Chapter 4 · Verse 7

Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदाऽऽत्मानं सृजाम्यहम्

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛijāmyaham

Word Meanings

yadā yadā — whenever; hi — certainly; dharmasya — of righteousness; glāniḥ — decline; bhavati — is; bhārata — Arjun, descendant of Bharat; abhyutthānam — increase; adharmasya — of unrighteousness; tadā — at that time; ātmānam — self; sṛijāmi — manifest; aham — I

Language:

Translation

Whenever righteousness declines and unrighteousness rises, O Arjuna, then I manifest Myself.

Commentary

यदा यदा whenever? हि surely? धर्मस्य of righteousness? ग्लानिः decline? भवति is? भारत O Bharata? अभ्युत्थानम् rise? अधर्मस्य of unrighteousness? तदा then? आत्मानम् Myself? सृजामि manifest? अहम् I.Commentary Dharma is that which sustains and holds together. There is no proper eivalen for this term in the English language. That which helps a man to attain to Moksha or salvation is Dharma. That which makes a man irreligious or unrighteous is Adharma. That which elevates a man and helps him reach the goal of life and attain knowledge is Dharma that which drags him and hurls him down in the abyss of worldliness and ignorance is Adharma.