Chapter 3: Karma Yoga, verse 11
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः।
परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ॥
Say itdevān bhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ
parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ śhreyaḥ param avāpsyatha
Translation
With this, nourish the gods, and may the gods nourish you; thus, nourishing each other, you shall attain the highest good.
Swami Sivananda
'You nourish the gods with this. Let those gods nourish you in return. By mutually nourishing each other, you shall attain the supreme Good.'
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
By this, please the gods, and they will support you. Thus, nourishing each other, you may obtain the highest good.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
'You should gratify the devas with this, and let the devas gratify you; thus, mutually gratifying each other, you will attain the highest good.'
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
Worship the powers of Nature, and let them nourish you in return; thus, supporting each other, you shall attain your highest welfare.
Shri Purohit Swami
प्रजापति ब्रह्माजीने सृष्टिके आदिकालमें कर्तव्य-कर्मोंके विधानसहित प्रजा-(मनुष्य आदि-) की रचना करके (उनसे, प्रधानतया मनुष्योंसे) कहा कि तुमलोग इस कर्तव्यके द्वारा सबकी वृद्धि करो और वह कर्तव्य-कर्म-रूप यज्ञ तुमलोगोंको कर्तव्य-पालनकी आवश्यक सामग्री प्रदान करनेवाला हो। अपने कर्तव्य-कर्मके द्वारा तुमलोग देवताओंको उन्नत करो और वे देवतालोग अपने कर्तव्यके द्वारा तुमलोगोंको उन्नत करें। इस प्रकार एक-दूसरेको उन्नत करते हुए तुमलोग परम कल्याणको प्राप्त हो जाओगे।
Swami Ramsukhdas
तुम लोग इस यज्ञ द्वारा देवताओं की उन्नति करो और वे देवतागण तुम्हारी उन्नति करें। इस प्रकार परस्पर उन्नति करते हुये परम श्रेय को तुम प्राप्त होगे।
Swami Tejomayananda
Classical commentariesFor deeper study. Most are in the original Sanskrit.
Advaita
Non-dual: the self and the absolute are one.
Vishishtadvaita
Qualified non-dual: souls are real parts of the divine.
Dvaita
Dual: the soul and God are eternally distinct.
Shuddhadvaita
Pure non-dual, centred on grace and devotion.
Kashmir Shaivism
The Gita read through Trika Shaiva philosophy.
Modern teachers
20th-century teachers writing for today's readers.