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Bhagavad-gītā 3.10

सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः । अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥ १० ॥
saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā
[saha-yajnaah prajaah srishtvaa]
purovāca prajāpatiḥ
[purovaacha prajaapatih]
anena prasaviṣyadhvam
[anena prasavishyadhvam]
eṣa vo ’stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk
[esha vo ’stv ishta-kaama-dhuk]
Word-for-word
saha — along with yajñāḥ — sacrifices prajāḥ — generations sṛṣṭvā — creating purā — anciently uvāca — said prajā - patiḥ — the Lord of creatures anena — by this prasaviṣyadhvam — be more and more prosperous eṣaḥ — this vaḥ — your astu — let it be iṣṭa — of all desirable things kāma - dhuk — bestower .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā
saha
along with
yajñāḥ
sacrifices
prajāḥ
generations
sṛṣṭvā
creating
purovāca prajāpatiḥ
purā
anciently
uvāca
said
prajā - patiḥ
the Lord of creatures
anena prasaviṣyadhvam
anena
by this
prasaviṣyadhvam
be more and more prosperous
eṣa vo ’stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk
eṣaḥ
this
vaḥ
your
astu
let it be
iṣṭa
of all desirable things
kāma - dhuk
bestower .
Important Words
  • yajñāḥ — sacrifices
    Plural. Not one ritual but a whole institution — household, communal, cosmic. The plural marks that yajña was given as a *system*, not a single rite.
  • prajāḥ — generations
    The living beings created in succession. Prajā shares its root with prajāpati — the Lord of created beings — and with prajanana, generation. Yajña and prajā are paired words: where there is reproduction, there must be sacrifice.
  • prajā - patiḥ — the Lord of creatures
    Brahmā in his cosmic-administrator role, who is himself acting under Viṣṇu. The verse traces the chain of authority back: not from current opinion but from the first authorized speaker.
  • kāma - dhuk — bestower (of all desirable things)
    Compound. The wish-fulfilling cow image — what is milked yields whatever is wished. Yajña is named here not as austerity-for-its-own-sake but as the cosmic mechanism that *supplies*.
In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Viṣṇu, and blessed them by saying, “Be thou happy by this yajña [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.”
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Kṛṣṇa grounds yajña in cosmogony. From the very dawn of creation, sacrifice and creatures arose together — yajña is not a later add-on but built into the structure of life. It is the cosmic kāmadhenu.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The image evokes Ṛgveda 10.90 (Puruṣa-sūkta) and the Brāhmaṇa creation narratives in which Prajāpati emanates beings through yajña. 'Iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk' alludes to the wish-fulfilling cow. The verse legitimizes karma-yoga by tracing it to a cosmic charter, not a sectarian innovation.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
पुरा प्रजा-पतिः सह-यज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा उवाच — अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वम्; एषः वः इष्ट-काम-धुक् अस्तु।
purā prajā-patiḥ saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā uvāca — anena prasaviṣyadhvam; eṣaḥ vaḥ iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk astu|
In the beginning Prajāpati, having created beings together with yajña, said: 'By this (yajña) may you multiply; let this be for you the yielder of desired wishes.'
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
सह-यज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरा उवाच प्रजा-पतिः । अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वम् एषः वः अस्तु इष्ट-काम-धुक् ॥
saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā purā uvāca prajā-patiḥ | anena prasaviṣyadhvam eṣaḥ vaḥ astu iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
सह-यज्ञाः saha-yajñāḥ सह (ind. (indeclinable)) + यज्ञ (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural)f., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) together with sacrifice
प्रजाः prajāḥ प्रजा (f.) acc.pl. (accusative plural) creatures, progeny
सृष्ट्वा sṛṣṭvā √सृज् abs. (absolutive) having created
पुरा purā ind. (indeclinable), adv. in ancient time
उवाच uvāca √वच् perf. (perfect) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) said
प्रजा-पतिः prajā-patiḥ प्रजा (f.) + पति (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) Lord of creatures (Prajāpati)
अनेन anena dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) ins.sg. (instrumental singular)m. by this (yajña)
प्रसविष्यध्वम् prasaviṣyadhvam प्र+√सू fut. (future) 2pl.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) you shall propagate / multiply
एषः eṣaḥ dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. this
वः vaḥ युष्मद् pron. (pronoun) gen.pl. (genitive plural) enclitic of you, for you
अस्तु astu √अस् impv. 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) let it be
इष्ट-काम-धुक् iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk इष्ट (p.p.p. (past passive participle)) + काम (m.) + दुह् → धुक् (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi/upapada cpd. (compound) yielder of cherished desires
Purport

