Verse 3.12

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 3.12:

इष्टान् भोगान् हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञ-भाविताः ।
तैर् दत्तान् अप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः ॥ १२ ॥

iṣṭān bhogān hi vo devā dāsyante yajña-bhāvitāḥ |
tair dattān apradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ || 12 ||

iṣṭān–the desired; bhogān–pleasures; hi–because; vaḥ–unto you; devāḥ–the demigods; dāsyante–will award; yajña-bhāvitāḥ–being pleased by the performance of sacrifices; taiḥ–by them; dattān–ingredients given; apradāya–without offering; ebhyaḥ–unto the demigods; yaḥ–he who; bhuṅkte–enjoys; stenaḥ–a thief; eva–certainly; saḥ–he.

Being pleased by your performance of sacrifice, the demigods will reward you by making arrangements for your desired enjoyment. Therefore, a person who enjoys the ingredients the demigods have given, without first offering them to the demigods, is certainly a thief.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Failure to perform karma is certainly a defect. Śrī Bhagavān is speaking this verse beginning with iṣṭān to clarify this point. Grains and other products grow due to rain, which is caused by the demigods. After producing grains and other items, a person who enjoys them without first offering them to the demigods by performing pañca-mahā-yajña, five great sacrifices, is a thief.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

In regard to these great five sacrifices, or pañca-mahā-yajña, it is stated in the Garuḍa Purāṇa:

adhyāpanaṃ brahma-yajñaḥ pitṛ-yajñas tu tarpaṇam
homo daivo balir bhauto nṛ-yajño’tithi-pūjanam

(1) To give the disciple instructions from scripture is called brahma-yajña. (2) To offer oblations to the forefathers is pitṛ-yajña. (3) To perform fire sacrifice is deva-yajña. (4) To give in charity offerings of fruits, flowers, grains and so on to the living entities is bali, or bhūta-yajña. (5) To receive guests warm-heartedly is called nṛ-yajña.

Many people think that the word bali (offering) in this verse means ‘to offer a sacrifice by killing animals and humans’, but this is not the opinion of scriptures such as the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanā
vyavasthitis teṣu vivāha-yajña surā-grahair āsu nivṛttir iṣṭā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.11)

The true meaning of bali is to give grains, water, fruits, flowers and animals in charity for the satisfaction of the demigods.