In the beginning, Prajapati created beings together with sacrifice and said: “By this, you shall prosper. May this sacrifice be the wish-fulfilling cow for you.”
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 3.10
Hindi · हिन्दी
प्रजापति ब्रह्माजीने सृष्टिके आदिकालमें कर्तव्यकर्मोंके विधानसहित प्रजामनुष्य आदि की रचना करके उनसे प्रधानतया मनुष्योंसे कहा कि तुमलोग इस कर्तव्यके द्वारा सबकी वृद्धि करो और वह कर्तव्यकर्मरूप यज्ञ तुमलोगोंको कर्तव्यपालनकी आवश्यक सामग्री प्रदान करनेवाला हो । अपने कर्तव्यकर्मके द्वारा तुमलोग देवताओंको उन्नत करो और वे देवतालोग अपने कर्तव्यके द्वारा तुमलोगोंको उन्नत करें । इस प्रकार एकदूसरेको उन्नत करते हुए तुमलोग परम कल्याणको प्राप्त हो जाओगे ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
सहयज्ञाःtogether with sacrificeप्रजाःbeingsसृष्ट्वाhaving createdपुराin the beginningउवाचsaidप्रजापतिःPrajapatiअनेनby thisप्रसविष्यध्वम्you shall prosperएषःthisवःfor youअस्तुmay beइष्टकामधुक्the wish-fulfilling cow
Read literallytogether with sacrifice · beings · having created · in the beginning · said · Prajapati · by this · you shall prosper · this · for you · may be · the wish-fulfilling cow
Understanding the verse
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It shifts action from private gain to participation in a shared order.
At the start of creation, Prajapati set up a way of living where sacrifice and duty help all beings flourish. The message is to support life through shared responsibility.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Arjuna has frozen before battle, and Krishna is tracing action back to the order of creation itself. He says Prajapati made beings with sacrifice built in, so human life is meant to nourish and be nourished through duty.
03
In your life
Why this verse still matters
You are stocking shelves before dawn, or caring for a parent no one sees. The task feels small, but it belongs to a larger web that lets everyone else keep moving.
The takeaway
“Your work is not isolated; it feeds a larger exchange that keeps life going.”
Explore related themes: yajna(32 verses), dharma(14 verses)
Common questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 3.10 mean?
At the start of creation, Prajapati set up a way of living where sacrifice and duty help all beings flourish. The message is to support life through shared responsibility.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 3.10?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Karma Yoga" (The Yoga of Action).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 3.10?
Verse 10 sits in Chapter 3 of the Bhagavad Gita — Karma Yoga, "The Yoga of Action". The chapter has 43 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 3.10 matter today?
You are stocking shelves before dawn, or caring for a parent no one sees. The task feels small, but it belongs to a larger web that lets everyone else keep moving.
It shifts action from private gain to participation in a shared order.
What this verse means
At the start of creation, Prajapati set up a way of living where sacrifice and duty help all beings flourish. The message is to support life through shared responsibility.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Arjuna has frozen before battle, and Krishna is tracing action back to the order of creation itself. He says Prajapati made beings with sacrifice built in, so human life is meant to nourish and be nourished through duty.
Why this verse still matters
You are stocking shelves before dawn, or caring for a parent no one sees. The task feels small, but it belongs to a larger web that lets everyone else keep moving.
“Your work is not isolated; it feeds a larger exchange that keeps life going.”
Explore related themes: yajna (32 verses), dharma (14 verses)