Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 11

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

Translations of other slokas of the Gita are available on my blog  http://haricharanam.blogspot.com

The greatness of Yajna -9-13

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 11

Rama @ Chitrakoot with the rishis

Devan bhavayat anen te devah  bhavayantu vah I

Parasparam bhavayantah shreyah parama vapsyatha II sloka 11

देवान भावयत अनेन ते देवः भावयन्तु वः ।

परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परम् अवाप्स्यथ ।। श्लोक ११ 

Cherish the devas with this; and may the devas cherish you; thus cherishing one another, you shall reap the supreme good.

Etymologically the word deva means the one that is shining. In the human frame the senses are called devas. They are shining in their own way and they bring light to the dweller in the body. If food is not supplied to the body, the senses become weak and unable to function. If the senses are abused, then also they get worn out. 

But when they are properly cherished they become useful to bring knowledge and efficiency to man. To the extent man gets enlightened, he looks after the senses with added wisdom and attention. Mutual fostering takes place this way causing good to both. Life becomes enriched by this process.

Highly evolved souls are called devas wherever they happen to be. Cosmic forces are also called devas because of their efficient functioning. The characteristic of the good and the enlightened is that they are always engaged in the welfare of all. It is yajna to aid them in their noble and auspicious endeavours. The good and the noble in the world spontaneously come forward to serve the doers of good  and to promote their noble causes. Those who sacrifice themselves completely to God get their reward accordingly. As the fuel that gives itself away to fire, becomes fire in its turn, the devotees who surrender their everything to the Lord, become all divinity. By sacrificing his all to God, man attains Godhood. This is the supreme good that yajna brings.

Whatever you offer to the Lord is returned to you, magnified manifold. Take care therefore, that you do not offer anything bad to him.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa