Chapter 3 · Verse 24

Path of Selfless Service

उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम्। सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः

utsīdeyur ime lokā na kuryāṁ karma ched aham sankarasya cha kartā syām upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ

Word Meanings

utsīdeyuḥ ime lokāḥ na kuryām karma chet aham sankarasya cha kartā syām upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ

Translation

If I did not perform action, these worlds would fall into ruin; I would be the cause of chaos and the destroyer of all these people.

Commentary

उत्सीदेयुः would perish? इमे these? लोकाः worlds? न not? कुर्याम् would do? कर्म action? चेत् if? अहम् I? सङ्करस्य of confusion of castes? च and? कर्ता author? स्याम् would be? उपहन्याम् would destroy? इमाःthese? प्रजाः beings.Commentary If I did not engage in action? people would also be inactive. They would not do their duties according to the Varnasrama Dharma (code of morals governing their own order and stage of life). Hence confusion of castes would arise. I would have to destroy these beings.