FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 4.7

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत । अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥ ७ ॥
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
[yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya]
glānir bhavati bhārata
[glaanir bhavati bhaarata]
abhyutthānam adharmasya
[abhyutthaanam adharmasya]
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
[tadaatmaanam srijaamy aham]
Word-for-word
yadā yadā — whenever and wherever hi — certainly dharmasya — of religion glāniḥ — discrepancies bhavati — become manifested bhārata — O descendant of Bharata abhyutthānam — predominance adharmasya — of irreligion tadā — at that time ātmānam — self sṛjāmi — manifest aham — I .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
yadā yadā
whenever and wherever
hi
certainly
dharmasya
of religion
glānir bhavati bhārata
glāniḥ
discrepancies
bhavati
become manifested
bhārata
O descendant of Bharata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
abhyutthānam
predominance
adharmasya
of irreligion
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
tadā
at that time
ātmānam
self
sṛjāmi
manifest
aham
I .
Important Words
  • yadā yadā — whenever and wherever
    Reduplicated — 'whenever, whenever.' The doubling intensifies the promise across all times and circumstances. The descent is not a one-time historical event; it is a structural feature of cosmic rhythm.
  • dharmasya — of religion / righteousness
    Genitive — 'of dharma.' Kṛṣṇa is naming what He defends. Dharma here is not sectarian religion but the cosmic principle that sustains beings in their proper relation to Him.
  • glāniḥ — decline, exhaustion
    From √glai — 'to be wearied, to fade.' A precise word: not destruction (that would be too strong) but the slow exhaustion of dharma's vitality. Kṛṣṇa intervenes before total collapse, not after.
  • abhyutthānam — predominant rise
    Abhi + ut + √sthā — 'rising up against, prevailing.' The word names the active ascendancy of adharma, not merely its presence. The descent is triggered by the *combination* of dharma's fade and adharma's surge.
  • sṛjāmi — I send forth, manifest
    First-person present of √sṛj — to emit, to release. Note: not 'I am born,' but 'I emit Myself.' The grammar preserves Kṛṣṇa's sovereignty over the act of appearing.
Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion – at that time I descend Myself.
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 famous law of avatāra. Decline of dharma and rise of adharma together form the trigger; the Lord's response is to emit His own form — आत्मानम् सृजामि — as a deliberate act. The remedy is not an emissary but the Lord Himself.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The reduplicated यदा यदा signals recurring, multiple descents — not a one-time incarnation. The reflexive आत्मानम् सृजामि is striking: He is both the agent and the object of His own emission. Paired with 4.8, this verse defines avatāra by trigger (4.7) and purpose (4.8). Cross-ref Bhāgavatam 1.3 enumerations.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे भारत! यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिः अधर्मस्य च अभ्युत्थानम् भवति, तदा अहम् आत्मानम् सृजामि।
he bhārata! yadā yadā hi dharmasya glāniḥ adharmasya ca abhyutthānam bhavati, tadā aham ātmānam sṛjāmi|
O Bhārata, whenever there is a decline of dharma and a rise of adharma, then I send Myself forth.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिः भवति भारत । अभ्युत्थानम् अधर्मस्य तदा आत्मानम् सृजामि अहम् ॥
yadā yadā hi dharmasya glāniḥ bhavati bhārata | abhyutthānam adharmasya tadā ātmānam sṛjāmi aham ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
यदा यदा yadā yadā ind. (indeclinable), distributive temporal whenever (each time)
हि hi ind. (indeclinable), emphatic indeed
धर्मस्य dharmasya धर्म (m.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of dharma
ग्लानिः glāniḥ ग्लानि (f.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) decline, weakening
भवति bhavati √भू pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) occurs
भारत bhārata भारत (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular) O descendant of Bharata
अभ्युत्थानम् abhyutthānam अभि+उद्+√स्था n. nom.sg. (nominative singular) rise, ascendancy
अधर्मस्य adharmasya अधर्म (m.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of adharma
तदा tadā ind. (indeclinable), temporal correlative then
आत्मानम् ātmānam आत्मन् (m.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) Myself
सृजामि sṛjāmi √सृज् pres. (present) 1sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) I emit / send forth
अहम् aham अस्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular) I
Purport

