yajna are freed from all sins. But those sinners who cook food only for themselves eat nothing but sin.
Understanding
This verse draws a sharp moral distinction through the image of food. Yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ — those who eat yajña-śiṣṭa (the remnants after offering to God) — are eating sanctified food; by this act of prior dedication they are freed from sins. The idea appears in many traditions: food first offered to the divine becomes prasāda (grace). In contrast, those who cook only for themselves (ātma-kāraṇāt) eat agham (sin). The sinfulness is not in the food but in the consciousness: eating as a purely self-serving act, without acknowledgement of the larger web of life that made the food possible, is spiritually corrupting. The principle extends beyond food to all consumption.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| यज्ञशिष्ट | yajña-śiṣṭa | the remnant of yajna / food left after offering |
| किल्बिषैः | kilbiṣaiḥ | from sins / from impurities |
| अघम् | agham | sin / impurity / what is inauspicious |
| आत्मकारणात् | ātma-kāraṇāt | for themselves alone / for selfish purposes |
| पचन्ति | pacanti | they cook / prepare |
| आशिनः | āśinaḥ | who eat / who partake (of sacrifice remnants) |
| सन्तः | santaḥ | the virtuous / the good ones |
| मुच्यन्ते | mucyante | are freed / are liberated |
| सर्व | sarva | all (sins) |
| ते | te | those / they (the sinners) |
| तु | tu | but / however (contrast) |
| पापाः | pāpāḥ | the sinful / the wicked |
| ये | ye | those who / they who |