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Yajna Shishtashinah Santo

Gita 3.13 Bhagavad Gita
📖 Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 3 — Karma Yoga
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः ।
भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥
Yajna shishtashinah santo muchyante sarva kilbishaih
Bhunjate te tvagham papa ye pachantyatma karanat
यज्ञशिष्ट अशिनः
those who eat the remnants of yajna
सन्तः
the virtuous, the good
मुच्यन्ते
are freed
सर्वकिल्बिषैः
from all sins
भुञ्जते
they eat, they consume
ते तु
but those
अघम्
sin
पापाः
the sinful
ये पचन्ति
who cook
आत्मकारणात्
only for themselves

Yajna-shishta means whatever remains after you have first offered to others. The virtuous eat only after sharing. They serve the family, feed the guest, give to the community — and then partake of what is left. This practice, simple as it sounds, frees them from the weight of sin.

On the other hand, those who cook only for themselves, who consume without sharing, eat nothing but sin. The principle stretches far beyond the kitchen. Living only for yourself — keeping all your talent, time, and resources for your own benefit — is the root of what the Gita calls papa.

This continues from 3.12. Participation in the yajna-cycle has a practical meaning here: share before you consume.

The Indian tradition of pancha-maha-yajna (five great daily offerings) — to the devas, ancestors, guests, all beings, and fellow humans — flows directly from this teaching.

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