देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः ।परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ॥
devān bhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ |parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ śreyaḥ param avāpsyatha ||
- देवान् · devān
- the gods, the shining ones
- भावयत · bhāvayata
- nourish, cherish
- अनेन · anena
- by this (sacrifice)
- ते · te
- they
- देवाः · devāḥ
- the gods
- भावयन्तु · bhāvayantu
- may nourish
- वः · vaḥ
- you
- परस्परम् · parasparam
- one another, mutually
- श्रेयः · śreyaḥ
- the good, blessedness
- परम् · param
- highest
- अवाप्स्यथ · avāpsyatha
- you shall attain
“Nourish the gods with this, and may the gods nourish you. Nourishing one another, you shall attain the highest good.”
— Original plain-language translation
The cosmos runs on reciprocity: humans offer upward, sustaining powers return nourishment downward. This mutual cherishing benefits ecology and spirit alike. The highest good comes not from extraction but from grateful exchange.
— Reader's notes (original)