FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 3.24

उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् । सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः ॥ २४ ॥
utsīdeyur ime lokā
[utseedeyur ime lokaa]
na kuryāṁ karma ced aham
[na kuryaam karma ched aham]
saṅkarasya ca kartā syām
[sankarasya cha kartaa syaam]
upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ
[upahanyaam imaah prajaah]
Word-for-word
utsīdeyuḥ — would be put into ruin ime — all these lokāḥ — worlds na — not kuryām — I perform karma — prescribed duties cet — if aham — I saṅkarasya — of unwanted population ca — and kartā — creator syām — would be upahanyām — would destroy imāḥ — all these prajāḥ — living entities .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
utsīdeyur ime lokā
utsīdeyuḥ
would be put into ruin
ime
all these
lokāḥ
worlds
na kuryāṁ karma ced aham
na
not
kuryām
I perform
karma
prescribed duties
cet
if
aham
I
saṅkarasya ca kartā syām
saṅkarasya
of unwanted population
ca
and
kartā
creator
syām
would be
upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ
upahanyām
would destroy
imāḥ
all these
prajāḥ
living entities .
Important Words
  • utsīdeyuḥ — would be put into ruin
    Optative of ut-√sad, to sit up out of — i.e. to sink down and away. A precise verb for collapse: not gradual decline but a *sitting-down* of the worlds.
  • saṅkarasya — of unwanted population
    Genitive of saṅkara, the social-genetic mixing without scriptural sanction. The same varṇa-saṅkara Arjuna feared in 1.41–43 — Kṛṣṇa names himself as its *potential* author if He stopped acting. The threat is exactly Arjuna's earlier nightmare.
  • kartā — creator, doer
    From √kṛ — *the doer*. Kṛṣṇa would become the doer of saṅkara — the very category He elsewhere assigns to false ego (3.27). The hypothetical is meant to alarm Arjuna out of his shirking.
  • upahanyām — would destroy
    Optative of upa-√han, to strike upon. Even by inaction, the great would *actively* destroy — there is no neutral. Withdrawal of the qualified is itself a strike.
  • prajāḥ — living entities
    Same word as in 3.10 — the generations brought forth at creation. The verse closes the loop: prajā was created with yajña; without the great keeping yajña alive, prajā is destroyed.
If I did not perform prescribed duties, all these worlds would be put to ruination. I would be the cause of creating unwanted population, and I would thereby destroy the peace of all living beings.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
The full counterfactual. Kṛṣṇa's withdrawal would not be neutral renunciation; it would cause cosmic ruin — worlds collapsing, varṇa-saṅkara (caste confusion), the destruction of beings. Hence action is not optional even for Bhagavān.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
'Saṅkara' here echoes Arjuna's worry in BG 1.41–43 about varṇa-saṅkara from war. Kṛṣṇa turns it: not action but inaction causes saṅkara. The hypothetical is rhetorical — Bhagavān will not in fact withdraw — but the structural argument is real. Action sustains dharmic order; withdrawal undoes it.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
चेत् अहम् कर्म न कुर्याम्, इमे लोकाः उत्सीदेयुः; सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्याम्; इमाः प्रजाः उपहन्याम्।
cet aham karma na kuryām, ime lokāḥ utsīdeyuḥ; saṅkarasya ca kartā syām; imāḥ prajāḥ upahanyām|
If I did not perform action, these worlds would perish; I would become the cause of confusion (saṅkara), and I would destroy these creatures.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
उत्सीदेयुः इमे लोकाः न कुर्याम् कर्म चेत् अहम् । सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्याम् उपहन्याम् इमाः प्रजाः ॥
utsīdeyuḥ ime lokāḥ na kuryām karma cet aham | saṅkarasya ca kartā syām upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
उत्सीदेयुः utsīdeyuḥ उद्+√सद् opt. (optative) 3pl.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) would sink, perish
इमे ime dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. these
लोकाः lokāḥ लोक (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural) worlds
न na ind. (indeclinable), negative not
कुर्याम् kuryām √कृ opt. (optative) 1sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) should do
कर्म karma कर्मन् (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) action
चेत् cet ind. (indeclinable), conditional if
अहम् aham अस्मद् pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular) I
सङ्करस्य saṅkarasya सङ्कर (m.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of mixing / confusion
च ca ind. (indeclinable), conj. and
कर्ता kartā √कृ tṛn-suffix → कर्तृ (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) doer, cause
स्याम् syām √अस् opt. (optative) 1sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) I should be
उपहन्याम् upahanyām उप+√हन् opt. (optative) 1sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) I should destroy
इमाः imāḥ dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) acc.pl. (accusative plural)f. these
प्रजाः prajāḥ प्रजा (f.) acc.pl. (accusative plural) creatures, progeny
Purport