The word sṛjāmi is significant herein. Sṛjāmi cannot be used in the sense of creation, because, according to the previous verse, there is no creation of the Lord’s form or body, since all of the forms are eternally existent. Therefore, sṛjāmi means that the Lord manifests Himself as He is. Although the Lord appears on schedule, namely at the end of the Dvāpara-yuga of the twenty-eighth millennium of the seventh Manu in one day of Brahmā, He has no obligation to adhere to such rules and regulations, because He is completely free to act in many ways at His will. He therefore appears by His own will whenever there is a predominance of irreligiosity and a disappearance of true religion. Principles of religion are laid down in the Vedas, and any discrepancy in the matter of properly executing the rules of the Vedas makes one irreligious. In the Bhāgavatam it is stated that such principles are the laws of the Lord. Only the Lord can manufacture a system of religion. The Vedas are also accepted as originally spoken by the Lord Himself to Brahmā, from within his heart. Therefore, the principles of dharma, or religion, are the direct orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead ( dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam ). These principles are clearly indicated throughout the Bhagavad-gītā. The purpose of the Vedas is to establish such principles under the order of the Supreme Lord, and the Lord directly orders, at the end of the Gītā, that the highest principle of religion is to surrender unto Him only, and nothing more. The Vedic principles push one towards complete surrender unto Him; and whenever such principles are disturbed by the demoniac, the Lord appears. From the Bhāgavatam we understand that Lord Buddha is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa who appeared when materialism was rampant and materialists were using the pretext of the authority of the Vedas. Although there are certain restrictive rules and regulations regarding animal sacrifice for particular purposes in the Vedas, people of demonic tendency still took to animal sacrifice without reference to the Vedic principles. Lord Buddha appeared in order to stop this nonsense and to establish the Vedic principles of nonviolence. Therefore each and every avatāra, or incarnation of the Lord, has a particular mission, and they are all described in the revealed scriptures. No one should be accepted as an avatāra unless he is referred to by scriptures. It is not a fact that the Lord appears only on Indian soil. He can manifest Himself anywhere and everywhere, and whenever He desires to appear. In each and every incarnation, He speaks as much about religion as can be understood by the particular people under their particular circumstances. But the mission is the same – to lead people to God consciousness and obedience to the principles of religion. Sometimes He descends personally, and sometimes He sends His bona fide representative in the form of His son, or servant, or Himself in some disguised form. The principles of the Bhagavad-gītā were spoken to Arjuna, and, for that matter, to other highly elevated persons, because he was highly advanced compared to ordinary persons in other parts of the world. Two plus two equals four is a mathematical principle that is true in the beginner’s arithmetic class and in the advanced class as well. Still, there are higher and lower mathematics. In all incarnations of the Lord, therefore, the same principles are taught, but they appear to be higher and lower in varied circumstances. The higher principles of religion begin with the acceptance of the four orders and the four statuses of social life, as will be explained later. The whole purpose of the mission of incarnations is to arouse Kṛṣṇa consciousness everywhere. Such consciousness is manifest and nonmanifest only under different circumstances.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
7. Whenever there is destruction in dharma, O Bhārata, and a rise in adharma, I manifest My own body.
Commentary

“When do I appear?” This verse answers. I appear when I cannot tolerate both the destruction (glāni) of dharma and the increase (abhyutthānam) of adharma, in order to reverse the situation. I manifest My body (ātmānam). Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says, “I show that body which exists eternally, as if it were created by My energy.”

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
7. Whenever there is destruction of dharma, O Bhārata, and a rise of adharma, I manifest My body.
Commentary

In this verse the Lord explains the time when He appears. When there is destruction of the dharma taught in the Vedas and appearance of adharma, what is opposed to dharma, I manifest Myself (ātmānam sṛjāmi). The phrase ātmānam sṛjāmi cannot mean “I make My body” since the eternal nature of His body has already been established. Thus there is no fixed period for My appearance (such as every thousand years).

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

The word isn't "born" is "He appears", "bhavati" (He appears to take birth). And why does Krsna appear?

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

COMMON THEME: Krishna reveals His transcendental position about His birth and activities

Text 4.5 and 4.6 talks about ‘His appearance and disappearance’
Text 4.5: My birth and death are not like yours
Text 4.6: I appear in My original transcendental form which is unborn and never dies , I appear by My own will
Texts 4.7 – 4.8 talks about ‘His activities.’ It explains when and why Krishna appears – reasons of descent:
When
Decline in religion
Predominant rise in irreligion
Why
To annihilate the demons
To deliver the devotees (from anxiety to see the Lord)
To re-establish the principles of religion
Text 4.9 – 4.10 talks about the result of understanding the knowledge of ‘transcendental birth’ (Texts 4.5 & 4.6) and ‘activities’ (Texts 4.7 & 4.8)
To be absorbed in Krishna
Become purified
Freed from attachment, fear and anger
Attain love for Krishna
Go back to Krishna (Transcendental abode)
No re-birth in material world

PLEASE NOTE: All Themes of Texts 4.5 – 4.10 are described above under the common theme and their purports

are described in their respective Focus of Learning sections below. Only some points of the purports of Texts 4.5

and 4.6, are described under the Summarsized Theme 4A.

