3.11 Sustaining one another Krishna speaks
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः
परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ
devān bhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ
parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ śhreyaḥ param avāpsyatha
Sustain the gods by this, and let the gods sustain you. Sustaining one another, you will reach the highest good.
Explanation
Sustaining one another.
parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ — mutual nourishing, gods and people both.
The relation is symmetrical, which is unusual. Nobody in this arrangement is self-sufficient, including the gods, and reaching the highest good is put as a joint outcome.
Word by word
- devān
- celestial gods
- bhāvayatā
- will be pleased
- anena
- by these (sacrifices)
- te
- those
- devāḥ
- celestial gods
- bhāvayantu
- will be pleased
- vaḥ
- you
- parasparam
- one another
- bhāvayantaḥ
- pleasing one another
- śhreyaḥ
- prosperity
- param
- the supreme
- avāpsyatha
- shall achieve
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