Bhagavad Gita BG 3.14
Chapter 3, Verse 14 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः । यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः ॥ १४ ॥
annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ
Meaning
From food come all beings; from rain comes food; from yajna comes rain; and yajna is born of action (karma).
Understanding
Krishna reveals a four-link causal chain. Beings (bhūtāni) live on food (anna); food grows from rain (parjanya); rain is generated by yajna; and yajna arises from karma (action). This is an ancient ecology of consciousness: physical life depends on natural forces, natural forces respond to how humans act, and how humans act determines whether they are living in alignment with the cosmic order. The chain is not merely metaphorical — in the Vedic cosmology, properly performed sacrifice (yajna) had a real effect on the cycles of nature. For modern readers, the parallel is clear: human actions (karma) shape the natural world, which in turn determines whether life flourishes.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अन्नात् | annāt | from food / nourishment |
| भूतानि | bhūtāni | all beings / creatures / living things |
| पर्जन्यात् | parjanyāt | from rain / from the rain-god Parjanya |
| कर्मसमुद्भवः | karma-samudbhavaḥ | born of action / arising from karma |
| सम्भवः | sambhavaḥ | origin / production / coming into being |
| भवन्ति | bhavanti | arise / come into being / are born |
| अन्नसम्भवः | anna-sambhavaḥ | food is born / food arises (from rain) |
| भवति | bhavati | arises / comes (rain from sacrifice) |
| पर्जन्यः | parjanyaḥ | rain / the rain god |
| यज्ञः | yajñaḥ | sacrifice / yajna |
| यज्ञात् | yajñāt | from sacrifice (ablative) |