SUMMARISED THEME 4A

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KRISHNA AND THE CONDITIONED LIVING ENTITY
(4.5 – 4.6 purports)

S.No

Krishna

Conditioned Living entity

Eternal and remembers past, present and future (Acyuta: never forgets – infallible)
Eternal but forgets
Remembers all births because body does not change or deteriorate (Avyayam)
Forgets because body changes and deteriorates
Appears by own will
Forced to appear by karma
Body is transcendental
Body is material
No difference between body and self (Adwaita)
The soul acquires an external body (gross and subtle)

Focus of Learning

(a) Peculiarity of Lord’s birth

Lord appears like an ordinary person
But remembers many many past births
Common man cannot remember past few hours, therefore no-one can claim to be God

(b) Lord has many incarnations but He is original

Ref. Vedas – Analogy: Lord is like the Vaidurya stone which changes color but still remains one (Lord manifests so many innumerable forms)
Ref. Brahma-Samhita 5.33; 5.39

(c) Qualification to understand these multi-forms – and example of such a qualified person

Only by pure unalloyed devotion and not by simple study of the Vedas, can one understand
e.g. Arjuna incarnates as one of the associate devotees in all incarnations

(d) Difference between ‘devotee forgetting the nature of Lord’ and ‘demon not understanding’

Devotee may forget but by His divine grace, one immediately understands the infallible nature of the Lord
Non-devotee never understands

(e) Living entity can never equal the Lord (4.5)

Lord is Achyuta (Infallible) – Never forgets Himself and His previous births even in material contact
Lord is Advaita – There is no distinction between His body and Self, therefore He does not change His spiritual body and never forgets His past births
Living entity, however great, spiritually liberated or materially great, can never equal the Lord, e.g. Arjuna
Materially – He is famous as ‘Parantapa’ (Subduer of enemies)
Spiritually – is one of the liberated associates

(f) ‘Atma-maya’ (4.6) – means

Lord descends by ‘internal potency’ and not by ‘external potency’
Lord’s body and intelligence never deteriorates (‘avyayam’) and is never contaminated by material nature (thus it defeats Mayavada teaching)
Prakriti means nature or ‘svarupa’ (own form)
Analogy: His appearance and disappearance are likes the sun’s rising and setting
He is always the “Lord of all living entities” – evident by wonderful and superhuman acts on Earth
‘Atma-maya’ also means that Lord descends by ‘causeless mercy’ so that we can concentrate on His form as He is and not on ‘Mental concoctions and imaginations’
Ref. Amara-kosa dictionary

(a) Definition of Sadhu – A man in Krishna consciousness, apparently may be irreligious but if he is

wholly and fully Krishna conscious, he is a sadhu

(b) Definition of ‘Duskrtam’ – Does not care for Krishna consciousness

(c) Prime purpose of any Avatara

To appease His unalloyed devotees e.g. Prahlada Maharaja and Devaki
Otherwise the athiests can be dealt with by the Lord’s agents

(d) Ref. Caitanya-caritamrta on (Principles of Incarnation)

The avatara, or incarnation of Godhead, descends from the kingdom of God for material manifestation
And the particular form of the Personality of Godhead who descends is called an incarnation, or avatara
Such incarnations are situated in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. When they descend to the material creation, they assume the name avatara

(e) Why specifically does Lord Krishna descend (Prime purpose) – To mitigate anxieties of pure

devotees who are anxious to see His Vrindavana pastimes

(a) How the Lord incarnates – By His internal potency – This is indicated by the word ‘Srjami’

Meaning of ‘Srjami’ – Lord is not created or born but “manifests” as per free will
‘Srjami’ is mentioned as “manifests” because Text 4.6 refutes the Lord being born or created, by calling Him as ‘aja’

(b) When does the Lord incarnate – Usual schedule of Lord’s appearance

End of Dvapara-yuga of 28th millennium of seventh Manu of a day of Brahma
But no obligation to rule

(c) For what purpose does the Lord decend – Lord comes to establish “principles of dharma”

What are the ‘principles of dharma’ – Direct orders of Supreme Personality of Godhead
Ref. SB 6.3.19 “Dharmam tu…”
What is ‘Highest dharma’ – Surrender unto Him only

(d) Certain facts about ‘Avatara’

Mission: Comes with mission, e.g. Lord Buddha came to establish Vedic principles of ‘Non-violence’
Sanctioned: Mentioned in scriptures – criteria to accept
Place: Can appear anywhere, not only on Indian soil
Message: Speaks as per audience, e.g. higher and lower mathematics
Common mission:
To lead people to God-consciousness,
Obedience to the principles of religion

