Path of Selfless Service
Verse 3.10
सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः। अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक्।।3.10।।
saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛiṣhṭvā purovācha prajāpatiḥ anena prasaviṣhyadhvam eṣha vo ’stviṣhṭa-kāma-dhuk
Word Meanings
saha—along with; yajñāḥ—sacrifices; prajāḥ—humankind; sṛiṣhṭvā—created; purā—in beginning; uvācha—said; prajā-patiḥ—Brahma; anena—by this; prasaviṣhyadhvam—increase prosperity; eṣhaḥ—these; vaḥ—your; astu—shall be; iṣhṭa-kāma-dhuk—bestower of all wishes
Translation · English
The Creator, having in the beginning created mankind together with sacrifice, said, "By this shall you propagate; let this be the milch cow of your desires—the cow that yields all the desired objects."
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Krishna invokes the primal blueprint of existence as ordained by Prajapati, the Creator. It establishes that sacrifice (yajna) is not a mere ritualistic offering but the very fundamental law of the cosmos. Life is inherently interconnected and interdependent; the act of 'creating' is essentially the act of 'offering.' By defining the human condition as 'saha-yajnāḥ' (born along with sacrifice), Krishna reveals that we are not autonomous islands but participants in a divine cycle of cosmic nourishment. We exist to contribute to the whole, and in that contribution, our own sustenance is naturally provided. The term 'iṣhṭa-kāma-dhuk' (the milch cow of desires) elevates this concept significantly. It suggests that when one aligns their personal actions with the universal rhythm of sacrifice, the universe responds by fulfilling all righteous needs. This is the antidote to the ego-driven struggle for survival. By shifting our perspective from 'taking' to 'offering,' we move from a state of scarcity to one of divine abundance. It teaches Arjuna—and the seeker—that work is not a burden to escape, but a liturgical engagement that harmonizes the individual will with the Divine Will, thereby ensuring both spiritual growth and worldly prosperity.
True prosperity is not seized through personal grasping, but is the natural harvest reaped by those who live as a living sacrifice to the welfare of the whole.
Connected Verses
Clarifies that sacrifice must be performed as a duty without fruit-seeking desire, connecting internal intention to the cosmic law.
Identifies the very act of performing work as a form of Brahman-realized sacrifice, deepening the concept of yajna.
Explains that those who do not revolve in this 'cycle of sacrifice' live in vain, echoing the warning implicit in the creator's mandate.
Expands on the idea that those who cook only for themselves eat sin, reinforcing the necessity of sacrifice.
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