The material creation by the Lord of creatures (Viṣṇu) is a chance offered to the conditioned souls to come back home – back to Godhead. All living entities within the material creation are conditioned by material nature because of their forgetfulness of their relationship to Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Vedic principles are to help us understand this eternal relation, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. The Lord says that the purpose of the Vedas is to understand Him. In the Vedic hymns it is said: patiṁ viśvasyātmeśvaram. Therefore, the Lord of the living entities is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also (2.4.20) Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes the Lord as pati in so many ways: śriyaḥ patir yajña-patiḥ prajā-patir dhiyāṁ patir loka-patir dharā-patiḥ patir gatiś cāndhaka-vṛṣṇi-sātvatāṁ prasīdatāṁ me bhagavān satāṁ patiḥ The prajā-pati is Lord Viṣṇu, and He is the Lord of all living creatures, all worlds, and all beauties, and the protector of everyone. The Lord created this material world to enable the conditioned souls to learn how to perform yajñas (sacrifices) for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu, so that while in the material world they can live very comfortably without anxiety, and after finishing the present material body they can enter into the kingdom of God. That is the whole program for the conditioned soul. By performance of yajña, the conditioned souls gradually become Kṛṣṇa conscious and become godly in all respects. In the Age of Kali, the saṅkīrtana-yajña (the chanting of the names of God) is recommended by the Vedic scriptures, and this transcendental system was introduced by Lord Caitanya for the deliverance of all men in this age. Saṅkīrtana-yajña and Kṛṣṇa consciousness go well together. Lord Kṛṣṇa in His devotional form (as Lord Caitanya) is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32) as follows, with special reference to the saṅkīrtana-yajña: kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ “In this Age of Kali, people who are endowed with sufficient intelligence will worship the Lord, who is accompanied by His associates, by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña. ” Other yajñas prescribed in the Vedic literatures are not easy to perform in this Age of Kali, but the saṅkīrtana-yajña is easy and sublime for all purposes, as recommended in Bhagavad-gītā also (9.14).

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
10. Brahmā, having created the population along with sacrifice, long ago spoke: May you prosper by this sacrifice. May it fulfill all your material desires.
Commentary

Therefore, one with an impure heart should perform actions without desire, rather than give up action. Now, if you cannot be without desire in the actions, then you should still perform actions offered to Viṣṇu with desire, rather than give up actions completely. This is explained in seven verses. Long ago, along with yajña, Brahmā created the creatures qualified for offering to Viṣṇu and said, “Increase more and more the population by this dharma or yajña. May this yajña bestow all desired enjoyment (iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk).” By this he indicated that they had material desires. The compound saha-yajñā is formed by the rule vopasarjanasya (Aṣṭādhyāyī, Pāṇini 6.3.82). The compound saha-yajña is used instead of sa-yajña.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
10. Viṣṇu, having created the population along with sacrifice in the beginning, spoke: May you increase yourself by this sacrifice. May it fulfill you desire for liberation by supply bodily maintenance and knowledge of ātmā.
Commentary

This verse shows that it is wrong to maintain the body without offering sacrifice to Viṣṇu. Prajāpati refers to the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, as is seen from śruti states such as patiṁ viśvasyātmeśvaram: he is the master of the universe, the lord of the soul. (Mahānārāyaṇa Upāniṣad 13.2) Also this is confirmed from smṛti states such as brahma prajānāṁ patir acyuto’sāv: Brahman, the master of offspring, is Acyuta. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa) 1.15.57 At the beginning of creation (purā), having created the progeny such as devas and men accompanied by sacrifice—having bestowed receptacles of name and form suitable to pursue the goals of life to those who were previously devoid of names and forms, being merged into Himself, the cause of material energy, and in that state being incapable of pursuing the goals of human life; and having revealed sacrifice and the Vedas which describe it—the Lord, being merciful, then said to them, “You should increase yourselves (prasaviṣyadhvam) by this sacrifice offered to Me, described in the Vedas (anena). May this sacrifice offered to Me (eṣa) be the giver of the desired goal of liberation (iṣṭa kāma dhuk), through supplying unto you bodily maintenance and knowledge of ātmā which purifies the heart.”

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

This is the Vedic system ‑ living happily and ultimately, gradually, achieving liberation. How will one's material desires be fulfilled in this Vedic system?

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Krishna explains Vedic karma-kanda system – Live happily in this world and gradually achieve

liberation

Principle behind the concept of karma-kanda – By satisfying desires in a religious way, those who are attached will be purified

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 3.10 & 3.11:

Two results of sacrifices are:

1. Fulfilling all material desires (3.11 – 3.14)

2. Purify the heart to elevate one out of the material world (3.15 – 3.16)

Focus of Learning

(a) Purpose of material creation

A chance offered to conditioned souls to come Back to Godhead
To “Learn how to perform yajnas” for satisfaction of Supreme

(b) Benefit of yajnas:

To get happiness in material world and
To purify the heart of the living entity
Later enter into kingdom of God and thus get ultimate liberation

(c) Cause of conditioning in material world – Forgetfulness of our relationship with Krishna

(d) Purpose of Vedic Principles: To help us in understanding this eternal relationship

(e) Understanding of the Lord as “Pati” (Only master for all the living entities)

Ref. Vedic hymns – “Patim visvasyatmesvaram…”
Ref. SB 2.4.20 – Vishnu is the only ‘pati’ or ‘Lord of all living entities’