Varṇa-saṅkara is unwanted population which disturbs the peace of the general society. In order to check this social disturbance, there are prescribed rules and regulations by which the population can automatically become peaceful and organized for spiritual progress in life. When Lord Kṛṣṇa descends, naturally He deals with such rules and regulations in order to maintain the prestige and necessity of such important performances. The Lord is the father of all living entities, and if the living entities are misguided, indirectly the responsibility goes to the Lord. Therefore, whenever there is general disregard of regulative principles, the Lord Himself descends and corrects the society. We should, however, note carefully that although we have to follow in the footsteps of the Lord, we still have to remember that we cannot imitate Him. Following and imitating are not on the same level. We cannot imitate the Lord by lifting Govardhana Hill, as the Lord did in His childhood. It is impossible for any human being. We have to follow His instructions, but we may not imitate Him at any time. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.30–31) affirms: naitat samācarej jātu manasāpi hy anīśvaraḥ vinaśyaty ācaran mauḍhyād yathārudro ’bdhi-jaṁ viṣam īśvarāṇāṁ vacaḥ satyaṁ tathaivācaritaṁ kvacit teṣāṁ yat sva-vaco-yuktaṁ buddhimāṁs tat samācaret “One should simply follow the instructions of the Lord and His empowered servants. Their instructions are all good for us, and any intelligent person will perform them as instructed. However, one should guard against trying to imitate their actions. One should not try to drink the ocean of poison in imitation of Lord Śiva.” We should always consider the position of the īśvaras, or those who can actually control the movements of the sun and moon, as superior. Without such power, one cannot imitate the īśvaras, who are superpowerful. Lord Śiva drank poison to the extent of swallowing an ocean, but if any common man tries to drink even a fragment of such poison, he will be killed. There are many pseudo devotees of Lord Śiva who want to indulge in smoking gañjā (marijuana) and similar intoxicating drugs, forgetting that by so imitating the acts of Lord Śiva they are calling death very near. Similarly, there are some pseudo devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa who prefer to imitate the Lord in His rāsa-līlā, or dance of love, forgetting their inability to lift Govardhana Hill. It is best, therefore, that one not try to imitate the powerful, but simply follow their instructions; nor should one try to occupy their posts without qualification. There are so many “incarnations” of God without the power of the Supreme Godhead.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
24. If I were not to work, all people would be destroyed. I would be the cause of mixed castes, and would pollute the descendants.
Commentary

Taking Me as an example, the people, not performing dharma, would be contaminated. Mixed castes would result. I would be the cause of this. I would pollute the progeny.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
24. If I were not to work, all people would become unlawful. I would be the cause of mixed castes, and would pollute the descendents.
Commentary

Then what would happen? If I, the supreme among all, were not to perform actions according to scripture, the people would break the laws (utsīdeyuḥ—be destroyed). I would be responsible for producing mixed castes resulting from the destruction of law. I, the protector of the populace, prajā pati, would cause contamination of the populace (upahanyām), by the mixture of castes. The śruti says: eṣa setur vidharaṇa eṣāṁ lokānām asaṁbhedāya I am the restraining law in order that the populace is not disturbed. Chāndogya Upaniṣad 4.4.22 Though I am well known as the foundation of people’s respect for law as the śruti says, I would become the cause of breaking their respect for law. Though the Lord teaches in this way, we also see that the Lord sometimes acts independent of the law, desiring the happiness of his devotee. Such actions however are not to be performed by those inferior to the Lord, since they have no instructions to do so from the establisher of law, and they are supposed to be obedient to His order. Śukadeva states the same: īśvarāṇāṁ vacaḥ satyaṁ tathaivācaritaṁ kvacit teṣāṁ yat sva-vaco-yuktaṁ buddhimāṁs tat samācaret The statements of the Lord’s empowered servants are always true, and the acts they perform are exemplary when consistent with those statements. Therefore one who is intelligent should carry out their instructions. SB 10.33.31 naitat samācarej jātu manasāpi hy anīśvaraḥ vinaśyaty ācaran mauḍhyād yathārudro’ bdhi-jaṁ viṣam One who is not a great controller should never imitate the behavior of ruling personalities, even mentally. If out of foolishness an ordinary person does imitate such behavior, he will simply destroy himself, just as a person who is not Rudra would destroy himself if he tried to drink an ocean of poison. SB 10.33.30

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

If we remember, way back in the 1st Chapter, one of Arjuna's first reasons or arguments for not wishing to fight was that if killed the family, the elders and tradition would be destroyed and women would be unprotected causing unwanted progeny. So Arjuna is saying earlier "if I do my duty and fight and kill everyone that will be the cause of unwanted progeny". But Krsna here is taking the opposite stand: "if you don't do your duty and fight, you will be the cause of unwanted progeny." So Krsna has defeated this argument of Arjuna.