(e) Bhagavad-gita is for highly advanced people, e.g. Arjuna (higher principles of religion begin with

Varna-asrama)

(a) Liberation of living entity from material bondage is not very easy – Two paths are possible:

Path of impersonalism and yoga
Path of devotees

(b) Path of Impersonalists and yogis

Endeavor – Not very easy - many, many births
Goal – Only partial success, brahmajyoti
Safety – Risk of fall-down

(c) Path of Devotees in Krishna consciousness

Endeavor – Very easy, one has to simply understand the transcendental nature of Lord’s birth and activities (4.9)
Goal – Abode of Krishna – Thus complete success is assured
Safety – Lord protects from falldown again into the material world

(d) Who can attain ‘Perfection of liberation’

A faithful devotee, who accepts Krishna’s protection with faith
One who accepts Krishna as Supreme Personality of Godhead
He has many transcendental forms
These forms have relations with unalloyed devotees
One who does not waste time in philosophical speculations
Ref. Brahma Samhita, Vedas, Svetasvatara Upanisad (study purport)

(e) Fate of other processes like empiric philosophers and puffed-up mundane scholars

Waste of time
May get important roles in material world, not liberation
Analogy: licking the outer surface of a bottle of honey

(f) What is the hope for these speculators etc. – ‘Only causeless mercy of devotee of the Lord’

(g) Conclusive suggestion – Cultivate Krishna consciousness with faith and knowledge and attain

perfection

(f) Who is the ‘Avatara’ for Kali-yuga – Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu

How does he spread religion and deliver miscreants – Propogated Sankirtan Movement throughout India
Sastric proof – This Avatara is mentioned secretly and not directly in Upanisads, Mahabharata and Srimad Bhagavatam
Mission
He does not kill but delivers by causeless mercy
Predicts the broadcast of Sankirtana movement all over the world
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
4.7 O scion of the Bharata dynasty, yada yada hi, whenever; bhavati, there is; a glanih, decline, decrease; dharmasya, of virtue consisting of the duties of castes and stages of life of living beings, which are the means to achieving properity and Liberation; and abhyutthanam, increase, rise; adharmasya, of vice; tada, then; do aham, I; srjami, manifest; atmanam, Myself, through Maya. Why?
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
4.7 There is no restriction as to the time of My birth; whenever the Dharma taught by the Vedas that must be observed according to the arrangements of the four stations and the four stages of life declines, and Adharma, its opposite, increases, then I Myself, by My own will and in the manner stated, incarnate Myself. Sri Krsna gives the purpose of His birth.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
4.7 See Comment under 4.9
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
4.7 Whenever there is decline of righteousness, O Arjuna, and rise of unrighteousness, then I manifest Myself.
Commentary

4.7 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.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
4.7 O scion of the Bharata dynasty, whenever there is a decline one virtue and increase of vice, then do I manifest Myself.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
4.7 Whenever spirituality decays and materialism is rampant, then, O Arjuna, I reincarnate Myself!
Related values & verses
Primary values
Nyaya (Justice / Righteous Judgment)
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)
Related verses
BG 4.8 BG 9.11 BG 18.66 SB 1.3.28 SB 9.24.56 SB 10.1.23 CC Ādi 3.19 CC Ādi 4.38 CC Madhya 20.330 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.12Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.1.3
Stories
abhaya_epic_middlesaurya_epic_collegenyaya_sb_primaryraksha_sb_middle
Concepts
Dharma
Study Q&A referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Whenever and wherever there is a decline of dharma and a rise of adharma, I appear Myself — the great promise.
Practical Applications
  • When the world looks dark, remember the promise — the Lord is poised to descend.
  • Be a small instrument of dharma's recovery in your own circle.
  • Read this verse during despair about world conditions.
Reflection Questions
  • In what corner of my world has dharma been declining?
  • What small re-establishment is mine to enact?
Analogy

A gardener leaves the garden to itself for long stretches, trusting it to grow. But when weeds overtake the beds and the pathways disappear, he returns with shears and stake. Kṛṣṇa is the gardener of dharma; long ages of inattention by humans always end with the gardener walking back through the gate.

Stories
The descent for Prahlāda

When Hiraṇyakaśipu's reign of terror grew so total that even the demigods hid, and the boy-devotee Prahlāda was tortured for refusing to renounce the Lord, Viṣṇu burst from a pillar as Nṛsiṁha — half-man, half-lion — at the precise instant of the boy's worst peril.

This is yadā yadā hi dharmasya glāniḥ in living form. The decline of dharma had reached its inflection point; the rise of adharma had reached its zenith; the descent followed immediately. The promise of this verse is not poetic — Bhāgavatam shows it operating on a precise hinge.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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