Shankaracharya's commentary, trans. Alladi Mahadeva Sastry (1897)
[1]In the beginning, having created mankind along with sacrifice, the Lord of creatures said: 'By this shall ye multiply; may this be to you the yielder of all desired objects.'
BG 3.10
सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः । अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥
saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā purovāca prajāpatiḥ | anena prasaviṣyadhvam eṣa vo 'stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk ||
"At creation, the Creator embedded yajna into existence itself — give and the cosmos gives back."
All public-domain translations
5 translations · all pre-1928 or released to public domain · sources
Swami Swarupananda, Srimad Bhagavad Gita (1909)
[4]In the beginning, having created mankind together with sacrifice, the Progenitor said: 'By this shall ye propagate; let this be the milch-cow of your desires.'
William Quan Judge, The Bhagavad Gita (1890)
[6]In the beginning the Lord of creatures, having created mankind together with sacrifice, said: 'By this shall ye increase and multiply; let this be the milch-cow of your desires.'
Sir Edwin Arnold, The Song Celestial (1885)
[7]In the beginning, when He made all things, The Lord of Creatures fashioned sacrifice And said: 'By this shall ye increase and thrive; This be the Milk of all your milk of life!'
K.T. Telang, Sacred Books of the East Vol. 8 (1882)
[9]Having in olden times created mankind together with sacrifice, the Progenitor said: By this shall ye multiply; let this be the wish-fulfilling cow for you.