[ 2 . Although the ignorant perform their duty with attachment, the wise should not unsettle them. The wise shoul perform their duty without attachment (and with knowledge) and thus become free. (17‑25)]

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Second example of performing duties as a leader – “Krishna also performs prescribed

duties” although He has no material desires

PLEASE NOTE: Points of the purports for Texts 3.22 – 3.33 are included as some of the sub-points below; as such

there is no individual Focus of Learning section for these texts; This is however, a separate Focus of Learning section

for Text 3.24

Why He has no prescribed duties (Bg. 3.22)
There is no work prescribed for Me within all three planetary systems
Nor am I in want of anything; Nor have I the need to obtain anything
Srila Prabhupada gives a supporting reference – Ref Svetasvatara Upanisad Bg. 6.7-6.8 –Describes Krishna as Supreme self-sufficient, beyond all the prescribed duties
Conclusion – Since everything is in full opulence in the Personality of Godhead and is existing in full truth, there is no duty for the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Why He still carefully performs prescribed duties (Bg. 3.23)
To set example
To keep social tranquility for progress in spiritual life (Bg. 3.23)
To establish religion (purpose of descent) (Bg. 3.23)
What if He does not follow (Bg. 3.24)
All the worlds would be put into ruination, because all would follow My path
Unwanted population (Varna-sankara) will be created
“I would thereby destroy the peace of all living beings”

Focus of Learning

(a) This verse shows ‘varna-sankara’ is caused by ‘not fighting’ and not by ‘fighting’ (refutes Bg. 1.40)

This refutes Arjuna’s argument based on “Destruction of family” as given in Text 1.37 – 1.43

(b) ‘Imitating’ and ‘following’ are not on the same level. The examples are

We cannot imitate Krishna’s Rasa Lila or lifting Govardhana Hill, but one should follow the instructions
Many pseudo devotees of Lord Shiva indulge in smoking ganja and other drugs, but one cannot imitate Lord Shiva’s drinking the ocean of poison

(c) Suggestion to prevent us from imitating – One should consider the position of the Ishvaras

(controllers) who can actually control the movements of the sun and moon; therefore we cannot

imitate the Ishvaras who are super powerful; one should simply follow their instructions

(e) Examples of ‘Natural leaders’ and their ‘responsibility’

Natural leaders – The King or the executive head, the father and the school teacher
Responsibility – They have great responsibility to their dependents to help them progress on the spiritual path

(f) Srimad Bhagavatam’s recommendation for progress – Follow in the footsteps of great devotees

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
3.24 Cet, if; aham, I; na kuryam, do not perform; karma, action; all ime, these; lokah, worlds; utsideyuh, will be ruined, owing to the obsence of work responsible for the maintenance of the worlds. Ca, and, futher; syam, I shall become; karta, the agent; sankarasya, of intermingling (of castes). Conseently, upahanyam, I shall be destroying; imah, these; prajah, beings. That is to say, I who am engaged in helping the creatures, shall be destroying them. This would be unbefitting of Me, who am God. 'On the other, if, like Me, you or some one else possesses the conviction of having attained Perfection and is a knower of the Self, it is a duty of such a one, too, to help others even if there be no obligation on his own part.'
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
3.24 If I do not do the work suitable to My station in life, likewise all the virtuous men also, neglecting their duties by following My example, would be destroyed on account of not performing their duties. That is, they will become lost. Thus I would be bringing about chaos among all virtuous men on account of My failure to conduct Myself as prescribed in the scriptures. Therefore I would be destroying all these people. Even so, if you, Arjuna, a son of Pandu and a brother of Yudhisthira and the foremost of the virtuous, claim to be alified for Jnana Yoga, then the virtuous aspirants, who do not know everything and who follow your way, without knowing their own competency, would give up practising Karma Yoga and will be lost. Therefore work should be done by one who is recognised as learned and worthy.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
3.24 See Comment under 3.25
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
3.24 These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I should be the author of confusion of castes and destruction of these beings.
Commentary

3.24 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.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
3.24 These worlds will be ruined if I do not perform action. And I shall become the agent of intermingling (of castes), and shall be destroying these beings.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
3.24 And if I were to refrain from action, the human race would be ruined; I should lead the world to chaos, and destruction would follow.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 1.41 BG 3.23 BG 18.48 SB 1.17.25 SB 7.11.13 SB 12.3.32 CC Madhya 8.58 CC Ādi 7.37 CC Madhya 22.72 Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4.14Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 2.1.6
Concepts
Dharma
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
If I did not perform prescribed duty, all worlds would mix in confusion, all populations bewildered.
Practical Applications
  • Maintain order in your domain (home, community, work) as a contribution to cosmic order.
  • Refuse to add to the confusion of the world by your own laxity.
  • Honor structure (varṇāśrama, sādhana, scripture) as service to all.
Reflection Questions
  • Where does my disorder spread further than I admit?
  • What discipline does my community quietly need from me?
Analogy

Remove the keystone and the arch does not lean — it falls. Remove the example of the great, and society does not gradually decline — it confuses itself into varṇa-saṅkara overnight.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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