(f) Best yajna to satisfy Vishnu in the Age of kali – “Sankirtan-yajna” – which is easy and sublime

Introduced by Lord Caitanya (Ref. SB 11.5.32: “krsna-varnam…”)
Ref Bg. 9.14: “satatam kirtayanto…” – Mahatmas constantly glorify the Lord

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION III

Lord Krishna has designed the material world to encourage sacrifice
He does this by making material advancement dependent upon yajna
By worshiping the Lord for material well-being, one becomes purified and advances
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
3.10 Pura, in the days of yore, in the beginning of creation; srstva, having created; prajah, the beings, the people of the three castes; saha-yajnah, together with the sacrifices; Prajapati, the creator of beings, uvaca, said; 'Anena, by this sacrifice; prasavisyadhvam, you multiply.' Prasava means origination, growth. 'You accomplish that. Esah astu, let this sacrifice be; vah, your; ista-kama-dhuk, yielder of coveted objects of desire.' That which yields (dhuk) coveted (ista) objects of desire (kama), particular results, is istakama-dhuk. How?
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
3.10 As there is the scriptural text beginning with 'The Lord of Universe' (Tai. Na., 11.3), it is justifiable to take the term Prajapati in its wider connotation and interpret it to mean Narayana who is the Lord of all beings, the creator of the universe and the Self of the universe. In the beginning, i.e., during the creation, He, the Lord of beings, saw all beings helpless by their conjunction with beginningless non-conscient matter, bereft of the distinctions of name and form, and submerged in Himself. They were incapable of attaining the major ends of human existence, being almost one with non-conscient matter. He, the supremely compassionate, with a desire to resuscitate them, created them together with sacrifice in order that they might perform sacrifices as His worship and said: 'By this sacrifice, shall you prosper,' i.e., multiply and prosper. May this sacrifice fulfil your supreme object of desire called release (Moksa) and also the other desires that are in conformity with it. How, then, should this be done?
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
3.10 Saha-etc. The lord of creatures, the Supreme Soul, created creatures, just together with actions. It has also been declared by Him that the procreation i.e., lineage of creatures is through actions alone; these alone would give them what is desired viz., either the cycle of birth-and-death or emancipation - the cycle of birth-and-death is due to attachment and emancipation, due to the freedom from attachment. The sense-objects deserve to be enjoyed only by those for whom emancipation is the most important. This is declared :
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
3.10 The Creator, having in the beginning (of creation) created mankind together with sacrifice, said, "By this shall ye propagate; let this be the milch cow of your desires (the cow which yields all the desired objects)."
Commentary

3.10 सहयज्ञाः together with sacrifice? प्रजाः mankind? सृष्ट्वा having created? पुरा in the beginning? उवाच said? प्रजापतिः Prajapati? अनेन by this? प्रसविष्यध्वम् shall ye propagate? एषः this? वः your? अस्तु let be? इष्टकामधुक् milch cow of desires.Commentary Prajapati is the Creator or Brahma. Kamadhuk is another name for the cow Kamadhenu. Kamadhenu is the cow of Indra from which everyone can milk whatever one desires. (Cf.VIII.4IX.2427X.25).

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
3.10 In the days of yore, having created the beings together with the sacrifices, Prajapati said: 'By this you multiply. Let this be your yielder of coveted objects of desire.'
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
3.10 In the beginning, when God created all beings by the sacrifice of Himself, He said unto them: Through sacrifice you can procreate, and it shall satisfy all your desires.
Related values & verses
Related values
Prema (Divine Love)Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)
Related verses
BG 4.2 BG 3.14 BG 4.32 SB 3.12.37 SB 2.6.25 SB 3.13.39 CC Madhya 20.118 CC Madhya 25.103 CC Ādi 3.77 Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4.17Taittirīya Upaniṣad 1.9.1
Concepts
Yajna
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
From the beginning of creation, the demigods and humans were instructed to live by yajña — sacrifice is the principle of cosmic sustenance.
Practical Applications
  • Live by giving rather than by accumulating.
  • Make at least one offering per day — to deity, to fire, to brāhmaṇas, or as prasāda distribution.
  • Recognize that what you give returns multiplied through Kṛṣṇa's arrangement.
Reflection Questions
  • What in my life today is sacrificed, and what is merely consumed?
  • How might I shift the proportion?
Analogy

A lamp lit at the source ignites a thousand wicks down the line. Brahmā lit yajña at the beginning of creation as the first lamp; every household offering since then has only been borrowing fire from that original flame.

Stories
Brahmā's First Instruction to Prajāpatis

The Bhāgavatam recounts that when Brahmā brought forth the prajāpatis at the dawn of this kalpa, he instructed them to multiply through yajña — sacrifice — and promised that this discipline would supply every need. The cosmos was inaugurated not as a marketplace but as a ritual circle.

Verse 3.10 reaches back to that founding act. Kṛṣṇa is reminding Arjuna that yajña is not a Vedic innovation; it is the original arrangement, the constitution of creation itself. To live outside that cycle is to live as an unlicensed citizen of one's own world.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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