By nurturing the radiant beings through this duty, let them nurture you. Nurturing one another, you will attain the highest good.
— Unknown
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Bhagavad Gita · 3.11
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.
देवान्the radiant beingsभावयतnurture, supportअनेनthrough thisतेthoseदेवाthe radiant beingsभावयन्तुmay nurture, supportवःyouपरस्परम्mutually, one anotherभावयन्तःnurturing, supportingश्रेयःthe highest goodपरम्supremeअवाप्स्यथyou will attain
Read literallythe radiant beings · nurture, support · through this · those · the radiant beings · may nurture, support · you · mutually, one another · nurturing, supporting · the highest good · supreme · you will attain
Understanding the verse
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It shifts action from self-protection to participation in a mutual system of giving and receiving.
Support the larger order through your actions, and that order will support you in return. Mutual support leads to the highest good.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
Krishna is still explaining sacrifice as a social and cosmic exchange. After showing that action should be offered rather than hoarded, he says that humans and the radiant beings sustain each other through duty. This is the bridge between private effort and shared order.
03
In your life
Why this verse still matters
You keep the neighborhood garden alive, and it keeps feeding everyone. The effort feels one-sided until you see how much your own life depends on what you sustain.
The takeaway
“You are not isolated. What you give to the whole comes back as support for your own life.”
Explore related themes: karma yoga(55 verses), yajna(32 verses)
Common questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 3.11 mean?
Support the larger order through your actions, and that order will support you in return. Mutual support leads to the highest good.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 3.11?
Unknown 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 3.11?
Verse 11 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 3.11 matter today?
You keep the neighborhood garden alive, and it keeps feeding everyone. The effort feels one-sided until you see how much your own life depends on what you sustain.
It shifts action from self-protection to participation in a mutual system of giving and receiving.
What this verse means
Support the larger order through your actions, and that order will support you in return. Mutual support leads to the highest good.
Context & commentary
Krishna is still explaining sacrifice as a social and cosmic exchange. After showing that action should be offered rather than hoarded, he says that humans and the radiant beings sustain each other through duty. This is the bridge between private effort and shared order.
Why this verse still matters
You keep the neighborhood garden alive, and it keeps feeding everyone. The effort feels one-sided until you see how much your own life depends on what you sustain.
“You are not isolated. What you give to the whole comes back as support for your own life.”
Explore related themes: karma yoga (55 verses), yajna (32 verses)